Crunchy oat and pistachio covered pear crisp is the perfect cozy fall dessert. With thick slices of pears tossed in cinnamon, it pairs beautifully with a dollop of non-dairy vanilla ice cream. Great for Thanksgiving or anytime!
Recently my mom texted and asked if I’d like any pears. My dad had picked a bunch, and they were spreading the wealth.
I thought I might get 5 or 6… Imagine my surprise when they opened their car trunk to reveal a large shipping box packed full of them. I was very rich in pears!
Since the pears were picked at the same time, all of them started ripening in unison. The sweeter, softer, and juicier they got, the more I knew I needed to jump on using all of them.
So I made batch after batch of pear crisp until my recipe was perfected. (Luckily, pear crisp freezes well. So I have more to enjoy at a later date.)
I love pear crisp, because you get all of the textures and flavors of pie, but without the labor of rolling out pie dough. So much simpler!
Plus, this easy pear crisp recipe only requires 15 minutes of hands-on work. The rest of the magic happens in the oven.
This vegan pear crisp recipe is great with ripe pears, which create a syrup when baked with cornstarch. The mouthwatering crisp is covered in a thick layer of oat and pistachio streusel.
It makes the house smell AMAZING while it cooks and the scent of vanilla and cinnamon fills the air.
(I have to say, taking these pictures was its own kind of torture. It was almost impossible not to dive right in and snag a mouthful while it was still hot.)
Serve this autumnal dessert with scoops of vegan vanilla ice cream for a mixture of textures, flavors, hot, and cold + an extra boost of vanilla. It would be a fabulous addition to your vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas spread!
In this post:
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Pears: You can use any kind of fresh pears that you like, but Bartlett are especially nice. Ripeness-wise, you want them to have a gentle give. Peel them first for the best texture, and cut them thickly so they keep their shape while they bake. I don’t recommend using canned pears, which can get too soft.
Vanilla: For the best flavor, use real vanilla extract, not imitation.
Cinnamon: This fall favorite spice is essential.
Cornstarch: If your pears are on the juicy side, cornstarch helps thicken the sauce coating the pears as they cook. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a lot of liquid in the dish. (If your pears are still pretty firm and not overly ripe, you can omit the cornstarch if you’d prefer.)
Vegan butter: Use any non-dairy butter that you enjoy.
Oats: Use rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats). Don’t use steel cut oats.
Pistachios: Pistachios and pears go together beautifully in this crisp. They add delicious crunch. If you’d prefer, pistachios can be replaced with any other nuts or seeds like walnuts, pecans, or pepitas. Or simply omit them.
Baking staples: Oil (for oiling the baking dish), all-purpose flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt fill out the rest of this dish.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:
- Peeled & thickly-sliced pears
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Cornstarch
In a separate medium-sized bowl, use your hands to combine the following:
- Vegan butter
- Rolled oats
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Chopped pistachios
- Salt
Put the pear slices into an oiled 8 x 8 baking dish. Top with the oat topping. You may need to press it slightly to use all of the topping & get it into all of the corners.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving (to allow the sauce to thicken and set).
It can be enjoyed warm (the best!), room temperature, or cold out of the refrigerator.
Make it your own
You can make this cozy dessert your own by varying the ingredients.
- Replace some of the pears with apples (Just make sure to use 6 cups total of fruit)
- Use quick oats instead of rolled oats
- Add more spices like nutmeg, cardamom, ground ginger, or pumpkin spice
- Instead of pistachios, use chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, or pepitas
- If your pears aren’t especially ripe or juicy, you can omit the cornstarch
- For a rustic appearance, bake in a 10-inch cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish
Storage and reheating
Make ahead: You can make this cozy dessert 3 or 4 days ahead. Bake completely, cool, cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to enjoy it, use one of the following reheating methods.
Reheat in the air fryer: My favorite way to reheat individual servings of pear crisp is in the air fryer. It warms the pears, while making sure the crisp is plenty crunchy. Any dish that is safe for the oven can be used in the air fryer. (Yes, even metal!)
To reheat in the air fryer, put a single or double serving of pear crisp into an oven-safe container that’s small enough to fit in your air fryer. Then heat at 370 degrees until warm. (The time will vary, depending on your serving size. However, I usually go for about 6 minutes.)
Reheat in the oven: If you’d prefer, the crisp can be reheated in the oven. Bake the uncovered crisp at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Storage time: Store pear crisp in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will last 4 days in the fridge. Or freeze it for longer storage.
How to freeze: To freeze leftovers, put the crisp in a covered freezer-safe container, or wrap it in a layer of plastic and then foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it later, thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.
FAQ
The two desserts are very similar. The only difference is that a crisp includes oats in the streusel topping, while a crumble does not.
Yes, if you’d prefer to make a smaller amount, simply halve all of the ingredients. The baking time stays the same. Use an 8 x 8 baking dish (as listed with the full-sized amount), or use a smaller dish, if you’d prefer.
Yes, pear peels can be a little tough and fibrous. For the best texture, definitely peel the pears first.
I don’t recommend using canned pears for crisp. Canned pears are already fully cooked and soft. If you used canned pears for crisp, you’d likely end up with pear mush instead.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Pear crisp with oats & pistachios
Ingredients
- Avocado oil or other neutral-flavored oil (for oiling baking dish)
Pear filling
- 6 cups sliced pears thickly-cut
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Oat topping
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ¾ cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup pistachios chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8 x 8 baking dish and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine sliced pears, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, and cornstarch.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, add vegan butter, rolled oats, all-purpose flour, sugar, brown sugar, chopped pistachios, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Use your fingers to combine the ingredients until it's an evenly incorporated streusel topping.
- Add the pear mixture to the oiled baking dish. Then cover with the oat topping. You may need to press down slightly to use all of the topping and get into the corners of the baking dish.
- Put the dish in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- When done, remove from oven. Allow the pear crisp to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Shell
I’m a huge fan of fruit crisps but had never tried pear crips. This was amzaing! I love the addition of the pistachios!
Cadry Nelson
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I agree that pear and pistachios go together like a dream. Thank you for sharing your feedback!!!
David.
Yumm!! I normally don’t eat a ton of pears, but this recipe is amazingly delicious! I particularly like the oats and pistachios on top.
Cadry Nelson
I agree! That oat and pistachio topping is the best part. So glad you enjoyed it!