Easy Pear Crisp [Vegan Pear Crumble]

This easy pear crisp/crumble combines a sweet pear filling with a warmly spiced, ‘buttery’ oat streusel topping for a fantastic fall dessert perfect for a low-effort mid-week treat and the holidays! Gluten-free and sugar-free options are included.

Sweet and Spiced Warming Pear Crisp (Pear Crumble)

As summer turns to fall, I’m preparing the last of this year’s apricot and plum crisps (and carefully tucking them away in the freezer to enjoy for months to come). Now, it’s time for fall fruits to shine in dishes like stuffed baked apples, apple crescent rolls, and this super easy and delicious pear crisp with oats (aka pear crumble).

With ingredients like pears, brown sugar (unrefined sugars optional!), and several warming spices like cinnamon and allspice, this Fall/Thanksgiving pear crisp recipe is a delicious fall treat. Plus, it gives crisp, juicy, and inexpensive pears the time to shine for a moment (goodbye apples!).

However, as well as it is great tasting and great at making the house smell wonderful, this dessert is even more brilliant thanks to the fact thatit’s foolproof and takes just a few minutes to prep before chucking it in the oven to bake to perfection!

Even better, there are several ways to adapt the recipe to your dietary and flavor preferences. That includes making a gluten-free pear crisp, using a sugar alternative, adding extra spices, making an apple and pear crisp, adding other fresh and dried fruits, and more. No matter what, you’ll be blown away by the simplicity and flavor!

It’s cozy, comforting, super simple to prepare, and yet somehow more of a sophisticated dessert than regular apple crisp…. What’s not to love?! Want to show more love for pears? You might enjoy this apple pear pie, stuffed baked pears, or almond pear thumbprint cookies!

The Ingredients

Rely on simple and inexpensive pantry staples to prepare this delicious pear crisp with oats. Most of them are probably already in your pantry!

The Pear Crumble Filling:

• Pears: It’s best to use ripe, fresh pears that are firm with just a little give. Bartlett, Bosc, D’Anjou, and Concord pears work best when baking.
• Sugar: We use brown sugar. For an unrefined option, coconut sugar or even maple syrup would work well. A sugar-free brown sugar alternative will also work.

The Oat Crisp Topping:

• Flour: You can use white all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (or a 50/50 combination of the two). For a gluten-free pear crisp, use an all-purpose gluten-free blend like King Arthurs or Bob’s Red Mill OR oat flour.
• Oats: Use gluten-free certified rolled oats if necessary. Otherwise, any quick oats will work to add texture and a toasty flavor.
• Vegan butter: Use lightly salted dairy-free butter or coconut oil, melted.
• Vanilla: Use natural vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
• Spices: Cinnamon, allspice, and a bit of salt to balance the sweetness.

How to Make an Easy Pear Crisp

Like most crumbles and crisps, this easy pear crisp recipe is simple enough for even your kids to get involved. Just chop the fruit, mix the crumble topping, assemble, and bake!

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 350F/175C and lightly grease an 8-inch pie dish (or a 9-inch cast-iron skillet).
• 2) Then, rinse and thinly slice the pears (about ¼-inch thick), transfer them to the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with ¼ of the brown sugar.

We like to slice the pears by cutting each one in half lengthwise and using a small spoon to scoop out the seeds/core. Then, placing the cut-side-down on a chopping board, use a sharp knife to thinly slice the pear. A mandoline also works.

• 3) To prepare the crumb topping, mix the flour, oats, remaining sugar, spices, vanilla, and melted vegan butter in a separate bowl. Then use a fork or your fingers to mix it into a crumb consistency.

• 4) To assemble the pear crisp, sprinkle the streusel topping over the pears and spread it evenly. Optionally sprinkle with a little more brown sugar for a crunchy top.

• 5) Bake it in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the pears are tender and bubbling and the pie crust and crumb topping are lightly golden and crisp.

Depending on how thickly you sliced the pears, you may need to add up to 10 minutes extra. You can also optionally use a broiler at the end to further caramelize the sugars in the crumble topping.

• 6) Finally, remove the baked pear crumble from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Sweeten to taste: Adjust the amount of sugar you use based on how sweet the pears you use are.
• Adjust the texture: Instead of slicing the pears, you could dice them. This will change the texture slightly.
• Adding the spices: We love to spice the streusel topping, but feel free to spice the pear filling instead. It’s a personal preference.
• For a super crunchy topping: We highly recommend adding some chopped nuts into the streusel topping. Chilling the topping for 30 minutes before baking can also help make for a crispier top.
• Allow it to cool: This will allow time for the filling to thicken before serving.
• To save time: Use a mandoline or food processor slicing disk to help slice the pears in no time.

Serving Recommendations

While it’s possible to enjoy this dish at room temperature or warm, we prefer the latter, preferably with one of the following:

• A scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream (other flavors like pecan or cinnamon work too)
• Vegan custard
• Whipped coconut cream
• A drizzle of vegan caramel sauce

This fall dessert makes a great addition to potlucks and Holiday parties and can even be served in work/school lunchboxes!

How to Make Ahead and Store?

You can prep this fruit crisp ahead by preparing the pear filling and crumble topping and storing them separately in the fridge. Remove both from the fridge 20 minutes before baking, assemble, and bake as written.

Once baked, leftovers will store, covered, at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 4-5 days.

It is also freezer friendly for up to 3 months (either baked or fully assembled but unbaked). Simply thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating it.

Reheating Recommendations

• Microwave: This is good for single portions and can be done in 20-second intervals until warm (usually between 60-80 seconds total). Just note the topping will remain soft this way.
• Oven: For larger portions, or if you want to re-crisp up the toppings, reheat the pear crumble with oats in the oven at 350F until warm (usually around 20-25 minutes).

More Fall Vegan Dessert Recipes

• Vegan apple pie
• Vegan pumpkin bread
• Pumpkin chocolate pie
• Creamy vegan chocolate pie (4 ingredients)
• Apple cranberry crisp

Photos by Alfonso Revilla