Can I leave the peels on the pears?

I prefer the texture without the peel but you can absolutely leave it on as well.

What type of pears to use?

Go with your favorite pears - Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou or even a mix. Just make sure they're ripe but still firm (overly soft pears can turn mushy in the oven). You could also add some apples to the mix as well if you like!

What is the difference between a pear crumble and a crisp?

It all comes down to the topping! A traditional crumble is just flour, butter and sugar (basically a simple streusel). A crisp topping will also contain oats and sometimes nuts for a crispy texture when baked. These days, people often use the terms interchangeably. This pear crumble recipe sticks to the traditional definition since it has a delicious butter streusel topping.

Pear Crumble | Maple + Mango

Description

This pear crumble is pure cozy dessert vibes! Sweet, tender pears with warm spices topped with an irresistible buttery cookie-like crumble topping. It’s simple, comforting and perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or just a chilly fall night in.

Ingredients

Scale

For the pear mixture:

2 ½ pounds (1.1 kg) pears, about 6 medium pears
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger

For the butter streusel crumble topping:

250 grams (2 cups) unbleached all purpose flour
125 grams (½ cup + 2 tablespoons) organic cane sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
170 grams (¾ cup or 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 375F / 190C.
Prepare the pear mixture: Peel and chop the pears into small pieces. Place the chopped pears in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining pear mixture ingredients, gently toss together and set aside.
Make the butter streusel crumble topping: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the softened butter and vanilla extract and run the mixer until it forms big buttery crumbles. No mixer? You can also make the streusel by hand (see notes for instruction).
Assemble: Pour the pear mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch baking dish (or similar capacity) and spread out evenly. Then sprinkle the butter streusel crumble topping evenly over the top.
Bake: Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the pear mixture is tender and the crumble topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Serve: Serve warm with your favorite toppings. I love a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel or salted caramel sauce. It’s also amazing with whipped cream, custard, vanilla sauce, yogurt or simply on its own!

Notes

Pears: The weight listed is when still whole. Go with your favorite pears – Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou or even a mix. Just make sure they’re ripe but still firm (overly soft pears can turn mushy in the oven).
Use a kitchen scale! Seriously, this is my #1 tip. I highly recommend weighing some of the ingredients for the crumble topping (especially the flour). It keeps the ratios spot-on and gives consistent results every time. Plus, it’s easier and way less messy! I use this kitchen scale.
Don’t stop the mixer too early! At first the crumble mixture will look dry and sandy and you might think something went wrong. No worries! Just continue letting the mixer run until it comes together and forms large crumbles. Press any small crumbs together by hand to form bigger pieces.
Making the topping by hand: I love using my stand mixer (so easy!) but you can totally make this topping by hand too. Just whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and vanilla in a bowl. Then drop in pieces of the softened butter and use your hands to press and pinch it into the flour mixture until you get big, buttery crumbles.