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An easy Pear Appetizer with Blue Cheese and Candied Walnuts requires only 3 ingredients and can be made in less than 5 minutes! It’s the best fall appetizer recipe for a crowd.
Sweet, savory, crisp and crunchy – it’s the perfect start to your holiday meal!

With the holiday season coming up, I am always looking for easy appetizer recipes for my friends and family can munch on while they anticipate the holiday meal. And I love a quick appetizer that is easy for guests to eat. A finger food at its best.
I love bringing you fast and easy appetizers that are perfectly portioned for guests. Try my spinach artichoke cups or this Handheld Endive Salad for a delicious and pretty appetizer guests will love.
And don’t forget my little guacamole bites – the best way to enjoy guac in an individual serving!

That’s why I decided on pears, blue cheese and candied walnuts. These three simple ingredients make this pear appetizer sweet, salty, crunchy and sweet. That makes this delicious combination, well, perfect!
I love pears, especially when they’re in season in fall and winter. If you love them too, be sure to check out this incredible Pear Cider recipe!

Table of Contents
Pear Appetizer Ingredients
- Pears – I choose to make this appetizer recipe with Comice pears, which just so happens to be the sweetest pear variety! And because those were the freshest and ripest pears available at the grocery store. Bosc or Red Anjou would work beautifully, too.
- Blue Cheese – Purchase a whole block from the cheese counter in your grocery store or local market. This is the good stuff and has much more flavor than the pre-packaged blue cheese crumbles. Plus, the softer and fresher the cheese, the easier it is to stick to the pear slice. My favorites are Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton. Soften to room temperature before assembly.
- Candied Walnuts – I love to make homemade candied nuts, especially during the fall and winter season, but feel free to purchase a store-bought brand for convenience. Many gourmet markets sell exceptional candied walnuts that are far better in quality than the commercial varieties.

How To Make Pear Blue Cheese Appetizer
- Thinly slice pears on a mandoline or with a knife.
- Place the pear slices on the serving platter, top with a soft, fresh blue cheese and a candied walnut.
How To Slice Pears Evenly
I found the best way to get the most even pear slices is with a mandolin. First, set the mandolin to a medium thickness. Then, cut the pear into four and remove the core. Slice each quarter on your mandolin, using the hand guard for safety! Each quarter should give you six even slices.

Is The Pear Appetizer Healthy?
Yes! Since we are using the freshest ingredients possible, this healthy pear appetizer is good and good-for-you.
You can, of course, take it a step further and replace the candied walnuts with plain nuts. This will make the pear recipe keto-friendly.
As an added tip, if you purchase raw, unsalted nuts, roast on a baking sheet in 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, or until slightly golden. Toasting the nuts brings out more of their natural flavor.
The Best Appetizer For Your Fall Party
This easy pear appetizer takes just five minutes to make and no clean-up necessary! Light, crisp and refreshing, it will keep your friends and family going back for more. It’s an elegant bite-sized snack and the perfect start to your holiday meal!


If you try this Pear Appetizer with Blue Cheese and Candied Walnuts recipe, please come back to share using my 5 star rating in the comments below! Not only do I appreciate it, but I know readers do, too! For more easy recipes and simple living ideas, subscribe to my newsletter!

More Easy Appetizers You’ll Love
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Pear Appetizer with Blue Cheese and Candied Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1 pear (sliced thin on a mandolin)
- 2 ounces blue cheese
- 24 candied walnuts
Instructions
- Place the pear slices on serving platter.
- Top each slice with a small dollop of blue cheese and candied walnut.
Tips
Nutrition Information
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
Ana Luisa Hodgkins says
This looks amazing! I love all of these ingredients. I am going to make it for Christmas. Will the pears brown once cut? Just curious if they are like apples once you cut them? Thank you in advance!
Julie Blanner says
I recommend tossing them in lemon, lime or orange juice. Enjoy!
JB says
Is there any issue with the pears browning once they are cut? Should these only be prepped immediately before serving?
Cheryl says
These are so good and so simple! Can’t wait to make them again!
Julie Blanner says
Thank you! I love easy recipes that taste amazing…that way my friends think I’m Martha!