Pear Crisp

This pear crisp recipe is such an easy, delicious fall dessert! The sweet, soft fruit and nutty crumble are fantastic with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pear Crisp

I love to think of this pear crisp recipe as a “pair crisp.” With quotation marks. Because this is a dessert for 2. Get it? Jack is sitting next to me right now shaking his head, but honestly, I love desserts that are easy to make in small portions. See, if I made a pear crisp recipe large enough to serve 4, it would still serve just the two of us. Just one more bite after one more bite, and it would all be over. We have no control, especially around sweet, cinnamon-spiced fall desserts like this one. (And pssst! If you’re serving 4, you can easily double this recipe!)

If you love apple crisp as much as I do, I’m telling you, you have to try it with pears. They’re so soft and sweet that they practically melt into the crumble topping. And because (ripe) pears are so much softer than apples, this pear crisp recipe bakes in about half the time. What’s not to love about that?

Pears

Pear Crisp Recipe Ingredients

Fruit crisps are some of my favorite desserts to make at home. I love that they can just serve 2 and that they show off fresh fruit, but they’re also easy to make. In fact, I almost always have all the ingredients for this pear crisp in my pantry:

  • Pears! Heads up – you’re going to want to get these guys in advance. I don’t know about you, but whenever I head to the store for pears, they’re always rock hard. You want soft, ripe pears for this recipe, so buy them a few days ahead of time and let them ripen on your counter. Use whatever kind you like best – Bosc, D’Anjou, or Bartlett pears would all be great.
  • Whole rolled oats – They add delicious homey texture to the crumble topping.
  • Walnuts – What’s a crumble topping without crunchy, toasty nuts? I love the combination of pears and walnuts in the fall.
  • Flour – I use homemade oat flour or almond flour to make this recipe gluten-free! Store bought oat or almond flour would work here too.
  • Brown sugar – It sweetens the nutty crumble topping.
  • Cinnamon and nutmeg – For warm, spiced fall flavor.
  • Coconut oil – For richness. Because I don’t use butter here, this pear crisp recipe is both vegan and dairy-free!
  • And sea salt – Don’t skip it! It makes all the sweet, warm, and nutty flavors pop.

Oh, and another reason I love this recipe – it’s great to make ahead! Toss together the oats, walnuts, flour, sugar, and spices in advance. When you’re ready to bake, mix in the coconut oil and dice the pears. Layer them into a baking dish, sprinkle on the topping, and bake!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Pear crisp recipe

More Favorite Fall Dessert Recipes

If you love this pear crisp recipe, try one of these fall desserts next:


5.0 from 2 reviews

Pear Crisp

 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This pear crisp recipe is a delicious fall dessert! It serves 2, but you can easily double it to serve more. If you do, bake the crisp in an 8-inch square or similar-sized baking dish.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 ripe pears
  • 3 tablespoons whole rolled oats*
  • 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons gluten-free oat flour or almond meal
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Small grating of fresh nutmeg (about ⅛ tsp.)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1½ tablespoons hardened coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the oats, flour, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  3. Use your fingers or the back of a fork to crumble in the hardened coconut oil until it's incorporated but still crumbly.
  4. Grease the bottom of a 6" skillet (or similar sized ramekin) with coconut oil. Add the pears and sprinkle the crumble on top.
  5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the pears are soft but not mushy.
  6. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Make ahead tip: Mix the dry ingredients together in advance. When you're ready to bake, just mix in the coconut oil, chop the pear, and assemble.

*If you're sensitive to gluten, make sure your oats and oat flour are certified gluten-free.

 

40 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Ioulía Kornberg
    11.23.2022

    One of my fave dishes. I double it into a 9 x 9 baking dish so I can serve two more people. Also, I add cranberries.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.24.2022

      I’m so glad you’ve loved it!

  2. Manisha
    05.14.2020

    this was so easy, quick, delicious and comforting. i made extra crumble and put it in the fridge so I can just throw it on the next ripe pears I see and toss it in the oven!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.15.2020

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  3. Heather
    01.17.2020

    Never would have thought to put apples and pears together. Very tasty. thanks for sharing

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.17.2020

      Hi Heather, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  4. Avianti Jewelry
    11.28.2014

    Love all of your pear/apple crisp recipes! I’m ding for a chance to be able to make them. Saving this until then. Thank you!

  5. ioulia
    11.18.2014

    The photo looks like it has dried cranberries in it. Or am I just imagining it? If it doesn’t, can I add some? Looks yummy!

    • jeanine
      11.18.2014

      it does – I added a few at the last minute – go ahead and add some, they’re delicious 🙂

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.