Pear crisp is one of those perfect desserts that has that warmed spiced taste of the holidays without calling for too much effort!
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My husband loves pears. There are always a few in the fridge because he’s one of those weirdos who has the self-control to eat a pear instead of ice cream for dessert (sometimes).
So when his family came to visit us recently, I decided to make a pear crisp!
Think of pear crisp as the cooler, more mature cousin of apple crisp. Pears swap apple’s tangy note with a more mellow flavor that’s equally rich. The cinnamon also plays differently here with the fruit, and I LOVE it.
There are also some great pears in season during the late fall and winter, so they’re a great choice for Christmas desserts.
A bonus: the ingredients are simple basics. You probably already have everything to make the topping in your pantry!
If you’re prepping this for a holiday meal, you can either make it the day ahead and serve room temperature, or put it in the oven right as you sit down to the meal. My preference is serving hot, so I do the latter. But it’s a delicious bite either way!
Pear Crisp
Ingredients:
- 8 cups pears (around 8 medium pears)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- 3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2/3 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- pinch salt
- 6 Tbsp very cold unsalted butter, plus a bit more to grease the dish
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel, core, and slice the pears.
- Toss the pears with the lemon juice, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Butter the inside of an 8×8 inch baking dish and spread the pears loosely inside.
- Cut the butter into bits, then combine everything else in a food processor. Pulse a few times until everything is combined but not uniformly powdered.
- Distribute the topping over the pears, making sure to get all the way to the edges of the pan. Bake 40-45 minutes, until you can see the pears bubbling and the crisp is browned.
Another bonus of this dish is that it’s so easy! So if you’ve got a last minute holiday party that you have no idea what to bring, do this. The longest part is peeling the pears – just dump, top, and bake!
Another favorite pear dessert is creamy poached pears. If you’re looking for more traditional fruit dishes, try apple pie or gluten-free apple crisp!
What desserts are you cooking up for the holidays??
