Tender Pears with Golden Crumble (Printer-Friendly)

Tender spiced pears topped with a thick, golden buttery crumble. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for pure comfort.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pear Filling

01 - 6 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

→ Crumble Topping

07 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup rolled oats
09 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine sliced pears with lemon juice, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and flour. Toss until evenly coated. Transfer mixture to a greased 9-inch baking dish and spread evenly.
02 - In a separate bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and rub between fingertips or use a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining.
03 - Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over pear filling, pressing gently to create a thick, crunchy layer. Bake for 35 minutes until topping is golden brown and pears are bubbling at the edges.
04 - Allow crumble to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crumble topping bakes up thick and crunchy, with pockets of buttery oats that stay golden and crisp.
  • Pears soften into tender, juicy bites without turning mushy, holding just enough shape to feel intentional.
  • It comes together quickly with pantry staples, no fancy equipment or tricky techniques required.
  • Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream and watch it disappear before you've even sat down.
02 -
  • Cold butter is non-negotiable; if it softens too much while you're mixing, the topping will turn dense instead of crumbly.
  • Don't skip the flour in the filling or you'll end up with a watery base that soaks the crumble from underneath.
  • Pressing the topping down gently helps it hold together and crisp up, creating those satisfying chunky bits everyone fights over.
03 -
  • Use a pastry cutter or two knives if you don't want to get your hands messy, but fingers give you the best control over texture.
  • Taste a pear slice before adding sugar; some varieties are naturally sweeter and need less.
  • Bake on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that bubble over and save yourself a mess in the oven.
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