I’m always surprised when people haven’t tasted an apple pear (also known as an Asian pear) before! These fruits, to me, are the pinnacle of fall fruits. I use them as soon as the weather turns cold to make one of my favorite fall dessert recipes of all time: apple pear cheesecake bars.
These cheesecake bars are so YUM. A nutty, cinnamon-y crust, creamy and sweet apple pear filling, and a just-right streusel topping.
But before I dig into the apple pear cheesecake bars, let’s talk about these apple pears a little more.
Apple pears (also known as Asian pears) are sooo crisp and delicious. They are sweet, juicy, and packed with pear flavor–but with the texture of an apple. They’re great to eat on their own like you would an apple or pear, but also cook and bake well, making them great for recipes like this! But more on that in a second…
One thing I hear a lot of people asking is whether apple pears are actually an apple or a pear.
Are Apple Pears an Apple or a Pear?
Don’t let the name fool you! Apple pears are pears. They just have apple-like qualities. When you bite in, you’ll find they have the texture of an apple but the flavor of a pear! They are crisp, juicy, and sweet.
Although apple pears are apples, there are some differences between them and traditional pears. One of the biggest differences is that European pears are picked when they’re still green and allowed to ripen at room temperature off the tree. However, apple pears ripen all the way on the tree before they’re harvested (same as apples or peaches!).
Thank goodness they stay fresh for so long or the harvest season would be too short (does anyone else wish peaches stayed around longer too?). They stay good for 10-14 days out on your counter, up to three weeks in the crisper of a refrigerator, and up to three months in commercial storage facilities!
That means when harvest season comes around September, I’m basking in apple pear goodness for a delicious few months.
But enough about the fruit. Let’s talk about what you can DO with these delicious apple pears. My favorite? Apple Pear Cheesecake Bars!
Asian Pear Cheesecake Bars
Because of their firm, crisp texture, apple pears are GREAT to cook and bake with. I’ve seen them used in salads, bread puddings, and even stir frys (YUM).
But my favorite apple pear recipe by far is these apple pear cheesecake bars.
You’ve probably seen apple cheesecake recipes around. They’re all the rage on Pinterest, my friends (P.S. If you’re not following me on Pinterest, here’s my link!). While I am definitely an apple cheesecake fan, I love these bars even more. That’s because these bars are easier to serve a crowd, stack beautifully on a platter, are more forgiving than bake-it-perfectly cheesecakes, and are just packed with sweet, gooey apple pear deliciousness.
You can even heat these babies in the microwave for 10 seconds and top them with caramel sauce for even more decadent yum….especially my Gingerbread Caramel https://suzyeatondesigns.com/recipe/gingerbread-caramel/#.XgZIb5NKjGI
If you can’t find apple pears (aka Asian Pears) in the store or aren’t a fan (sigh), you can use regular apples or even pears for these cheesecake bars as well. They still turn out gooey and phenomenally tasty!
