Pear Crumble
Inside: The chef’s secret ingredient to elevating pear crumble to restaurant status, plus the easy way to use it in both the fruit filling and buttery topping.
This easy pear crumble stands out for its combination of spices and hint of candied ginger, which adds a tongue-tingling pop to the warm fruit. The buttery crumble topping gets extra crunch from sliced almonds, which toast with this seasonal dessert as it bakes. You’ll love this pear crumble recipe because it’s simple to prep and ready for the oven in just 20 minutes.
Fruit crisps and crumbles are some of the easiest desserts you can make — mix your favorite fruit, add a sweet crumbly topping, and bake until golden.
This pear crumble recipe is one of my favorites for the fall and winter months. The fruit softens into a luscious pear filling, and the buttery almond crumble toasts to a rubbly golden crust.
What makes the flavors of this crumble recipe stand out is the classic pear-ginger combo, which adds a warm, spicy flavor that complements the dessert without overpowering it.
Why you’ll love this baked pear dessert
- Simple, unfussy prep: No pastry skills required — just toss the fruit, mix the topping, and bake.
- Quick to assemble: The crumble comes together in minutes and bakes up golden and crisp while the pears turn soft and jammy.
- Small-batch friendly: Perfect for 4–6 servings, making it ideal for weeknight baking or small gatherings.
- Easy shortcut: Use a mini food processor to blend the crumble topping in seconds.
- Endlessly adaptable: Try it with different fruits or a combo, depending on the season.
- Great leftovers: It reheats beautifully, so you can enjoy that buttery topping all over again the next day.
Ingredients:
- Pears–I recommend using Bosc pears, Bartlett or Comice that are firm, but ripe. If they’re too soft, the fruit won’t hold its shape but will dissolve instead. To tell if the pears are ripe, press gently at the stem with your thumb. If they yield slightly, they’re ready.
- Flour–I use King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.
- Granulated Sugar–Used in both the fruit filling and topping. I prefer granulated sugar to brown sugar in the pear crumble for a clearer, golden filling and topping. Brown sugar muddies the look.
- Kosher Salt–I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt which is less salty by volume than Morton’s. If you have Morton’s, reduce the amount by about ⅓.
- Ground Ginger–adds a spicy, floral flavor.
- Butter–I use unsalted butter because we add salt in the recipe.
- Sliced Almonds–for a crunchy texture to balance the ooey-gooeyness of the pears.
- Lemon Juice–prevents the pears from oxidizing and adds a tangy contrast to the fruit.
- Water–to form the slurry with cornstarch.
- Cornstarch–the backbone of the slurry that thickens the fruit sauce.
- Crystallized Ginger–this has an intense, spicy-sweet flavor, so it’s imperative to mince the ginger finely so that it’s evenly distributed and no one gets a big bite of this ingredient.
- Ground Cinnamon–for that signature fall and winter flavor. I recommend replacing your ground spices every year, as the flavor denudes over time.
- Nutmeg–I keep whole nutmeg in my pantry and grate it on a microplane for the freshest and most intense flavor. Whole spices last longer than ground.
Step-by-step instructions:
- In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, ground ginger, salt, and cold butter until the mixture looks like wet sand and clumps when squeezed. Stir in the sliced almonds and refrigerate until ready to use.
If making by hand: Whisk together the flour, sugar, ginger, and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter, fork, or two knives until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs and holds together when squeezed. Stir in sliced almonds and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Peel the fresh pears, slice them in half, and remove the core and seeds with a melon baller or small spoon. Remove the stem and chop the pears into ½–1-inch pieces.
3. Chop the pears into ¾-1″ pieces and transfer to a separate bowl.
4. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice and toss to coat the pears. (This helps prevent the fruit from oxidizing and turning brown).
5. Add the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and finely chopped candied ginger. Mix a slurry of cornstarch and water and pour it over the pear mixture. Toss to coat.
6. Transfer the pears to a baking dish or small cast-iron skillet or stainless steel pan. Spread the fruit mixture into an even layer.
7. Liberally sprinkle the crumble topping over the pears.
8. Bake the pear crumble for 50-60 minutes or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the crumble is golden brown. If the crumble needs more color, put it under the broiler for 45 seconds to a minute and a half.
Pro-Tips:
- Recommended: A y-shaped vegetable peeler (affiliate link) for peeling pears; it’s very sharp, peels like a dream and won’t bruise the fruit.
- Mince the crystallized ginger finely. It packs a flavor punch and can overwhelm the other flavors if the pieces are too large.
- A 3-cup mini food processor will hold all of the crumble mixture. No need to break out the big one.
- Ensure sliced almonds are fresh. Nuts have oils that can go rancid. Taste them to make sure they’re fresh and tasty.
- Use a wide, shallow baking dish (about 1 quart) to give the crumble more surface area — that’s the key to having ample of the crisp, golden topping for each serving.
- Cool the pear crumble before serving. The fruit filling will be lava-hot as soon as the baked pear dessert comes out of the oven. It’s no fun scorching the roof of your mouth.
Swaps and variations:
- Make individual portions of the pear crumble: use ¾ to 1-cup ramekins and divide the filling and topping between each of the dishes. Bake mini crumbles for 30 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the top is golden.
- Use a combination of apples and pears; the two fruits complement each other in terms of flavor.
- Skip the crystallized ginger and add half a teaspoon of vanilla extract for a softer flavor.
- Add other seasonal fruits, such as cranberries, pomegranate seeds, or peeled, chopped persimmons.
- Add dried fruit like dried cranberries or golden raisins for a chewy contrast.
- Make it a pear crisp by adding ⅓ of a cup of rolled or quick oats to the crumble mixture. Do not use steel cut oats.
- Substitute other nuts, like pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts. Don’t feel nutty? Skip them.
- Make it nutritious by using whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free flour.
- Use brown sugar instead of granulated for a deeper, richer flavor and color.
- Make it dairy-free by substituting vegan butter or coconut oil for the butter.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a squirt of whipped cream.
FAQs:
The main difference between a crisp and a crumble is the addition of oatmeal, which makes the topping crunchy. A crumble has a rubbly crisp texture, but adding oatmeal gives the buttery topping an audible crunch.
Ensure the baking vessel is shallow and wide to give the crumble more surface area for crisping. Adding sliced almonds, which toast as the dessert bakes, will add another crunchy dimension.
Yes. Drain the syrup from the pears and prepare the recipe as directed. The lemon juice, spices and slurry will transform fruit juices into a delicious filling.
This pear crumble is like pie without the crust — with a light sweetness in the buttery spiced topping and warm, jammy pear filling.
As it bakes, the fruit releases its juices for a soft, spiced center and plenty of crisp, golden crumble on top. Serve it warm with ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of maple syrup for an easy fall dessert that smells as good as it tastes.
Make ahead:
- You can assemble the dessert up to one day before (store it covered in the refrigerator) and bake it the next day.
- It may need additional baking time (10 minutes or so) if it’s coming straight from the fridge to the oven.
Storage:
- Cover and refrigerate leftover pear crumble for up to 2-3 days.
Reheating:
- You can reheat the crumble recipe in a warm (325°) oven for 10-15 minutes or in the microwave in 20-30-second bursts.
- For a crisp topping, it’s better to reheat the warm pear dessert in the oven.
Freezing:
- To freeze a baked crumble, place it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
- For unbaked crumble, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
- The unbaked version can be cooked directly from frozen, but it will take longer to bake than the original pear crisp recipe calls for.
- Baked and frozen crumble should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
More pear-inspired comfort dessert recipes:
More crumbles, crisps and baked fruit desserts you might like:
- Modern Apple Brown Betty
- Cherry Apricot Almond Crisp
- Peach Blueberry Cobbler
- Pumpkin Custard Brûlée
- Apple Cranberry Crisp
- Cherry Amaretto Peach Crisp
- Holiday Persimmon Pudding Recipe
Pear Crumble
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:
- ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
FOR THE PEAR FILLING:
- 5 firm, ripe pears Bartlett, Comice or Anjou
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger finely minced
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray 1 1-quart 8×8" baking dish or oven-proof skillet with vegetable spray and set aside.
MAKE THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:
- Place ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugarr, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger and 5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
- Transfer to a bowl and with your fingers, work the mixture, squeezing to create a lumpy, crumbly texture.
- Add ¾ cup sliced almonds and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to top the crumble.
FOR THE PEAR FILLING:
- Peel 5 firm, ripe pears and halve them with a sharp knife. Cut the halves in half again and remove the core using a melon baller or teaspoon. Cut out the tough stem. Chop the pears into ¾-1" bite-sized pieces.
- Transfer pears to a large bowl and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Toss to coat. Add ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons crystallized ginger, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon water and 1 teaspoon cornstarch together to form a slurry. Pour over the pears and toss to coat the pears with the slurry and spices. Transfer the pears to the prepared baking dish.
BAKING THE PEAR CRUMBLE:
- Liberally sprinkle the almond topping over the pear filling. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the fruit is tender, but not mushy and the topping is a warm, golden color.
- If the fruit is tender, but the topping is pale, place it under the broiler for 4-5 minutes to get a little color. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla or a drizzle of cream.
NOTES:
- You can assemble the dessert up to one day before (store it covered in the refrigerator) and bake it the next day.
- It may need additional baking time (10 minutes or so) if it’s coming straight from the fridge to the oven.
- Cover and refrigerate leftover pear crumble for up to 2-3 days.
- You can reheat the crumble recipe in a warm (325°) oven for 10-15 minutes or in the microwave in 20-30-second bursts.
- For a crisp topping, it’s better to reheat the warm pear dessert in the oven.
- To freeze a baked crumble, place it in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months.
- For unbaked crumble, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
- The unbaked version can be cooked directly from frozen, but it will take longer to bake than the original pear crisp recipe calls for.
- Baked and frozen crumble should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
NUTRITION:
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This flavor combo is one of my favorites. It looks divine too!
Thank you!
Yummm! I love the idea of adding candied ginger–I will have to try this the next time I make a crisp or a crumble!
Ginger pear is one of my favorite combinations! Love the almond crumble!
Oh this may sound silly – but I have never thought to combine ginger with pear. Why!? It sounds perfect and this crumble looks divine!
It’s not in the mainstream, but it works!
This sounds so delicious! The combination of pear and ginger has to be one of the best there is. I’ll try the recipe as soon as I can.
Definitely! Don’t let pear season pass without giving it a go!