Pear crisp with oats & pistachios (vegan)

Recently my mom texted and asked if I’d like any pears. My dad had picked a bunch, and they were spreading the wealth.

I thought I might get 5 or 6… Imagine my surprise when they opened their car trunk to reveal a large shipping box packed full of them. I was very rich in pears!

Since the pears were picked at the same time, all of them started ripening in unison. The sweeter, softer, and juicier they got, the more I knew I needed to jump on using all of them.

So I made batch after batch of pear crisp until my recipe was perfected. (Luckily, pear crisp freezes well. So I have more to enjoy at a later date.)

I love pear crisp, because you get all of the textures and flavors of pie, but without the labor of rolling out pie dough. So much simpler!

Plus, this easy pear crisp recipe only requires 15 minutes of hands-on work. The rest of the magic happens in the oven.

This vegan pear crisp recipe is great with ripe pears, which create a syrup when baked with cornstarch. The mouthwatering crisp is covered in a thick layer of oat and pistachio streusel.

It makes the house smell AMAZING while it cooks and the scent of vanilla and cinnamon fills the air.

(I have to say, taking these pictures was its own kind of torture. It was almost impossible not to dive right in and snag a mouthful while it was still hot.)

Serve this autumnal dessert with scoops of vegan vanilla ice cream for a mixture of textures, flavors, hot, and cold + an extra boost of vanilla.

Pears: You can use any kind of fresh pears that you like. Peel them first for the best texture, and cut them thickly so they keep their shape while they bake. I don’t recommend using canned pears, which can get too soft.

Vanilla: For the best flavor, use real vanilla extract, not imitation.

Cinnamon: This fall favorite spice is essential.

Cornstarch: If your pears are on the juicy side, cornstarch helps thicken the liquid as they cook. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a lot of liquid in the dish. (If your pears are still pretty firm and not overly ripe, you can omit the cornstarch if you’d prefer.)

Vegan butter: Use any non-dairy butter that you enjoy.

Oats: Use rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats). Don’t use steel cut oats.

Pistachios: Pistachios and pears go together beautifully in this crisp. They add delicious crunch. If you’d prefer, pistachios can be replaced with any other nuts or seeds like walnuts, pecans, or pepitas. Or simply omit them.

Baking staples: Oil (for oiling the baking dish), all-purpose flour, sugar, brown sugar, and salt fill out the rest of this dish.

You can make this cozy dessert your own by varying the ingredients.

• Replace some of the pears with apples (Just make sure to use 6 cups total of fruit)
• Use quick oats instead of rolled oats
• Add more spices like nutmeg, cardamom, ground ginger, or pumpkin spice
• Instead of pistachios, use chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, or pepitas
• If your pears aren’t especially ripe or juicy, you can omit the cornstarch
• For a rustic appearance, bake in a 10-inch cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish

Make ahead: You can make this cozy dessert 3 days ahead. Bake completely, cool, cover with cling wrap, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to enjoy it, use one of the following reheating methods.

Reheat in the air fryer: My favorite way to reheat individual servings of pear crisp is in the air fryer. It warms the pears, while making sure the crisp is plenty crunchy. Any dish that is safe for the oven can be used in the air fryer. (Yes, even metal!)

To reheat in the air fryer, put a single or double serving of pear crisp into an oven-safe container that’s small enough to fit in your air fryer. Then heat at 370 degrees until warm. (The time will vary, depending on your serving size. However, I usually go for about 6 minutes.)

Reheat in the oven: If you’d prefer, the crisp can be reheated in the oven. Bake the uncovered crisp at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until warmed through.

Storage time: Store pear crisp in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will last 3 or 4 days in the fridge. Or freeze it for longer storage.

How to freeze: To freeze leftovers, put the crisp in a covered freezer-safe container, or wrap it in a layer of plastic and then foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it later, thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.