This cozy Pear Crumble is a warm and comforting dessert that combines sweet, juicy pears with a buttery, crumble topping. This easy-to-make treat takes just 10 minutes to throw together and can be enjoyed on its own or served with a scoop of ice cream or custard.
As you can probably tell by the number of crumble and crisp recipes on the blog, these simple yet oh-so satisfying treats have and always will be one of my favorite desserts. They are incredibly easy to throw together, utilize the best in-season produce and are absolutely scrumptious served warm with ice cream or custard.
What I love about this crumble is that you don't actually need to add any additional sugar to the fruit mixture, as pears are sweet enough on their own. They cook down beautifully and their soft texture is the perfect contrast to that crisp crumble topping. Pears are generally in season from August to October but several varieties are harvested through February, making this a great dish to enjoy throughout the year.
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What is a crumble?
A crumble, as opposed to a cobbler or a crisp, traditionally refers to a mixture of flour, fat and sugar baked on top of stewed fruit.
It's sometimes confused with cobbler, which actually involves a wet batter that's poured on top of the filling before baking.
Some people will get technical about differentiating between a crumble and a crisp. But honestly I kind of see the two as pretty much the same thing. And regardless of what you call them, all are delicious and a great way to make the most of fresh, seasonal fruit!
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Equipment
- 9-10 inch Baking dish: I like to use a pie dish, a cast iron skillet or my Le Crueset au gratin dish.
- Cutting board and knife
- Peeler (optional): I love using my Oxo peeler for the pears.
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoon
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pears: You can use your favorite pear variety or a mix of several for this recipe! I tend to mix in a few really firm pears with some softer ones to get a nice mix of textures. I recommend peeling and the slicing for this recipe. However, you can absolutely dice them or leave the peel on if you like the texture.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice gives it a lovely acidity. You can also use a squeeze of bottled lemon juice if that's easier.
- Cinnamon & Ginger
- All purpose flour
- White granulated sugar
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Rolled oats
- Butter: To make this recipe vegan substitute unsalted butter with vegan butter.
- Salt
Step-by-Step Photos
Recipe FAQs
The crumble is ready when the pear filling is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
No. Pears are really sweet on their own so I don't typically add any sugar to the fruit filling mixture. The crumble topping is sweet and as I usually top it with ice cream or custard I find it just doesn't need the extra sugar. However, if you are using really tart pears or just like some extra sweetness feel free to add a few tablespoons of sugar or a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
Yes, you can freeze the crumble either baked or unbaked.
To freeze an unbaked crumble simply assemble it according to the recipe then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then foil.
To freeze a baked crumble you'll first need to allow it to cool completely. Then wrap it in freezer safe packaging (plastic wrap and foil) and freeze.
Both will last up to 3-4 months in the freezer. Then thaw overnight before baking.
Yes, simply substitute the butter for a vegan butter alternative.
Storage Recommendations
Store leftover crumble in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
You can also freeze the crumble up to 3-4 months.
More crumble recipes you will love.
The Best Classic Apple Crumble
Old Fashioned Crumble Date Bars
Made this Pear Crumble Recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Pear Crumble
Equipment
- Pie dish or similar sized baking dish
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
For the pear filling
- 5-6 cups pears, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
For the crumble topping
- ⅔ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, diced
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.In a mixing bowl add all fruit filling ingredients and mix to combine.Set aside and rest for at least 5 minutes to allow the juices to release.
- In another mixing bowl combine all crumble ingredients except the butter. Mix well.Add in room temperature butter and use your hands to press or pinch it into the flour mixture until it is well incorporated and forms a crumbly texture.
- Pour the pear mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top.Bake at 375 degrees F for about 45-50 minutes until the fruit filling is bubbly and the topping is a crisp golden brown.Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of custard or whipped cream. Enjoy!
Liz
What a delicious, comforting dessert! I served it warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream, and we devoured our portions!
Lathiya Shanmugasundaram
This pear crumble has become our favorite dessert. We enjoy it with a scoop of ice cream after a get-together party.
Andrea
Topping had a nice crunch, and it wasn’t too sweet overall. I had it warm with a little vanilla ice cream and it totally worked.
Ashley
Yummo! This crumble was so easy to put together and was amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Would be great with apples too!
jamjarkitchen
So glad you enjoyed it!
Tisha
I baked this pear crumble last night, and the juicy, caramelized pears paired with the crunchy, buttery oat topping made for a cozy and utterly delicious dessert that disappeared in minutes!