Incredibly easy and delicious Sautéed Apples & Pears with Cinnamon and Coconut Butter that’s Paleo, Vegan, and Whole30 compliant. No added sugar or sweeteners, dairy free, gluten free.
If you still happen to be skeptical of that whole “fruit is nature’s candy” thing that people talk about, you might wanna try this recipe. It will only take you a total of 10 minutes from start to finish, so I can wait.
Okay, now, I didn’t actually expect you to take that time to make this and come back to me – YOU GOT ME! I simply wanted to make the point, that, while this recipe contains no added sugar of any kind, I would never guess that was the case.
And yes – I’m totally biased since I’m smack in the middle of my January Whole30, and, to be quite honest, even raw almonds taste sweet to me right now. Heck, even plain water tastes sweet to me right now – Whole30 can be strange this way.
BUT, luckily, I have my kids around at all times to give me some perspective, and, I assure you that even if you’re not considering kicking sugar outa bed in this lifetime, you’ll still really love this simple, healthy recipe!
I discovered this super easy method of sautéing apples and pears for two reasons. First, Adam needed “dessert” during the Whole30 (okay fine, I can’t say I mind it either) and second, we received a bunch of fresh pears as a holiday gift, and, I wasn’t about to let them go to waste. While pears aren’t exactly the favorite fruit around here, they work so well with the sautéed apples and here that no one but me even knows the difference.
I know that “dessert” is not encouraged during Whole30, but, since this is so far from what we would normally eat for “dessert” (i.e. chocolate, cookies, ice cream, etc.) it still “feels” Whole30 for us 🙂 However, if you find yourself feeling like you’re attempting to replicate a pie (I’m doubting you’re typically baking an apple pie every night, but, still) this might not be the right Whole30 recipe for you.
However, if you want a healthy treat that’s quick and easy, kid friendly, nut free, vegan, Paleo, and contains no added sugar, I think you’ll absolutely love these sautéed apples and pears!
Truthfully, they are still really delicious without the coconut butter. I’ve been making a similar recipe (with apples only, no coconut butter) as a side dish for our family for years, and my kids go wild for it! BUT I simply love coconut butter with fruit, so, let’s just say I HAD TO for the “official” version. I’ll leave the drizzle decision up to you.
Other fun/yummy drizzles include raw almond butter, cashew butter, or really any nut or seed butter that you love. Just remember to read labels if you’re avoiding added sugar. Let me know what you guys think!
Easy Sautéed Apples & Pears with Cinnamon and Coconut Butter {Paleo, Vegan, Whole30}
Sautéed Apples & Pears with Coconut Butter {Paleo, Vegan, Whole30}
Ingredients
- 1 large apple I used Pink Lady or 2 small*, peeled and sliced into 1/4-1/2 inch segments
- 1 large pear or 2 small (not too ripe), peeled and sliced as above
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or possibly more if you need extra towards the end
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon a full 2 if you love cinnamon!
- 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 3 tbsp coconut butter melted**
Instructions
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Heat a medium, well seasoned cast iron or nonstick skillet over med heat and add 1 Tbsp of the coconut oil***
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Once heated, add the apples and cook/stir one minute, then add the pears and combine
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Sprinkle the salt evenly over the top and stir, continue to cook until softened, about 3 minutes, adding any extra coconut oil and adjusting heat to lower if you need to.
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Lower the heat to low and sprinkle the cinnamon over apples and pears, stir. If mixture is very sticky you can add a drop of water to thin it out. Once fruit is coated with cinnamon, soft and lightly browned, remove from heat.
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Microwave coconut butter in a glass dish in increments of 5 sec until drippy but not too hot** Drizzle over apples and pears to serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*These are my favorite for sautéing - you can use any that you would typically use for a pie (firm, crisp, sweet/tart) with such as granny smith, jonagold, honeycrisp, etc)
**To melt coconut butter (you'll need to if it's below 70-75 degrees F), place it in a glass container and microwave in 5 second increments, stir to combine. You can also run the jar under very hot water until melted if preferred.
***If using cast iron it should be able to function essentially as a non-stick skillet would. If in doubt, go with a nonstick skillet.
Nutrition
Want more Paleo apple recipes? Try one of these!
Caramelized Sweet Potato Apple Hash Browns
Roasted Butternut, Apple & Bacon Hash
On the web:
Tell Me!
What fruits are your favorite right now?
Are you a fan of coconut butter?
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Dessert? I’m having this for breakfast!
I must try this, currently on an AIP diet for my Celiac disease and am lactose intolerant. Favorite fruit right now are peaches! Yes I like coconut butter but honestly haven’t used it often….yet!
I’ve definitely used fruit (and/or sweet potatoes) as Whole30 “dessert”, but it’s so much different than my usual copious chocolate/baked good consumption that it still feels Whole30. Also, I have much more of an “off switch” with fruit, whereas I could pretty much never stop eating chocolate. 😉 This sounds perfect!
Yummy! Thank you! Can’t wait to make it! 🙂
I am thinking that some slivered almonds or walnuts would take this to new levels! I’m going to buy the ingredients today!
This looks wonderful and I will be trying tonight. I love coconut butter and I don’t eat enought fruit – this might change that.
Exactly what is coconut butter and where do you buy it??
Coconut butter is made from dried coconut and you can actually make your own in a food processor, however I typically purchase it. This is my favorite one that I buy from Amazon, but you can buy coconut butter at many regular grocery stores usually in the section with organic nut butters: http://amzn.to/2r063Gm
Ok thank you, Michele. I just started the Whole 30 and this looks wonderful!
So funny it looks so much like poutine (a French Canadian meal made of fries, gravy and curd cheese). Sounds gross but people come from around the world to try it haha I do love pears with a passion! I would choose pears over chocolate any day 🙂
These apples look so, so good!!
THIS WOULD BE PERFECT for a really quick dessert, whole 30 or not! I need to buy more coconut butter.
maybe this is what I need to get me back to eating apples! looks so good and easy
No sugar either. Damn that whole 30 is strict. You’re a saint for doing it with Adam and making him this dessert type substitute. I’m a sucker for fruit so this is right up my alley.
I love pears, but don’t buy them very often. This dish looks delicious and I like the coconut drizzle too.
I’ve been all about coconut butter drizzle during my Whole30, and same here with the pears 🙂
This was great!! It was quick, easy and super tasty! We didn’t even need the coconut butter…don’t feel like it added much to it. Either way it was yummy. So much so, my husband thought for sure there was sugar added. Thanks!
Great! So glad you liked it 🙂
Great recipe! I ended up not using as much cinnamon or coconut oil as the recipe called for but I did add about a 1/4 tsp of cardamom. If I wasn’t trying to stay healthy, I would have definitely addded a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream! 😉
This isn’t Whole30 compliant. It may contain completely compliant ingredients but as a whole it’s what they refer to as SWYPO. It’s recreating bad desserts with technically approved ingredients. This is apple pie filling. Please remove the Whole30 tag.
“We know from experience that one of the fastest ways to negate the potential benefits of your Whole30 experience is to try to recreate your old, unhealthy diet with technically approved ingredients.”
https://whole30.com/2014/10/sex-pants/
I wholeheartedly disagree. She isn’t trying to recreate pie. She added a spice to two fruits. Hardly SWYPO.
i have to agree with Hannah. even if she really didn’t wanna recreate old unhealthy meal, this simply isn’t whole30. whole30 is 30 days of having full meals, which is meat/eggs and veggies, no snacks nor dessert. it is this strict because your body needs to learn to take energy from fats and not sugar like it used to do and it it also learning you how to live without things like that (this is just very basic explanation). and i would also like to ask author of this post to correct herself, because if she read any kind of book about whole30 than she knows this isn’t right. i’m really not trying to be rude or anything, but i really thing that giving missleading information to people that are trying to change their life is rude and unfair too.
I know what the Whole30 is for sure and have read several books on it. In fact, I’m hosting Whole30 Recipes Instagram this week. Here’s my thought on this – if you add chicken and veggies, this magically becomes a side dish, not a dessert. And, some people do snack on Whole30 for various reasons, though I understand dessert is not encouraged. I also understand that this recipe might be gray area for some, however for others it works with their goals. Again, it’s simply sautéed fruit which is included in many Whole30 compliant meals anyway, so some may decide to make it a side dish rather than a snack.
I agree with MIchele. I have also read one book by the co-creators of whole 30 and am in my second. They have also published recipe books. However one labels what they are eating is purely individual. I am getting towards the end of my 1st whole 30 and have experienced many positive reactions. Fruit is just part of the plan. I have it with every meal and if not in the mood hold onto it for a snack which may or may not happen.as I may not be hungry in between.I have learned that many times don’t care to eat fruit alongside my protein and veggies. It waits til after all gone. If that becomes dessert because of timing, then it is dessert. If it cleanses my pallet, then I don’t know what to call it. On Mother’s Day one o my daughter’s fixed me a whole 30 dinner complete with a brownie for dessert (every ingredient passed). I was really nervous to try it and made her take the 1st bite It was delish and .I cut up the pan full and froze each one individually In the past I would have been haunted by them. Now they are just there. Everything is just there. Perfect. No bingeing thoughts or behaviors or desires since I have been on the program.
Day 14 of my Whole30 and I’m so glad I happened upon this recipe.. I needed something a little more than just plain fruit for my after dinner snack and this was sooo perfect! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
So happy you enjoyed it!
This looks so good! And easy! Fruit really is nature’s candy. ?
Why do you say per serving nutrition but excluded the amount of servings in reciepes? I see this often and it makes trying to use it for a healthy life style useless. Carbs are what people need to know to loose weight not calories.
that’s not true at all. Consult any fitness expert/dietician. Calorie deficit is the only thing you need to worry about when losing weight. Carbs are what your body uses to survive. All carbs break down into glucose which feeds your cells. Cut carbs and you’re starving your cells not losing weight. Sorry but you got some bad advice.
I’m only a week into my whole30 and though I’m not craving sweets my partner is turning 30 and I want to find a way to have a little “treat” on her big day. I can’t wait to try this out! Thanks for posting!
So delicious! I put it on top of my oatmeal. Thanks so much for always having awesome recipes!!
Wow wow wow
Wondering if anyone has tried this recipe roasting in an oven instead of stovetop. I’m trying to make a dessert for my book club in January and there are 12 of us!
Easy, Simple, and Tasty! I used a cast iron skillet. I did burn the coconut butter because I didn’t follow the 5 second stir suggestion. My microwave is old and tiny, so the timing ratios and power are usually different, but I should have stuck to the 5 seconds at a time. Will make these again.
I absolutely love this recipe! The combination of sautéed apples and pears with coconut butter sounds delicious and perfect for fall. Can’t wait to try it out! 🍏🍐✨