A process for preparing polyol esters by reacting polyols with linear or branched aliphatic monocarboxylic acids having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, is characterized in that a mixture of the starting compounds is allowed to react in the presence of a Lewis acid containing at least one element of groups 4 to 14 of the periodic table of the elements as a catalyst and in the presence of an adsorbent with removal of the water formed, and then the crude ester obtained is aftertreated by adding a further adsorbent which is an acidic activated carbon having a pH of 1 to 6.5.