Apple Pear Crisp is a warm fruit dessert with a tender crumble topping. Similar to a fruit crumble, this crisp recipe is best served warm, preferably with a scoop of ice cream.

I had loads of apples in the fridge plus pears ripening on the counter, so when I got an email request to bake something for a funeral luncheon, I decided on an Easy Apple  Crisp with Pears. I set aside some of the fruit filling and oatmeal crumble so that Bill, and Nick, who was home for winter break, would have some dessert, too!

Apple Pear Crisp in a small red crock.

Why You Should Make this Crisp Recipe

  • When you need to make a dessert to serve a crowd, a fruit crisp is an easy solution. The hardest part is peeling and slicing the fruit (and how difficult is that???). The rest is a breeze. The sliced apples and pears are tossed with sugar and warm spices, then a buttery oatmeal streusel is crumbled over the apple and pear slices.
  • Nothing compares to the blissful aroma of baking apples punched up with cinnamon and nutmeg. I baked this apple pear crisp till the fruit was tender and the juices were thick and bubbly.
  • I almost hated giving away the 9 x 13 pan, but I knew I could whip up another for the family in no time. By adding pears to an easy apple crisp recipe, a new, EASY fall favorite dessert was born!

Ingredient Notes

  • Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Flour, Cinnamon, Butter
  •  Baking Apples – peeled, cored, and sliced. I like using a combination of Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, etc.
  •  Fresh Pears – peeled, cored, and sliced. Still slightly firm. I prefer Bartlett pears. 
  •  Nutmeg – I grind fresh nutmeg but ground nutmeg works well, too.
  •  Quick Oats – Softer than old-fashioned oats so it makes a more tender crumble.
  •  Baking Powder – Unlike baking soda (which is also used in this recipe), baking powder has a much shorter shelf life. It usually expires in your pantry, so check the can for the expiration date. If you’d like to test it, put a spoonful in a cup of very hot water. If it’s still active, it will bubble vigorously.
2 bowls of Apple Pear Crisp in small red crocks.

How to Make a Fruit Crisp Recipe for One or More

  1. Choose your favorite baking apples. I like using a combination to offer a variety of textures and flavors. Your pears should be starting to ripen for the best flavor, but not too soft. Bartlett is my favorite variety.
  2. Feel free to cut the recipe in half—just use 5 cups of fruit. The proportions don’t really matter. I happened to have more apples on hand and a few perfectly ripe pears. A half recipe would be excellent to make and serve in (affiliate link)single serve ramekins. Who doesn’t love having their own dessert?
  3. The fruit will shrink as it bakes so make sure to fill your small baking dishes to the top, leaving just a bit of space for the oat crumble.
  4. The time in the oven will be slightly shorter using ramekins, but don’t pull them out till the fruit is thoroughly cooked. To check, pierce the fruit with a sharp knife. It should slide in easily without any resistance when the crisp is done.
  5. This dessert would be perfect for company or Sunday supper dessert. Serve your easy apple crisp with pears with a scoop of premium vanilla bean ice cream and even a drizzle of caramel sauce. Heavenly.
Apple Pear Crisp in a red ramekin with a bamboo handle spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Best Pears for Baking?

Just as there are a variety of baking apples, there are some options when baking a pear dessert. I used Bartlett pears, but Bosc and Anjou work well, too. They should be slightly firm so they don’t turn to mush when baked.

What is a Crisp?

A crisp is a fruit dessert with a crumble topping made with butter, sugar, flour, and sometimes oatmeal. The terms fruit crisp and fruit crumble are interchangeable.

How Do You Store a Crisp?

You can keep the crisp at room temperature for a day, then refrigerate. It will keep for about 3 days. You can also freeze your crisp before or after baking, just make sure your baked crisp has cooled completely before freezing. Wrap it in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Just defrost a baked crisp overnight in the refrigerator and either reheat for 20-30 minutes in a 350° oven or microwave single servings until hot.
If your crisp is unbaked when frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and bake as directed but extend the baking time since the ingredients are all cold. Watch for bubbling juices indicating the filling is cooking, then check the fruit with a knife to make sure it’s tender before removing it from the oven.

How Do You Serve a Crisp?

A crisp is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. With an apple or pear crisp, a drizzle of caramel sauce over the ice cream is a tasty option. You may also serve this crumble with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream with a light sprinkle of cinnamon.

More Apple Desserts You’ll Love:

Crisps are perfect when you need a quick, comforting dessert. Make with the best fruit of the season no matter what season. Try this Pear Crumble with Apples if you’re looking for something a little different. Here are a few favorites plus more fruit desserts.

Stay in touch through social media @ InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And if you love the results, please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card.

Apple Pear Crisp - A delectable pairing of fruit with an oatmeal crisp topping

Apple Pear Crisp

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield 12 servings

A cinnamon spiced crisp featuring apples and pears.

Ingredients

Fruit Filling

  • 7 cups baking apples peeled, cored and sliced
  • 3 cups Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and sliced
  • 1 ¼ cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Topping:

  • 1 cup quick oats
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º.
  2. Mix apples and pears in a large bowl. Add sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and gently toss. Place in a greased 9x13-inch pan.
  3. Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and melted butter.
  4. Crumble evenly over the fruit.
  5. Bake for 45-60 minutes or till the fruit is tender when pierced with a knife.
  6. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream if desired.

Notes

Can be made with other seasonal fruit.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 323Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 118mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 4gSugar: 46gProtein: 2g

HOW MUCH DID YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest