This pear crisp will make your whole house smell like the perfect fall candle while it’s baking. It’s a simple seasonal treat everyone will love and perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

Crisps are probably my favorite dessert. They can be made with practically any type of fruit and the topping has so many variations, literally everyone can make it from the most bare-bones pantry to a well-stocked one.
Apple crisps like this microwave option or this air fryer recipe typically get all the attention this time of year but this crisp features the underrated pear.
Pears definitely take a back seat to apples in the fall and I think that’s a shame. Whether it’s a pear smoothie or this pear crisp, they deserve an equal opportunity to shine this season. But of course I had to make things interesting and add a few supporting players in this crisp recipe with orange, ginger and quince.
If you’ve never had quince before, this funny looking apple/pear-like fruit is completely inedible in its raw state, but when baked, it turns into a lovely sweet, vanilla-like soft fruit that’s perfect for fall baking.
Combined with orange and fresh ginger, this crisp smells like something Yankee Candle would bottle and sell for the price of your firstborn child while it’s baking away.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Pear Crisp Recipe
- Perfect balance of flavors: The finished crisp is both sweet and slightly tart with the pears, orange, ginger and quince.
- Nutty texture: Walnuts and pecans give a crunchy contrast to the soft fruit filling.
- Customizable topping: The crisp topping is made with oats and sugar for a delicious crunch but can be altered in a variety of ways.
- Easily adaptable: You can substitute ingredients like coconut sugar or maple syrup to suit your taste.
- Simple preparation: Like all crisp recipes, this one is quick and easy to put together.
- A cozy dessert: There’s nothing like a warm bubbly crisp on a chilly seasonal night.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the ingredient list you’ll need to make this pear crisp but you can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Pears: Peeled and cored, they form the base of the filling.
- Quince: Peeled and cored, this fruit adds a soft, sweet depth to the crisp.
- Golden Raisins: Adds sweetness and a touch of chewiness to the fruit mixture.
- Dried Cranberries: For a tart contrast to the sweetness of the pears and quince.
- Orange Zest: Adds a burst of citrusy flavor to the filling.
- Orange Juice: Works alongside the zest to kick up the citrus flavor.
- Coconut Sugar: Sweetens the filling naturally, with a mild caramel flavor.
- Flour: Helps thicken the filling and gives structure to the topping.
- Oats: Forms the base of the crumb topping for added texture and crunch.
- Nuts: Add crunch and richness to the topping.
- Cinnamon: Gives the crisp the warm spiced flavor perfect for fall baking.
- Butter: Helps the topping form clumps.
- Candied Ginger: Adds a sweet, spicy kick to the topping.
How to Make the Best Pear Crisp
Prepare the topping
In a medium bowl, combine the oats, nuts, ginger, coconut sugar and melted butter. Stir the mixture until well combined, then set it aside in the refrigerator.
Prepare the fruit filling
Peel, core and slice the pears and quince. Add them to a large bowl, along with the raisins, cranberries, orange zest, orange juice and cinnamon. Toss everything together until it’s well combined.
Assemble the crisp
Transfer the fruit mixture to a baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the crisp mixture over the top, ensuring the fruit is well-covered.
Bake
Place the crisp in a preheated oven at 350°F and bake for about 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is tender and bubbling. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few variations you can try:
- Nutmeg: Add a pinch to the fruit filling for an extra layer of warmth. Other spices such as cardamom, allspice and cloves can be used as well.
- Lemon juice: Swap out some of the orange juice for lemon juice to give the filling a slightly tangy kick.
- Light brown sugar: Use instead of coconut sugar for a more traditional sweetness in the filling.
- Streusel topping: For a crunchier, sweeter topping, use a streusel mix with more flour and butter instead of oats.
- Vegan butter: Swap for dairy-free butter to make this recipe vegan-friendly.
- Ground ginger: Use ground ginger in place of candied ginger for a spicier flavor.
- Gluten-free flour: Use a gluten-free flour blend in place of regular flour for a gluten-free option and ensure your oats are certified gluten-free.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
- Peel the pears and quince thoroughly to avoid any tough skin in your filling. This will ensure the fruit bakes up super tender.
- Use a fork to gently mix the topping so it’s evenly distributed and not too clumpy.
- Serve this crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or on top of pita chips for a fun twist.
- If the topping browns too quickly, cover the crisp with foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
What’s the difference between pear crisp and crumble?
A pear crisp typically has a crumbly, oat-based topping, while a crumble topping is often made from flour, sugar, and butter, with no oats.
Can I Make Pear Crisp with Canned Pears?
It’s best to use fresh pears for the best texture, but you can substitute canned pears if needed. Just drain them well to avoid extra liquid. You will likely need to shorten the baking time too.
What’s the best pear for pear crisp?
Barlett pears, Bosc, and Anjou are all great choices. They hold up well to baking and have a natural sweetness.
How to store leftover pear crisp
Store any leftover pear crisp in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also cover it with plastic wrap if you don’t have a lid. It will keep for up to 5 days.
Try These Other Pear Recipes This Season
Spiced pear oatmeal is a great way to enjoy pears for breakfast. The pear topping in the recipe is also absolutely divine on top of some vanilla ice cream as a dessert.
Pear bread is an easy quick bread when you’re sick of banana based breads. It’s both sweet and crunchy with the addition of granola in the batter.
Go savory and try this pear, bacon and brie grilled cheese for the ultimate indulgent fall lunch.
Baked pears are a classic dessert, but this version puts a healthy twist to the traditional recipe and stuffs them with a sweet creamy filling too.
Pear Crisp
Ingredients
For the crisp topping
- 1 cup oats
- ½ cup all purpose flour, whole wheat white flour or gluten free flour also work
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- 1 tablespoon chopped candied ginger
- 5 tablespoons melted butter, or coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon orange extract
For the fruit filling
- 2 cups chopped pears, peeled and cored
- 1 ½ cups chopped quince, peeled and cored
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- zest of 1 small orange
- juice of 1 small orange
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, whole wheat white flour or gluten free flour also work
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add all the topping ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together until well combined and set in the refrigerator until needed. You can make the topping in advance if you’d like.
- Combine the filling ingredients in another large bowl. Toss to thoroughly combine.
- Transfer the fruit filling to a 9×13 or similar sized baking dish.
- Sprinkle the oat topping on top, covering the fruit evenly.
- Bake for 45 minutes until top starts to turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven, let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
This sounds awesome! I love the use of orange too!
That looks so amazing i want make them
Holy YUM I love this flavor combo!!
What an awesome, seasonally perfect dessert Gina! I love the flavors! Can’t wait to try.
This is absolutely my kind of Thanksgiving Day dessert! LOVE!!!
What an awesome, healthy dessert idea, wishing I had some for breakfast this morning!