November 12, 2010

Cranberry Pear Crisp

Name: Cranberry Pear Crisp
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 to 6 firm pears (6 cups), cut into 3/4-inch pieces; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 1/2 cups cranberries; 1/3 cup sugar; 1/2 cup flour; 1/2 cup chilled (1 stick) butter; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup light-brown sugar; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 cup rolled oats; Pinch of salt; Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

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This Cranberry Pear Crisp is the perfect fall dessert. It’s also a great addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table! The pears are the perfect fruit to offset the overall tartness of the cranberries.

I go kind of nuts at the grocery store sometimes.

I bought a bag of cranberries just because they are in season with no plans to do anything with them.

Once I got home I decided on this Cranberry Pear Crisp because I had also picked up some pears.

The recipe itself is a bit tangy and then sweet. I rather like that combination, what do you think?

3 ramekins filled with cranberry and pear crisp topped with oats. A bowl of red cranberries nearby.

Do You Have to Peel Pears before Baking?

You don’t HAVE to but I would highly recommend that you do so. The recipe you’ll find below will ask you to peel the pears.

The skin can be rough and it doesn’t always heat up nicely, especially if you are in the position where you will need to reheat these to serve.

I know that peeling fruit and vegetables can sometimes feel like an extra step but most of the time, it’s worth it to get that skin off with a paring knife.

Does Pear Crisp Need to Be Refrigerated?

Pear crisp will be okay at room temperature for a day or two.

It usually does not last very long in our house so if you do plan to ration it out, you might want to store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Can I use Apples Instead?

I mean, yeah. You absolutely can use apples instead.

At that point, you might want to just head over to this apple crisp recipe and make that. It will likely still be incredibly delicious combining apples and cranberries but I find that pears are the unsung heroes of fall.

If you’re looking for more fall baking you could also check out these open face apple crisps! They’re super cute and gluten free!

How much does this Cranberry Pear Crisp recipe make?

This recipe for cranberry pear crisp makes two large ramekins and four small ramekins.

I didn’t have enough of either size to fit the entire recipe so I had to improvise. You understand, I’m sure.

Instead of being unprepared like I am, you might consider using 6-8 4oz ramekins or a 3 quart baking dish and skipping the single serving ramekins all together.

The ramekins are a nice touch if you’re serving these dinner party style or if you are having people over for Thanksgiving dinner.

Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t bother getting all fancy (because, ramekins are so fancy!) and I would just scoop the filling into a baking dish and call it a day.

What recipes can you make with cranberries?

There are a few things you can do but one of them (and perhaps the reason you’re here!) is to make this cranberry pear crisp recipe!

You can also make Cranberry Pistachio Bark if you’re needing some chocolate. This can make a great gift for the holidays!

Oh and, don’t forget about the Cranberry and Raisin Granola!

Of course, both of these recipes require dried cranberries. If you decide to hop over and make those, you’ll need to buy some dried cranberries or dehydrate fresh cranberries.

If you have a dehydrator, that might be a great way to use the cranberries you have on hand.

That said, you still have this cranberry pear crisp to try instead if you don’t want to go through the hassle of dehydrating your own cranberries.

4 ramekins filled with cranberry and pear crisp topped with oats.

What should I serve with Cranberry Pear Crisp?

You could serve this up alongside any other more traditional Thanksgiving Desserts like an apple or pumpkin pie.

It would also be great anytime in the Fall when cranberries and pears are in season.

All that being said, you should absolutely serve this recipe with whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream.

My personal favorite is a simple whipped cream recipe that I like to make quickly around the holidays to pair with all the holiday desserts!

Can I Use Frozen Cranberries for Baking?

You sure can! Maybe you find yourself in a position where you bought too many cranberries once upon a time so you froze them to use later. This would be a great recipe to use them in!

You don’t need to defrost them since you’re baking these in the oven so even if you forget to take them out, you’re all set!

Yield: 6 servings