This Pear Crisp Recipe tosses the fruit in warm spices, then bakes it with a crumbly honey-sweetened oat topping. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a taste of autumnal bliss!
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This crisp gives pears their time in the spotlight!
Why must our fall dessert choices be limited to pumpkin or apple? What about pears?!
A ripe pear is luscious and juicy, a real treat just on its own, but baked into this pear crisp, it’s worthy of a Thanksgiving dessert.
- The jammy baked fruit + crumbly sweet topping equation works with Peach Crisp, Blackberry Crisp, and Strawberry Crisp, and it won’t let you down in this pear crisp recipe either.
- Because ripe pears are so juicy, I have a little trick to help get the topping crisp and crunchy—more on that later.
- Like Vegan Apple Crisp, the beauty of this pear crisp is that it’s easy enough that you can make it anytime you’re craving a cozy fall dessert, but it’s also an excellent choice for holidays and get-togethers. There’s no crust to roll out and aside from the pears, all the ingredients involved are kitchen staples.
5 Star Review
“The balance of flavors was spot-on. The pears were soft and full of flavor, and the crunchy topping was the perfect contrast. I didn’t think such a simple recipe could taste this good! Definitely one I’ll be making again when I need a quick, delicious dessert.”
— Tatiana —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
For the Pear Crisp Filling:
- Bartlett Pears. Bartlett pears can be enjoyed crisp, tart, and crunchy or tender, smooth, and juicy. We’re looking for the latter with this pear crisp recipe. Ripe Bartlett pears are golden yellow in color, not green (which is when they’re tart and crisp). Got a surplus? Try Pear Cake next!
- Sugar. This melts into the pear juices to form a syrupy liquid.
- Lemon Juice. A pop of acidity to brighten the flavor of the filling.
- Spices. Ground cinnamon and ginger for cozy vibes.
- All-Purpose Flour. Gluten-free flour works too. This thickens the juices.
For the Topping:
- Unsalted Butter. We’ll be adding our own salt, so we don’t want to start with salted butter.
- Honey and Brown Sugar. Both of these add sweetness and also flavor to the topping.
- Pure Vanilla Extract. Don’t use imitation! Pure vanilla has more depth and nuance.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats. For texture and that oat-y flavor.
- Flour. I use a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour.
- Nuts. Chopped walnuts or pecans add crunch and nuttiness, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
- Ground Cinnamon. Just like apples, pears and cinnamon are excellent together.
- Vanilla Ice Cream. Ice cream is my fave, but whipped cream or vanilla Greek yogurt are delish too.
How to Make a Perfect Pear Crisp
Prep the Pears. Peel, core, and slice.
Finish the Filling. Stir the pears and the rest of the filling ingredients together.
Melt the Butter. Once it’s melted, whisk in the brown sugar, followed by the honey and vanilla.
Mix the Dry Ingredients. Stir together the oats, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, nuts (if using), cinnamon, and salt in another bowl.
Combine Wet and Dry. Pour the butter mixture into the bowl with the oats and stir.
Bake. Spread the topping onto a baking sheet and press it into a thin, even layer. Bake pear crisp at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Finish. Stir the pear filling and transfer it to a baking dish. Break up the baked topping pieces and arrange them on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. Cool for 30 minutes to allow the juices to thicken, then serve pear crisp with ice cream and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Make an Apple Pear Crisp. Swap half the pears with your favorite baking apple. Apples are firmer than pears when baked, giving you a nice textural contrast in the filling.
- Add Rum Raisins. Soak raisins in warm spiced rum until they swell up. Discard the rum (or save it for a cocktail), then stir the rum-infused raisins into the pear filling.
Pear Crisp
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Ingredients
For the Pear Crisp Filling:
- 6 ripe Bartlett pears sliced ¼-inch thick, about 3 pounds
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or gluten free flour
For the Topping:
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter cut into a few pieces
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour or additional all-purpose flour
- ½ cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or vanilla Greek yogurt, for serving
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat a deep 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Make the filling: Peel, core, and half the pears lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise into long 1/4-inch slices, then cut the long slices in half crosswise so you have shorter slices. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and flour. Stir to combine, then let while you prepare the topping.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl, melt the butter for the topping. As soon as it is melted, whisk in the brown sugar. Then, whisk in the honey and vanilla.
- In a separate, larger bowl, stir together the oats, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, nuts (if using), cinnamon, and salt until evenly blended.
- Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture. With a spatula, stir until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened.
- Scrape the crumb topping on a rimmed ungreased baking sheet. With your fingers, press it into a thin, even layer (if the topping sticks to your fingers, dampen them slightly with water). Bake until the topping just barely starts to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes.
- Give the pear filling a big stir, then transfer it, along with any juices that have collected, to the baking dish.
- With a large spatula or spoon, break the toasted topping into rough pieces that are somewhere between ½-inch and 1-inch in size, then scatter it over the pear filing—for the best presentation, arrange the topmost pieces so that the oat-side is up and the flat side that was touching the pan is down.
- Bake the pear crisp for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is crispy and deep golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly. At the 20 minute mark, rotate the pan 180°F; if the topping starts to brown too quickly in places, tent the pan with foil and continue baking as directed.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool and set up for at least 30 minutes. Scoop and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- TO STORE: Cover the pear crisp or transfer smaller portions of leftovers to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm leftovers in the oven at 350ºF until hot, or use the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Store pear crisp in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
So so so crispy!!! Yum! :)
We actually got some usable pears from our pear tree this year so I was looking for a recipe and came across this one. It was sooo good. I had about a half cup of apple pie filling left over from turnovers I made last weekend so I added them to the pear mixture. We had it warm with some waffle cone ice cream. YUMMY!!!!
So glad to hear! Thank you Sharon!
I made this recipe exactly as written and it was so delicious! I took it to dinner at a friend’s home, and served it with vanilla ice cream. Everyone gobbled it up and commented on the yumminess. I guess this goes into the category of tried-and-true and gotta-make-it-again recipes! Thanks, Erin!
Yay! Great to hear, Judy! Thank you!
Pears are one of my favorite fall fruits; and don’t you just love that with each changing season comes an old friend like pears? This crisp looks perfect for fall days and lazy fall weekends – throw in some cranberries and I think it would be perfect for the Thanksgiving table!
Thanks Desiree!
I was looking for a new way to use up some pears, and this recipe was perfect. The balance of flavors was spot-on. The pears were soft and full of flavor, and the crunchy topping was the perfect contrast. I didn’t think such a simple recipe could taste this good! Definitely one I’ll be making again when I need a quick, delicious dessert. Thank you!
Great to hear! Thank you Tatiana!
Whipped this up last minute for dessert when my friend came over. Took hardly any effort and made the kitchen smell like cinnamon heaven. We ate it right out of the baking dish, and it was warm and gooey in the best way. Definitely keeping this one in my recipe folder.
So happy to hear, Sara! Thank you!
I’ve made apple crisp tons of times but never tried using pears until now. It’s actually really good! The pears give off a softer, juicier texture that works so well with the oat topping. I might try adding a drizzle of caramel on top next time. Really happy with this one. Thank you!
So happy to hear, Natalie! Thank you!
Honestly, I wasn’t sure how this would turn out because I’m more of an apple crisp person. But this pear version was so good! Softer and lighter than apple crisp, and the spices were just right. I didn’t have any ice cream, so I topped it with whipped cream and it was still amazing.
So glad to hear, thank you Brianna!