Easy Pear Crisp

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This easy pear crisp features juicy pears, maple syrup, vanilla, and warm spices beneath a buttery oat crumble for the perfect cozy fall dessert.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Resting time15

Total Time1 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 452kcal

Author: Joy Kincaid

Equipment

10-inch cast iron skillet or your favorite circle baking dish
Large mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Spatula
Pastry Cutter or fork

Ingredients

Pear Filling

6 Bartlett or Anjou pears ripe, peeled and diced (I like to keep some skin on for texture)
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

Crisp Topping

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Lightly butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet or any circle baking dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, gently toss together the sliced pears, maple syrup, vanilla, brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until every slice is evenly coated.
Transfer the pear mixture to the prepared skillet or baking dish, spreading the mixture into an even layer.
In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Work the cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until coarse, and crumble clusters begin to form. Fold in the chopped pecans if using.
Scatter the crumble evenly over the pears without pressing it down.
Place in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the topping is crisp and golden brown and the fruit filling is gently bubbling around the edges.
Allow the crisp to rest for about 15 minutes before serving so the filling has time to thicken slightly.

Notes

Tips for the Best Pear Crisp

Choose pears that are ripe but still slightly firm. Very soft, overripe pears can become mushy during baking.
Vanilla bean paste gives this dessert an especially rich vanilla flavor, but regular pure vanilla extract works well too.
Keep the butter cold until you’re ready to make the topping. Cold butter helps create those larger buttery crumbles that become wonderfully crisp in the oven.
Don’t overmix the topping. You want a mixture of smaller crumbs and larger buttery pieces rather than a completely uniform texture.
If your pears are especially juicy, add an additional teaspoon of cornstarch to the filling. You can also set the cast-iron skillet on a baking sheet to catch any juices that bubble over.
For even more crunch, sprinkle about a tablespoon of coarse sugar over the crumble before baking.
And be sure to let the finished pear crisp rest for at least 15 minutes. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.

Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheating: warm individual servings in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, or reheat the skillet in a 325*F oven until warmed through.

Freezing: Freeze baked crisp for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Make Ahead: Assemble the filling and topping separately up to one day ahead. Refrigerate both, then assemble just before baking for the freshest texture.

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