Maple Apple and Pear Crisp
My twist on a traditional apple crisp filled with spiced maple apples and pears, topped with and a buttery brown sugar oat crumble.
6-8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Equipment:
See *Notes for more important tips/clarifications
I can’t let fall pass by without baking at least one apple-filled dessert. But let’s be real, I’d scarf down just about any dessert with apple: apple crisp, apple fritters, apple pie, apple cake, you name it.
So for my take on a traditional apple crisp, I used not one, but two autumn fruits: apples and pears (which I think are underrated in desserts!). I like the contrast in textures and sweetness levels surrounded by the warmth of the maple syrup balanced by spice from the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. I gotta say guys, this is a personal favorite of mine. The first time I tried it (on the first round of recipe testing!) I was blown away. And there was just the right ratio of fruit to crisp.
But what I love most about a crisp is:
1.) It’s easy. If you want something sweet to bake during the week as a little treat at the end of the day, this crisp is your go-to.
2.) The contrast in textures. I love that you get the apple pie-like sweet and tart gooey bottom, and then a crisp bite of the oat topping.
You can serve this Maple Apple and Pear Crisp warm, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel, snuggled up around a fire (that last part is just recommended, but highly encouraged!)
Ingredients:
For the filling:
3 apples, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 pears, sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the crisp topping:
1/2 cup old-fashioned/rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
*Notes
Which apples and pears to use?
Apples: for my crisp I used a combination of Honeycrisp and Pink Lady. They’re two of my favorite types of apples and I love that they’re on the sweeter side, but still pleasantly tart. Plus, they hold up well when baking. If you don’t want to use those, make sure you substitute for another firm-fleshed apple like Gala.
Pears: I used Bartlett. Look for ones that are ripe, but on the firmer side. Bartlett pears turn yellow when ripe so look for ones on the greener side, but a little bit of yellow is okay. The pears will break down in the oven (even more so than the apples) and you don’t want the fruit to get too mushy when baking.
Cutting the apples and pears: To make things a bit easier on myself, I like to use an apple corer on the apples and pears first, and then proceed to slice the bigger chunks into the 1/4 inch thick slices for the crisp.
How to serve this Maple Apple and Pear Crisp: You can eat this crisp room temperature, but it’s best served warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Storage: Tightly cover the pie dish or baking dish with foil or plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to Reheat: Reheat individual portions in a microwave-safe dish for about 1 minute in the microwave.
Slice the apples and pears into 1/4 inch thick slices
The crisp mixture should come together in little clumps when you press it with your fingers
Sprinkle the crisp mixture evenly on top of the apples before baking
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How to make the Maple Apple and Pear Crisp:
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Butter a 9-inch pie dish or 9x9 square baking dish and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk the maple syrup, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, salt, lemon juice, and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples and pears with half of the maple syrup mixture and mix until evenly coated. Pour into pie dish.
In a separate large bowl, use a pastry cutter or fork to combine the oats, pecans, flour, light brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until small crumbs form and the mixture holds together when you press it between your fingers. I like to use a combination of a fork and my fingers to bring the mixture together.
Pour the other half of the maple syrup mixture on top of the fruit and then sprinkle the crisp mixture evenly on top.
Bake the in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until the juices are bubbling and the top is golden brown. If any of the fruit is poking out, you should be able to stick it with a fork or sharp knife with ease.
Allow the crisp to cool slightly before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream and/or a drizzle of caramel syrup. Enjoy!
