Tender Pears with Golden Crumble (Printable)

Tender pears beneath a thick, golden crumble topping. Perfect with vanilla ice cream for a comforting dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Pear Filling

01 - 6 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

→ Crumble Topping

07 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup rolled oats
09 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 375°F and allow to fully preheat for even baking.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine sliced pears with lemon juice, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and flour. Toss gently until pears are evenly coated. Transfer mixture to a greased 9-inch baking dish and spread evenly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and work with fingertips or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized chunks remaining.
04 - Distribute crumble topping evenly over the pear filling, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon to create a compact, thick layer.
05 - Bake for 35 minutes until the topping turns golden brown and the pear filling bubbles at the edges of the dish.
06 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It rescues overripe pears and transforms them into something people actually ask for seconds of.
  • The crumble topping stays crunchy on top and soaks up just enough juice at the bottom to become almost caramelized.
  • You can throw it together without a mixer, fancy tools, or much measuring precision.
02 -
  • Cold butter is non negotiable, if it starts to soften while you're mixing, pop the whole bowl in the fridge for five minutes.
  • Press the topping down firmly but don't smooth it flat, you want uneven peaks that catch the heat and crisp up beautifully.
  • Let the crumble cool for at least ten minutes or the filling will be molten lava and the topping won't have set properly.
03 -
  • Freeze your butter for fifteen minutes before cubing it, this makes rubbing it into the flour so much easier and keeps the topping from getting greasy.
  • Use a glass or ceramic baking dish instead of metal, it distributes heat more evenly and you can see when the juices start bubbling.
  • Add a tablespoon of bourbon or dark rum to the pear filling for a grown up twist that deepens the flavor without tasting boozy.
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