I’m teaming up with Harry and David today. This was a natural pairing, Harry, David, and… me, LOL. Truth be told, Harry and David treats have been in my life for 20+ years. My father was sent home with holiday gift baskets galore—my sisters and I always dived headfirst for chocolate truffles and Moose Munch. Harry and David is also known for their hand-picked, high-quality southern Oregon pears, a delicacy I didn’t really appreciate when I was 8 years old. If you’ve ever had a H&D pear, you know they’re the sweetest, juiciest, most buttery tasting pears around.
Harry and David sent me a box of their Royal Riviera pears and asked that I create a new recipe. Two things immediately came to mind: (1) PEAR CRISP and (2) we better have vanilla ice cream in the freezer. 🙂
I decided to make it an apple AND pear crisp because I love the textural difference between the 2 fruits. The pears get super soft and supple, while the apples—also soft of course—are a little more firm. I cut the pears a little smaller and kept the apples as full (and thin) slices, just like I do when making apple pie. You’ll mix the fruit with only a few ingredients, just like we do with regular apple crisp and my peach crisp recipe, too. Oftentimes I find fruit crisps overly sweet where the fruit itself becomes an afterthought. Here we’ll only use 1/2 cup of brown sugar for the filling and you can reduce that amount based on how ripe and sweet your fruit is. Cinnamon finds its way into both layers and we’ll also add a touch of nutmeg for extra warm spice flavor. Tis the season!
I only add 1/4 cup of flour to the filling. I find that any more than that makes your filling taste a little gummy. Again, we really want the fruit’s natural flavor and texture to shine though in this fruit crisp!
The topping? Oh my goodness this is so simple. You’ll mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Then cut in cold and cubed butter with a pastry cutter, just like we do with pie crust and biscuits, and stir in oats and chopped pecans. You’ll stir the oats and pecans in last because you don’t want to break either up with the pastry cutter. You want lots of crunchy texture on top of the warm fruit. It’s the absolute best.
You’re going to bake it all for 40–45ish minutes. Once that topping is nice and golden and the fruit underneath is bubbling and steamy, it’s done and ready to be devoured.
This is a big dessert, which is what I know you’re looking for during these holiday months. It’s a large 9×13-inch pan, but if you’d like to downsize a little, simply halve the recipe for a 9-inch square pan or pie dish. But I urge you to make the whole thing because leftovers freeze beautifully. That is, if you aren’t eating it directly from the pan before wrapping it up to freeze. I’ve never done that or anything.
And while I adore traditional fruit pies with flaky pie crust, crisps can be much easier and equally show-stopping. Another welcome benefit during the busy holiday season! You’ll absolutely want to include this one in your lineup of Thanksgiving pie recipes.
If warm apple desserts + sweet pears + brown sugar + cinnamon + ice cream on top + texture all tug at your heartstrings, we’re twins. And this cinnamon apple pear crisp is totally for Y-O-U!
If you need a gluten free alternative, try this gluten free apple crisp instead.
PrintCinnamon Apple Pear Crisp
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Yield: serves 8-10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, and fresh fruit come together in this buttery and irresistible apple pear crisp.
Ingredients
- 4 medium/large ripe pears, peeled and sliced (4–5 cups, or 500–625g, slices)*
- 3 medium/large apples, peeled and sliced (4–5 cups, or 500–625g, slices)*
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup (85g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- optional: 1 cup (125g) chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Mix all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl, then spread into the baking pan.
- Make the topping: Whisk the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture becomes super crumbly. Stir in the oats. Sprinkle over filling.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling around the edges. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold.
- Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked and cooled crisp freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake (covered) in a 350°F (177°C) for 30 minutes or until heated through. You can prepare the crisp through step 3, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking. You can also freeze the unbaked crisp for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 4. Bake time will be a little longer since the crisp will be cold.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Pastry Cutter | Cooling Rack
- Pears & Apples: Slice them into 1/4-inch slices or chunks.
- Oats: Whole oats are best, but you can use quick oats if that’s all you have. The crumble topping will just be a little more powdery. (Don’t be tempted to reduce the flour, though—the topping may turn out greasy.) Use a 1:1 swap from whole oats to quick oats.
Keywords: apple pear crisp, apple crisp
Do you think using tapioca starch in place of the flour for the filling might help bind it together more?
Hi Josh, it’s not something I’ve tested so I can’t say for sure. Let us know if you try it.
The tapioca starch seemed to be a Hit with my neighbors. I always share my baking to avoid excess Covid belly.
2nd time I’ve made this recipe in individual mini foil pans.
I found the tapioca helped bind the filling more without making it a glutenous blob.
★★★★★
Love this recipe with or without pecans or other nuts. It works with any number combo of apples and pears totaling 8-10 cups of sliced fruit (roughly 6-8 apples and pears). I add the juice of 1 lemon to the sliced fruit before mixing with the drying ingredients. I also reduce the brown sugar from 1/2c to 1/3c in the ingredients and from 3/4c to 2/3c in the topping. Just a smidge less sweet, works great.
Love the apple/pear combination. Made to take to a friend’s house (had pears I was looking to use up), and it received rave reviews. Mine was quite juicy. My pears were juicy, although crisp, so maybe that is why. I sprinkled toasted chopped walnuts over the fruit before adding the crumble. Served with whipped cream. Another Sally’s recipe success. Btw: I love that you give quantities in grams…that way I know I will be making the same thing again and again.
★★★★
Hi Sally, I’m just getting set to make this today and I was wondering if you think it might be possible to add a cake layer to this as you would with a crumble. I’m concerned that maybe with so much fruit and high liquid content, perhaps it won’t go well. What do you think? I was thinking to combine with your “apple crumb cake” recipe! I love your site! You are my go to recipe source for baking, thank you so much!! ❤️
Hi Lizzy! I’m just seeing your question now, my apologies! I’m so happy to read how much you love my website and recipes. Thank you for the kind words! I haven’t tested this recipe with a cake-like topping. It would be wonderful with a biscuit-like topping, such as the topping used in my berry cobbler recipe. Let me know if you try anything else!
Hi Sally, thank you for your reply! I actually did go ahead and make the cake layer as the base, from your apple crumb cake! It came out great! I baked the cake mix first for about 15 minutes, then added everything from this recipe on top, it just then took a lot longer to get the cake layer fully baked, but it came out great! Thank you so much!
I only have quick oats – should I bake the apples/pears first then add the quick oats halfway through?
Hi Monica, you can use quick oats if you need to. The crumble topping will just be a little more powdery. (Don’t be tempted to reduce the flour, though– the topping may turn out greasy.) Just use a 1:1 swap from whole oats to quick oats.
Is there a way I can make this recipe into a muffin pan? Separate little bites. I think its a great idea. Place them in the freezer for Thanksgiving
Hi Lisa! I haven’t tested it, but you can try baking this in individual muffin cups. I recommend using muffin liners. I’m unsure of the best bake time though.
This was my first time making this. But it turned out absolutely perfect! But my husband absolutely loved this recipe . I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone! It’s quick, easy, and super delicious!
Thanks so much Sally
★★★★★
Have made this several times we just love it! The only thing I do differently is melt the butter before adding it to topping. Always comes out perfectly.
★★★★★
We made this today and really loved it. I had the same issue several others commented about, the crumb topping was really dry and didn’t seem to be cooked right. So I took it out, spread more unsalted butter over it and baked it again for about 10 minutes and it was perfectly moist AND crunchy in spots, very good! Thanks for a great recipe! We used apples in preschool for the week and today was a tasting graph of several kinds. So we put them to good use after we tasted a sliver…we made this amazing dish. Thank you!
★★★★
I made this yesterday. Used only pears. Cut down sugar to half a cup for the topping and it was delicious, even my husband loved it and he hardly likes anything. Definitely 5 stars
★★★★★
This was absolutely amazing! The family ate the whole thing! Will definitely be making this dessert again.
★★★★★
Hey Sally! i was wondering if it would work if I did it without the pears? Would their be a difference in taste or just without the pears?
Hi Hannah, You can simply replace the pears with more apples.
I just made this recipe today! It is quite yummy. I didn’t have quite enough pears so I added more apple. Also, I used quick oats and substituted walnuts for pecans. Everyone approves! Thank you!
Would it be ok to use whole wheat flour in place of all purpose?
I haven’t tested this with whole wheat flour, Heather. It might work but taste more hearty.
What a great recipe. The crumble is so crisp. Beautiful winter warmer.
★★★★
Hey Sally, planning on baking this today. Didn’t know the origin of H and D pears. Your description of the taste is spot on and no other pear comes close. When my grandson was a baby we gave him some in one of those mesh things for babies to eat fruit-he didn’t even have teeth and ate the entire pear! I’m glad I found your blog. Looking forward to trying several of your recipes.
My brother gifted us a box of H&D pears and am so happy to have found this recipe of yours! Followed the recipe to a T and it was perfect!
Still warm from the oven and I love love the crispy topping. Bookmarked this recipe as my go-to fruit crisp recipe!
Thank you, Sally
★★★★★
Hi could I use this filling in a pie crust instead? Should I halve the recipe for a standard 9” pie or keep the measurements the same and make 2 pies? I know sometimes things get weird if you mess with the original measurements. Thank you!!
Yes you can! You can simply halve the recipe for pie dish. Enjoy!
Huge success with family. Perfect just as is!!
★★★★★
Hi there, I have a question about how to time cooking this dish, as I am also make a pot roast for dinner tonight as well. I was thinking of cooking the apple mixture first, storing in the fridge and making the crumble separately. While serving dinner, I could add the apple crumble to the top and bake again in the oven. Is this a crazy idea? I love all your recipes and whenever I’m looking for a good recipe I check your blog!!
Hi Tamara, you can bake the full dessert before dinner. Then make your pot roast and while you are eating just place the crisp back in the warm oven to warm bake up. Hopefully that is easier for you!
Hi Sally, I just finished baking this for 45 min and the topping is still uncooked. I put it in at 350. Should I put it back in until it browns? The fruit hasn’t bubbled either
Hi Sam, Yes I would keep it in the oven until you see the little bubbles and the top looks slightly brown. Enjoy!
It was delicious!!! I followed exactly and I’ve made it twice now in 1 week. To make sure the butter is very cold to ensure a perfect crumb topping, I toss the crumb topping in the freezer for about 10 min and it’s awesome. I do have 1 question though. Even though it may not last a day, can I leave this at room temp or do I have to refrigerate?
★★★★★
I just made this using plums and sour apples from the farmers market. It was so so good. I ate half of it and immediately shared the link with my aunt. Now she’s making it! Thank you Sally <3
★★★★★
Thank you very much for your recipe! I made it using fruit I found in the discount aisle. The fruit was softer, bruised a bit, not so pretty but it made it very good to use in this recipe. My family loved it! My crust was pretty hard though—very tasty but hard. What would you suggest to make it a little more ‘crumbly’?
Hi Pamela! I wonder if the topping burnt at all? Try tenting the crisp with aluminum foil next time as it bakes. OR replace some of the oats with flour for more a “crumbly” texture. 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this apple pear crisp recipe!
What kind of pears and apples do you recommend for this recipe?
Hi Emily! I love baking with Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples. For pears, I love the Harry & David pears… or Bosc or Bartlett are preferred 🙂
I am making this a few days ahead and freezing. Should I reheat covered with foil or uncovered? Thanks!
Hi Betty! I recommend covering it with aluminum foil when reheating.
Can I use quick oats instead?
There won’t be as much chew or texture with a smaller cut oat, but you absolutely can!
Could you make this with all pears? We have a pear tree and I’m trying to use up the abundant harvest we have.
Absolutely!
Would this recipe do better frozen unbaked or baked? You mention both methods in the notes. Thank you!
Both methods work – if it’s baked first then it will be less time in the oven on the day you serve it. So it’s up to you!