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When pears are in season, make this simple, luscious Pear Crisp! The pears go in unpeeled and the topping is made with rolled oats, crunchy walnuts, brown sugar, and melted butter. Take 10 minutes for prep, then let it bake until the pears are juicy and bubbling. Easy!
I love this Pear Crisp recipe because the topping is so easy to make. Instead of messing with two forks or a pastry cutter, cutting in chunks of cold butter like a pie crust, we use melted butter here. Toss it with the other topping ingredients, then refrigerate until chilled.
This ensures every bit of topping is coated with butter and bakes up browned and crunchy, exactly the way you want it. And you don’t have to peel the pears! Leave the skins on for extra texture, otherwise, the pears will melt into oblivion. It’s easier that way and tastes better too!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Rolled oats: Flat and flaky, these are otherwise known as “old-fashioned” oats. Quick-cooking oats can work in a pinch, but do not substitute steel-cut oats.
- Walnuts: I think the walnuts add a wonderful flavor and crunch to the topping, but it’s okay to leave them out if you prefer. I’ve also tested with raw pecans and raw cashews, which were both excellent.
- Pears: Look for ripe, juicy pears such as Bartlett, Bosc, or Asian pears. There is no need to peel them before coring and slicing.
Step-by-step instructions
- To make the topping, in a medium bowl, add flour, oats, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle butter over mixture and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the filling.
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or rub with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add pears and toss well to coat.
- Pour intro prepared baking dish and sprinkle with topping.
- Bake until the fruit juices are bubbling and the topping is crisp and golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 cups of Pear Crisp, enough for 8 servings, ¾ cup each (plus ice cream).
- Storage: Cover the Pear Crisp with foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make ahead: You can make the topping one day in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator until baking time.
- Freezer: Fully-baked Pear Crisp doesn’t freeze well. Unfortunately, the crunchy topping turns mushy upon thawing.
- Pear cobbler: Transform fresh pears into a luscious dessert worthy of any dinner party, brunch, or weeknight meal. It’s a great way to celebrate this juicy fruit during their short seasonal window.
Recipe FAQs
Any ripe, juicy pears will do! Look for Bartlett, Bosc, or Asian pears. There is no need to peel them before coring and slicing.
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Pear Crisp
Ingredients
For the crisp topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (see note 1)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup walnuts finely chopped (see note 2)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter melted (1 stick)
For the pear crisp:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 5 medium pears halved, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 6 cups or 2 pounds, see note 3)
- Vanilla ice cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- To make the topping, in a medium bowl, add flour, oats, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle butter over mixture and toss to combine. Cover an refrigerate while preparing the filling.
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or rub with butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add pears and toss well to coat. Pour intro prepared baking dish and sprinkle with topping.
- Bake until the fruit juices are bubbling and the topping is crisp and golden brown, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
- Rolled oats: Flat and flaky, these are otherwise known as “old-fashioned” oats. Quick-cooking oats can work in a pinch, but do not substitute steel-cut oats.
- Walnuts: I think the walnuts add a wonderful flavor and crunch to the topping, but it’s okay to leave them out if you prefer. I’ve also done testing with raw pecans and raw cashews, and they were both excellent.
- Pears: Look for ripe, juicy pears such as Bartlett, Bosc, or Asian pears. There is no need to peel them before coring and slicing.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 6 cups of Pear Crisp, enough for 8 servings, ¾ cup each (plus ice cream).
- Storage: Cover the Pear Crisp with foil or plastic wrap and store at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.