Spiced Pear Crisp with Crunchy Oat Almond Topping

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour

Quick Ingredients

• 6 medium ripe but firm pears (about 2 1/2 lb), peeled, cored, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (for filling)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for filling)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 tsp for topping
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (for topping)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (for topping)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
• Optional for serving: vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream

Do This

• 1) Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking dish.
• 2) In a bowl, mix oats, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, sliced almonds, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter until crumbly and clumpy. Chill topping while you prep pears.
• 3) In a large bowl, toss pear slices with lemon juice, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla.
• 4) Spread the spiced pears evenly in the prepared baking dish, scraping in all juices.
• 5) Scatter the chilled oat–almond topping evenly over pears, squeezing some into larger clumps.
• 6) Bake 35–40 minutes, until topping is deep golden and pears are bubbling around the edges (cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly).
• 7) Cool 10–15 minutes so the juices thicken, then serve warm, plain or with ice cream/whipped cream.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Warm, spiced pear slices tucked under a deeply toasted oat–brown sugar–almond topping that is crunchy and buttery.
• Simple pantry ingredients, one baking dish, and no special equipment required.
• Flexible and forgiving: works with different pear varieties and adapts easily to gluten-free or dairy-free tweaks.
• Perfect make-ahead dessert that reheats beautifully for cozy dinners and holidays alike.

Grocery List

• Produce: 6 medium pears (Bosc, Anjou, or Bartlett), 1 lemon
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, optional vanilla ice cream or heavy cream (for whipped cream)
• Pantry: Old-fashioned rolled oats, sliced almonds, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, fine sea salt

Full Ingredients

For the Spiced Pear Filling

• 6 medium ripe but firm pears (about 2 1/2 lb total), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine sea salt (optional but recommended to balance sweetness)

For the Crunchy Oat–Brown Sugar–Almond Topping

• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant oats)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

To Serve (Optional)

• Vanilla ice cream
• Or lightly sweetened whipped cream

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven and prep your pan

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center. Lightly butter an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking dish. You can also use a similar-capacity gratin dish. Set the prepared dish aside while you make the topping and filling.

Step 2: Make the crunchy oat–almond topping

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, sliced almonds, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt. Toss with a spoon or your fingers until everything is evenly distributed.

Add the cold, cubed butter to the bowl. Using your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks sandy with some pea-size clumps. Those clumps are what will bake into crunchy, toasty bits on top of the pears.

Place the bowl of topping in the refrigerator while you prepare the pears. Chilling helps the butter stay cold so the topping bakes up crisp and nicely browned.

Step 3: Prep and slice the pears

Peel the pears, then cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the cores with a small spoon or melon baller. Slice each half into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. You want slices that are thick enough to hold their shape but not so thick that they take forever to soften in the oven.

If your pears are very juicy, do this step on a cutting board with a groove or on a rimmed baking sheet to catch the juices, then scrape them into the bowl in the next step. Slightly underripe pears are fine; they will soften as they bake and keep a pleasant bite.

Step 4: Toss the pears with warm spices

Place the pear slices in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the lemon juice and toss gently to coat; this brightens the flavor and helps prevent browning.

Sprinkle over the granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and a small pinch of salt. Toss gently with a spatula or your hands until every slice is lightly coated and you see no pockets of dry flour or spices.

The mixture should look glossy and slightly syrupy. The flour will help thicken the pear juices into a light sauce as the crisp bakes.

Step 5: Assemble the pear crisp

Scrape the spiced pear mixture into your prepared baking dish, spreading the slices into an even layer. Pour any juices from the bowl over the top; they are full of flavor and will enrich the sauce.

Remove the chilled topping from the refrigerator. Using your hands, sprinkle it evenly over the pears, squeezing some of it together into small clumps for extra texture. Try to cover the pears mostly, but a few gaps are fine and let steam escape while baking.

Step 6: Bake until golden, bubbling, and toasty

Place the dish on a parchment-lined or foil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35–40 minutes, or until:

• The topping is a deep golden brown and smells nutty and caramelized.
• The pear juices are bubbling up thickly around the edges and maybe through a few spots in the topping.

If the topping is browning too quickly before the pears are tender and bubbling, loosely drape a piece of foil over the dish for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Step 7: Rest briefly and serve warm

When the crisp is done, remove it from the oven and place the dish on a wire rack. Let it cool for 10–15 minutes. This short rest lets the bubbling juices thicken so you get a luscious, spoonable sauce instead of a runny one.

Spoon the warm pear crisp into bowls, making sure each serving gets both plenty of fruit and crunchy oat–almond topping. Serve as is, or top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of softly whipped cream for an extra-indulgent finish.

Pro Tips

• Choose the right pears: Bosc and Anjou hold their shape especially well, but Bartlett works too. Aim for pears that are just barely ripe: fragrant but still somewhat firm when gently pressed near the stem.
• Keep the butter cold: Cold butter in the topping is key to getting that crunchy, toasty texture. If your kitchen is warm, pop the topping in the fridge or freezer while you slice the pears.
• Check for doneness by the fruit, not just the topping: Insert a small knife into the center; the pears should be tender and slide off easily. If the topping is brown before the fruit is soft, tent with foil and keep baking.
• Adjust sweetness to taste: Very sweet pears may need a tablespoon or two less sugar. Taste a slice and adjust the filling sugar slightly if needed before baking.
• Use a wide, shallow dish for more crunch: A shallower dish increases the surface area for the oat–almond topping, giving you more of the crispy, toasty bits everyone loves.

Variations

• Ginger–Pear Crisp: Double the ground ginger in the filling and add 2–3 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger to the pears for extra spice and a little chew.
• Maple Walnut Pear Crisp: Replace half of the brown sugar in both filling and topping with pure maple syrup (reduce by 1–2 tbsp to avoid excess liquid) and swap the sliced almonds for chopped walnuts.
• Gluten-Free Pear Crisp: Substitute a good gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the flour in both the filling and topping, and ensure your oats are certified gluten-free.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover pear crisp, cooled to room temperature, tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until warm, or rewarm the whole dish in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes, loosely covered with foil.

For make-ahead prep, you can mix the dry topping ingredients and cut in the butter up to 24 hours in advance; keep the mixture covered and chilled. You can also peel and slice the pears a few hours ahead and toss them with the lemon juice, then cover and refrigerate. Right before baking, add the sugars, flour, spices, and vanilla to the pears, assemble, and bake as directed.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 6 servings (without ice cream or whipped cream): about 380 calories, 7 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 70 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 42 g sugars, 6 g protein, and 160 mg sodium. Actual values will vary based on the specific brands and pear varieties you use.