Pear and Pumpkin Crisp

Autumn brings inspiration to so many of us. The crisp air, cooler temperatures, and colorful leaves have awakened the imaginations of writers and poets for centuries.

And then there are those of us who appreciate the four seasons like Trader Joe’s: “Winter, Spring, Summer, and… Pumpkin”.

I’ve always loved the Mother Goose rhyme, “Nose, nose, jolly red nose and who gave thee that jolly red nose? Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves and that gave me my jolly red nose!”

I adore the spicy allure of the autumn season. A craving for the fall flavors of pear, pumpkin, and spices inspired this recipe. Cobblers, crisps, and pies have always been a favorite but I needed to find a gluten-free alternative. While at a local food summit, I tried an oatmeal topped cobbler that gave me the answer I needed for my dessert dilemma.

The filling is an unusual combination of sweet pears with chunks of tender pumpkin wrapped in a spicy maple syrup. Any similar winter squash, like butternut or hubbard, can be substituted for traditional pumpkin.

You may need to adjust the sweetener a little. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth at all, so of the range given for sweeteners, I use the lesser amount. However, some in my family didn’t think it was sweet enough.

The oats in the topping are soaked overnight and the nuts are soaked and dehydrated.

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Pear and Pumpkin Crisp

The filling is an unusual combination of sweet pears with chunks of tender pumpkin wrapped in a spicy maple syrup. Any similar winter squash, like butternut or hubbard, can be substituted for traditional pumpkin.

Course Dessert

Author Lee Burdett

Ingredients

Filling

• 3 to 4 pears ripe but not soft enough that they will disintegrate during baking
• 1/2 of a small pie pumpkin peeled, seeded and cubed
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter cold

Topping:

• 1 cup rolled oats sprouted or regular
• 1 cup pure water warm
• 1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup grass-fed butter melted
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup unrefined granulated sweetener sucanat or coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup crispy pecans or crispy walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• pinch sea salt

Instructions

Topping:

1. The night before, or at least 8 hours before, place the rolled oats in a medium bowl. 

2. Stir in 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. 

3. Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight or up to 24 hours.

4. When ready to make the crisp, place the oats in a fine mesh strainer, drain, and rinse with fresh water. 

5. Shake off as much excess water as possible and spread out on a tea towel to air dry while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and butter a deep dish pie plate. 

Filling:

1. Slice, core, and chop the pears into uniform chunks.

2. If you have trouble peeling the pumpkin, cut it into wedges and slice it from the peel like a cantaloupe. 

3. Cut the pieces into small enough cubes that they will tenderize and soften during baking. 

4. There should be about 6 cups of pear and pumpkin pieces. 

5. Mix the fruit with the maple syrup and spices in a large bowl. 

6. Pour the filling into a deep dish pie plate. 

7. Cut the tablespoon of butter into small cubes and scatter it over the top of the filling.

Assemble:

1. Place the soaked oats in a medium bowl. 

2. Add the melted butter, chopped nuts, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a pinch of sea salt to the oats and stir well to combine. 

3. Use a spoon or your hands to evenly layer the topping over the pear mixture in the pie plate. 

4. Place the crisp into the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and the filling is bubbly. 

5. If the topping begins to brown too quickly, spread a sheet of foil on top.

6. Allow to cool somewhat before serving.

Recipe Notes

Serve with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. (Want a free ice cream eBook? It's free at my blog with your email subscription.)

This recipe reminds me of scenes described in Redwall novels — a drop of cider, crusty country pasties, a chunk of cheese and this lovely Pear and Pumpkin Crisp. Now for a mug of October Ale. 😉

Enjoy! What do you think of combining pear and pumpkin? Have you combined these 2 fall flavors before? In what?

This post was featured in 57 Scrumptious Egg-Free Desserts and 32 Delicious Pumpkin Recipes {from Breakfast to Dessert}.