Description
This Easy Pear Crumble with Walnuts is a delightful dessert featuring juicy, spiced pears topped with a crunchy, buttery walnut crumble. It’s a perfect comfort food bake that combines warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to elevate the natural sweetness of pears. Served warm, it pairs beautifully with dairy-free ice cream or coconut whipped cream for a cozy treat suitable for the whole family.
Ingredients
Filling
- 6-8 ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-¾ inch cubes (about 5 heaping cups or 650g)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp salted vegan butter, melted (or butter of choice)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (use oat flour if gluten-free)
- ½ cup salted vegan butter, cold (or butter of choice)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Make the Filling: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Peel, core, and dice the pears into roughly ½ to ¾-inch cubes. In a large bowl, combine the diced pears with brown sugar, ground ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch. Pour the melted vegan butter over the mixture and toss gently until the pears are evenly coated.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Transfer the pear mixture to a greased 10-inch cast iron skillet or a round baking dish, spreading it evenly for consistent cooking.
- Make the Topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cold vegan butter, cinnamon, ground ginger, and brown sugar. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture becomes crumbly with a few larger chunks remaining. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Assemble and Bake: Evenly crumble the topping over the pear filling. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the pears are bubbling and the topping has turned a golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the crumble from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy it warm, optionally topped with a scoop of dairy-free ice cream or a dollop of coconut whipped cream for an extra indulgent touch.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm pears to ensure the crumble holds its texture during baking without becoming mushy.
- Oat flour can be used instead of all-purpose flour for a gluten-free version.
- Adjust the spices according to your taste preference; more cinnamon or ginger can add warmth.
- Letting the crumble cool slightly helps it set for easier serving.
- For a dairy version, replace vegan butter with regular butter.
- Chilling the butter for the topping is essential for a crumbly texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
