Pear Crisp
Perfect for late summer and when pears are in season, this pear crisp is easy to make and a nice change from the traditional crisps seen this time of year.
I think pears are an underrated fruit. They are in season from August to October but seem to take a backseat to the more colorful summer fruits and then when fall hits, apples. Pears are nice and mild and perfectly sweet enough to eat on their own. I stumbled across a pear crisp recipe a few years back when I had an abundance of pears sitting on my counter. I tweaked the recipe to my liking and every time I make it I realize I should make it more often.
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- It’s a nice change from traditional apple crips.
- You can make it gluten and dairy-free if needed.
- It’s easy to make.
- You’ll love it if you are a pear lover.
How To Store Pears
Pears are a bit finicky, they ripen from the inside out and by the time the outside is soft the inside may be overipe. Ripe pears should be stored in the refrigerator, whereas unripe pears can be left on the counter to ripen up. Most pears do not change color when they are ripe but the Bartlett pear does. Even if you store your pears in the refrigerator they will continue to ripen but a bit slower so keep an eye on them.
To check to see if a pear is ripe, check the neck of the pear (by the stem) to see if it’s ripe by applying gentle pressure if it is ripe it will give slightly.
Ingredients
By nature this pear crisp is gluten-free if you use certfied gluten-free oats. It can even be dairy-free if you use non-dairy butter for the topping.
Oats – Rolled oats whether gluten-free or not can be used. Do not use quick cooking or instant oats as they will affect the texture of the crisp.
Flour– All-purpose or gluten-free flours work great in this recipe.
Butter– Unsalted cold butter or non-dairy butter sticks will work for the topping.
Brown Sugar– Light brown sugar is preferred to give just the right amount of sweetness.
Cinnamon– Adds another layer of flavor and sweetness to this dish.
Pears– Ripe Bartlett pears is the preffered pear for this recipe. They are soft, sweet and juicy.
Arrowroot or Cornstarch– Since the pears are juicy, this will help thicken the juice and make the dish less runny.
Lemon Zest– Used to brighten up the dish and add a bit more flavor.
Salt– A pinch of salt into the pears to counterbalance the sweetness. Flaky salt on top (Optional)
How To Make A Pear Crisp
It doesn’t really matter which you make first the crisp or the filling. Generally when making the crisp you combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Then you cut the butter into small chunks and add to the flour mixture and mix it in with either your fingers, a fork, or a pastry cutter until the butter is pea sized and evenly distributed. Then you put it in the refrigerator until your ready to top the pears.
Peel and slice the pears into a large bowl, then add the cinnamon, brown sugar, arrowroot or cornstarch, and the lemon zest. Mix it all together really well then place in a greased 8×8 baking pan. Then add the crisp topping and bake 30-35 min until it’s nice and bubbly. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt once out of the oven if desired.
Pear Crisp
Materials
For the Crisp
- 1 cup All-Purpose or Gluten-Free Flour Add 1/2 tsp of Xanthan Gum if GF Flour does not have it.
- 1 cup Rolled Oats Gluten-Free if needed
- 1/2 cup Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed Dairy-Free if desired
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- Sea Salt Flakes for Sprinkling Optional
For the Pear Filling
- 8 ripe Bartlett Pears
- 3/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 5 tbsp Light brown sugar
- 1 tsp Cornstarch or arrowroot
- Zest of half lemon
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
Make The Crisp
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well then add the cubed butter.
- Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers cut the butter into the flour/oat mixture until the butter is in pea-size pieces.
- Place the bowl in refrigerator while preparing the pear filling.
Make The Pear Filling
- Peel and slice pears into a large bowl.
- Add the cinnamon, brown sugar, arrowroot, or cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and the zest of half of a lemon to the bowl.
- Mix well then place the pears into the greased baking pan. Then place the baking pan on a baking sheet to catch any spills that may occur.
- Top the pears with the oatmeal mixture.
- Bake 30-35 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and the pears are bubbly.
- Add sea salt flakes (Optional)
Notes
Nutrition
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