Sweet pears and tart cranberries are tossed in a mix of flavorings and aromatics, the key one being some freshly grated ginger. Yup! You heard that right, and it really works, so please trust me and add in the real thing and not the powder! These notes of ginger are continued in the crispy topping by adding some crushed gingersnap cookies, and the final result in this Pear Crisp Recipe is delightful.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Lighter and easier than a pie - This Pear Crisp Recipe has approximately half the calories and takes half the effort that goes into making a pie. Perfect for a large crowd - It’s easy to scale this recipe and make a large batch with minimal effort, making it perfect for feeding a crowd. Make ahead crisp topping - The crisp topping can be made ahead and frozen, making prep even easier. All the feels of a Christmas dessert - The vibrant red cranberries, fall spices, gingersnap cookies, and pecans make this pear crisp recipe a perfect dessert for the holidays.
Ingredient notes
Pears - Use slightly underripe pears to retain their shape as they cook. I always weigh the fruit to be sure the quantity in my recipe is consistent. Cranberries - Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used for this pear crisp recipe. Once again, weigh the berries for best results. Ginger - I use fresh grated ginger in this recipe. It’s only a ¼ teaspoon, so it won’t be overpowering, and I highly recommend you stick to this vs ginger powder. Orange juice - A little juice for flavor tastes excellent. If you don’t have any on hand, you can eliminate it or add an extra ½ lemon. Lemon - The lemon adds flavor and also prevents the pears from browning. Cornstarch - This helps thicken the fruit juices and make the fruit mixture glossy.
Flour - The flour holds everything together. While we want a crumbly texture, we also want all the ingredients to bind together a little bit. Oats - My favorite part of the pear crisp topping is the oats. Make sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats and not instant. Pecans - Nothing speaks holidays like pecans. The sweet buttery taste works perfectly in this topping, and the added crunch adds texture to the crispy topping. Gingersnap cookies - If you’ve tried my deconstructed pumpkin pie recipe, you know I love using Gingersnap cookies in my desserts. These taste delicious, and add those peppery ginger notes to the topping. Butter - The butter helps hydrate and crisp up all the ingredients.
Cinnamon - I love making spiced whipped toppings to pair with my desserts. The cinnamon adds just the right touch to the whipped cream. Powdered sugar - This is essential as a sweetener and helps stabilize the cream so it can hold its shape for hours after it’s whipped.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
Thicken it with flour - Cornflour creates a more transparent and glossier sauce, but you can also use flour. The ratio is ½ teaspoon of cornstarch per cup of fruit or 1 ¾ teaspoon of flour. Make it a pie filling - If you’re more traditional and prefer a pie, prepare the filling and add it to a traditional pie crust. Try it with apples - Not sure about pears? Try this crisp recipe with your favorite apples instead. Serve it with ice cream - If you like a warm crisp with a scoop of ice cream, try a scoop of my no-churn-vanilla-bean-ice cream instead of the whipped topping. Make it a low-calorie dessert - If you’re watching those calories, double the fruit filling, halve the crisp topping, and omit the whipped topping or ice cream.
Step-by-step instructions
First step - Grease a round 9" pie dish and mix all the ingredients for filling it. I like to prebake the fruit filling at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes as I prepare my topping.
Second step - Mix all the dry ingredients for the topping, making sure to crush the gingersnap cookies and chop the pecans well. Slice the chilled butter and add it in, blending it in with your fingers to mix everything well. Working with the butter will make it warm, and this can cause the topping to get a little soft. Don’t overwork the mixture, and return it to the fridge for 10-15 minutes if needed to rechill. It’s okay to have large clumps versus small crumbles; drop them over the fruit using a teaspoon. As the topping cooks, it will become completely crispy. Third step - Halfway through baking, the fruit will start bubbling, and the pear crisp will still be soft with the melted butter. Fourth step - By the end of the 45 minutes, the fruit filling should have thickened and darkened in color, with a deep brown, hardened crisp topping on top. This is the perfect consistency.
Expert Tips
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
