Pear crisp with oats & pistachios (vegan)

Name: Pear crisp with oats & pistachios (vegan)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: Avocado oil (or other neutral-flavored oil (for oiling baking dish)); 6 cups sliced pears (thickly-cut); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 Tablespoon cornstarch; 1/2 cup vegan butter; 3/4 cup rolled oats ((old-fashioned oats)); 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/3 cup pistachios (chopped); 1/4 teaspoon salt

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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!

Cinnamon covered pear crisp with oat streusel topping and ice cream in bowl.

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.)

Pear crisp in baking dish by fresh pears and yellow napkin.

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:

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Why readers love this recipe
Ingredients
Step by step instructions
Make it your own
Storage and reheating
FAQ
📖 Recipe

Why readers love this recipe

“I’m a huge fan of fruit crisps but had never tried pear crips. This was amazing! I love the addition of the pistachios!” – Shell

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.

Stainless steel mixing bowl with sliced pears tossed in vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the following:

Peeled & thickly-sliced pears
Vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Salt
Cornstarch

Oat streusel topping in bowl with sliced pears in background.

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

Oat and pistachio topping on pear slices in glass baking dish.

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

What’s the difference between a crisp and a crumble?

The two desserts are very similar. The only difference is that a crisp includes oats in the streusel topping, while a crumble does not.

Can I halve this recipe?

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.

Should I peel pears for crisp?

Yes, pear peels can be a little tough and fibrous. For the best texture, definitely peel the pears first.

Can I use canned pears for crisp?

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.

Comments

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)