Baked Cinnamon Pears with Walnut Oat Crumble

Baked cinnamon pears are an uncomplicated dessert that lets ripe fruit do most of the work. A walnut-oat crumble adds toasted flavor and a crisp counterpoint. The most important choice happens at the store: pears should be ripe enough to smell fragrant, but firm enough to keep their shape as they bake.

Choose pears that hold their shape

Bosc and Anjou pears are reliable baking choices because they tend to stay intact. If the pears are very soft, shorten the baking check interval and handle them gently. Halve or slice them evenly, remove the core without cutting through the base if making filled halves, and arrange them cut-side up so their juices stay near the crumble.

Keep the topping in small clumps rather than pressing it into a compact layer. That allows heat to reach the oats and nuts so they toast instead of steaming. If the topping browns before the fruit is tender, loosely cover the dish. The pears are ready when a knife enters easily but the pieces still hold their outline.

A warm, flexible dessert

Serve warm with yogurt, whipped cream, or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be gently reheated, though the crumble softens after refrigeration. If you like cozy fruit breakfasts, apple-cinnamon baked oatmeal uses a similar cinnamon-and-oat flavor pairing in a sliceable form.

Vagner Carvalho

Baked Cinnamon Pears with Walnut Oat Crumble

Baked pears can feel like a finished dessert without pastry or a large mixing project. Firm-ripe fruit holds its shape while the centers soften, and a small amount of walnut-oat crumble provides a crisp contrast.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Resting 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 4 portions

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 255

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 large firm-ripe pears (about 1 1/2 lb / 680 g total)
• 1/2 cup (40 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup (30 g) chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water for the dish

Equipment

• Small baking dish, spoon and mixing bowl

Method

 

1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Halve pears lengthwise and remove cores with a small spoon, leaving enough flesh to hold their shape. Trim a very thin slice from the rounded underside if necessary to make each half sit flat.
2. Mix oats, walnuts, melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt until evenly damp. Brush cut pear surfaces with lemon juice.
3. Arrange pear halves cut side up in a snug baking dish. Divide crumble among the cavities, mounding lightly without covering every part of the fruit. Pour water into the dish around the pears.
4. Cover loosely with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15–20 minutes more, until a small knife enters the thick flesh easily and topping is lightly golden. If the dish dries out, add a little hot water around the edges.
5. Rest 10 minutes so the fruit is warm rather than scorching hot. Serve one pear half per person with a little of the baking juices. Ice cream or yogurt is optional and not included in the nutrition estimate.

Notes

Times are planning estimates; use the listed doneness cues. Nutrition is an approximate ingredient-based estimate for one pear half with one-quarter of the topping and baking juices.