Gluten-Free Pear Crisp with oats
This gluten-free pear crumble is an easy fall dessert that combines a juicy fruit filling and a buttery oat crumble topping that bakes until golden and crunchy. Made with simple ingredients, comes together quickly and can be made ahead of time. Perfect to serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or on its own. It’s a perfect pear dessert for potlucks or family gatherings.
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Easy fresh pear dessert
This gluten-free fruit crisp is an easy fall dessert made with juicy, cinnamon-spiced pears and a buttery oat crumble topping. The pears become tender and flavorful in the oven while the gluten-free oat topping turns golden brown and crunchy. It’s a perfect alternative to apple crisp that won’t disappoint and uses fresh pears during season.
Made with simple ingredients, it’s easy to make, and everyone will love it. Perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or a fall dessert for a crowd. If you love pear desserts, you must try it!
It’s make-ahead friendly; you can assemble it a few hours before baking and keep it in the fridge, or bake it and reheat it before serving. You can enjoy it warm with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or plain.
Ingredients
Some NOTES about the main ingredients of this recipe:
- Oats: gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats.
- Butter: cold unsalted butter.
- Sugar: light brown sugar.
- Spices: ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Pears: fresh ripe pears, but firm. Not overripe; they must keep their shape while baking. Bosc, Anjou, or Bartlett pears are good choices.
How to make a gluten-free oatmeal pear crisp
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
For the fruit filling: In a medium bowl, place peeled, seeded, and chopped pears, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Mix and transfer to a 9” baking dish or similar.
For the crisp topping: In another bowl, mix gluten-free oats, gluten-free all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the diced cold butter and rub it with your fingertips until crumbs form. Or place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until crumbs form.
Place the mixture in the baking dish over the pears and sprinkle with chopped toasted almonds or walnuts (optional).
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and the pears are bubbling. Let the dessert rest for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set.
Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
Storing
Store leftovers in the covered baking dish or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a medium oven before serving.
Baking tips
- Pears: fresh, ripe pears, but firm. Not overripe; they must keep their shape while baking. Bosc, Anjou, or Bartlett pears are good choices. Do I need to peel pears? Peeling the pears is recommended for this dessert for a softer filling.
- Cold Butter: Cold butter for the topping helps create a crisp, crunchy topping. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator before adding it to the pears.
- Bake until bubbling: The topping must be golden brown and the pear filling bubbling.
- Let rest before serving: allow the crisp to chill for about 10 minutes after baking. The filling will thicken as it cools.
Troubleshooting
- Topping not crisp enough? Bake 5–10 minutes longer. Also, cold butter helps create a crisp, crunchy topping
- Pears too mushy? Use firm pears; they must keep their shape while baking.
- Is the topping too buttery? Add more flour; check the butter-to-flour ratio.
Variations
- Fruits: add apples or blueberries to the pear filling for extra flavor, colour, and texture.
- Dried fruits: add chopped toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts to the oat topping for crunchiness.
- Spiced crisp: add ginger and cardamom to the filling for a strong flavor.
- Sweetness: adjust sweetness to your taste. Add less sugar to the filling or topping.
- Baking dish: Use a big baking dish or individual ramekins.
For more gluten-free desserts
Gluten-Free Pear Crumble with oats (easy & crunchy)
Ingredients
- 6 medium pears, seeded, peeled, and chopped
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the topping:
- 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- For the fruit filling: In a medium bowl, place peeled, seeded, and chopped pears, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Mix and transfer to a 9” baking dish or similar.
- For the crisp topping: In another bowl, mix gluten-free oats, gluten-free all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the diced cold butter and rub it with your fingertips until crumbs form. Or place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until crumbs form.
- Place the mixture in the baking dish over the pears and sprinkle with chopped toasted almonds or walnuts (optional).
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown and the pears are bubbling. Let the dessert rest for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set.
- Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.