The warm flavors of apple and brown sugar blend with a sweet touch of pear, as crunchy oats and walnuts complement the soft texture perfectly...this decadent dessert you just experienced is apple pear crisp, the delicious meld of apples, pears and warm spices baked together with a crunchy topping.

Fruit crisp is typically a yummy autumn or winter dessert, but it can be enjoyed year-round. It's best to use a tart firm apple like granny smith, since this tartness will be delicious when mixed with sugar and tart apples generally hold up better when baked. Anjou or bosc are generally the best pear species to use. This apple pear crisp recipe calls for walnuts in the topping, but pecans are a tasty alternative.

How to Make Apple Pear Crisp

Prepare a 9 x 9 inch square baking dish, lightly greasing with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel and core pears and apples, cutting into small chunks or wedges. Combine apple and pear chunks in a large bowl, and add lemon juice, tossing lightly.

Add lemon zest, ginger, cinnamon, white sugar and ground nutmeg to bowl, mixing until fully combined. Transfer filling to your prepared baking dish.

To make the crumble topping for your apple pear crisp, combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, oats and walnuts in a medium bowl. Stir evenly until fully mixed. Add the diced unsalted butter into your topping, and mush butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or using your hands. Continue mushing until a crumbly dough has formed. Sprinkle topping evenly onto filling.

Bake apple pear crisp on middle rack until fruit is bubbly and tender when poked with a fork and topping is golden brown, about 45 minutes. You can also use an instant pot to cook faster. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy! For a truly indulgent dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce on top!

Watch: What Autumn Dessert Should You Make?

Pear and Apple Crisp 

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes

servings

INGREDIENTS

  • Filling
  • 3 apples I recommend Fuji, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith
  • 3 pears, ripe but firm I recommend Anjou or Bosc
  • 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbs grated ginger
  • 2 tbs white sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • Topping
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 3/4 cup rolled oats Not instant
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1/2 stick butter, diced

Instructions

Prepare a 9 x 9 inch square baking dish by lightly greasing with butter.

Preheat oven to 350 F and arrange rack in the middle.

Peel and core apples and pears. Cut into either slim wedges or chunks.

Add apples, pears, and lemon juice to a bowl. Toss to lightly coat.

Add the remaining filling ingredients to the bowl and toss to evenly mix. Transfer filling to prepared baking dish.

Using the same bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, and walnuts. Stir together until evenly mixed.

Add the diced butter. Using either your hands or a fork, mush the butter into the dry mix until a crumbly dough has formed. Sprinkle topping onto fruit.

Bake until fruit is bubbly and fork tender, and topping has browned, about 45 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.