Cozy Small-Batch Pear Crisp

Oct 1

Easy pear crisp with one apple, baked in 8x8 pan, spoonful of warm spiced fruit and crumble

This recipe is perfect if you’re like me and tend to overbuy fruit… only to discover a few too-ripe pears hiding at the bottom of the fruit bowl. I hate to waste, and while soft pears aren’t always enjoyable to eat on their own, they’re absolutely perfect for baking into a cozy fall dessert.

I was craving an apple crisp anyway, so I thought — why not? For texture, I added in one apple (you can use whichever kind you have on hand) along with the pears, and it turned out delicious. Warm, spiced fruit with a buttery oat topping is the perfect fall comfort treat!

The best part? It makes just the right amount for an 8x8 pan, so it’s not overwhelming for a small family. We had it warm after dinner with whipped cream, and then the next morning I served the leftovers parfait-style with yogurt for the kids’ breakfast. Honestly, I was just happy they got some fruit in before school (you have to take the wins when you’ve got picky eaters 😉).

Cozy Small-Batch Pear Crisp

Classic pear crisp dessert in small batch, baked in 8x8 glass dish, cozy fall recipe

Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 35–40 minutes
Total Time: ~55 minutes

Ingredients

For the filling:

4 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped (any variety works)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:

½ cup old-fashioned oats
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
Optional: ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or butter an 8x8 baking pan.
In a large bowl, toss pears and apple with brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and vanilla until coated. Spread into the prepared pan.
In a separate bowl, stir oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly (pea-sized clumps). Stir in nuts if using.
Sprinkle topping evenly over the fruit mixture.
35–40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling around the edges.
Warm with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or spooned over yogurt the next morning.