Pear harvest begins in mid-August in the Pacific Northwest. Living in a small town in Oregon, the second largest pear growing state, it’s not uncommon for me to drive past orchards full of people hard at work picking beautiful fresh pears. I often ride behind a truck full of beautiful fruits to the nearest packing house.
Pears are picked before they are ripe, giving you better control when you want to eat them as a snack or use the delicious fruit in cooking or baking. One of my favorite ways to enjoy them? A quick and easy pear crisp that only requires five ingredients.
It is warm, cozy and perfect for a cold day. Make this as a quick weeknight dessert and enjoy it comfortably for breakfast the next morning.
The perfect pear for a pear crisp
There are many varieties of pears with varying sweetness and texture. For this recipe, it is important to keep the amount of water in mind. I prefer ripe but still firm Bosc or Anjou pears, which are a little crisper than Bartletts while packing flavor.
While in the oven, the pears will release a little water, but I see that as an added bonus. As the liquid marries with the prominent flavors of vanilla and brown sugar, the crisp bottom of the baking dish creates its own beautiful sauce. It’s the perfect drizzle when you’re crisping pears Vanilla ice cream.
My 5-Ingredient Pear Crisp Recipe
For about 6 servings, you’ll need:
- 4 large firm, ripe bosc or anjou pears (about 2 pounds)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 grams) Rolled Oatsdivision
- 1/2 cup (107 grams) brown sugar, divided
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange a rack in the bottom third of the oven.
Peel and finely chop the pears and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract, 1/4 cup oats, and 1/4 cup brown sugar and mix to combine. Transfer to an 8×8 baking dish.
In the same bowl, add the remaining oats and brown sugar. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or knead into a crumbly mixture with your hands. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the pears.
Bake the pears until crisp, until the top is lightly golden and the pears are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the crisp cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.
Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven before serving.
Ways to make it your own
- Spice it up: I like the way. Vanilla extract Enhances the flavor of pears while brown sugar adds a complex sweetness. However, you can definitely add other spices to enhance the flavor even more. Consider adding a sprinkle of cinnamon, cardamom or allspice to the fruit mixture to spice things up.
- Add the flour: This recipe is low on ingredients by design. This results in a crisp topping, but doesn’t have the texture of a typical fruit crisp. If preferred, you can add 2 tablespoons flour to the mixture or grind 3/4 cup oats in a food processor before adding for a more textured topping.