Pear Cranberry Crisp
Pear cranberry crisp: a comforting cool-weather dessert! Sweetened with maple syrup, spiked with warm ginger, and topped with a buttery oatmeal pecan crumb.
This is a sponsored post, written by me and created in partnership with ACME Markets. All opinions expressed herein are straight from my heart.
Pear cranberry crisp! Can you think of anything better at this time of year? This seasonal dessert is so warm and comforting, not to mention easy as can be to make.
It was inspired by my recent trip to Chicago for the O Organics® “Organic for Allâ„¢ event,” where I learned all about the O Organics line of products I buy at my local ACME market. If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may have seen the updates– I had such a fun time on this trip, learning and connecting with lots of other food bloggers, as well as all the good folks behind O Organics!
On the first night of my stay, we were treated to the most fabulous meal. Everything on the buffet was made featuring O Organics products, and it was all so incredibly delicious. But, you know me, I am always all about the desserts! I had a fantastic berry crisp and that was of course what made the biggest impression. Good seasonal berries are pretty much a thing of the past here in the northeast, so I figured I’d share my fall/winter spin on this idea.
But before we get into the pear cranberry crisp, let me fill you in on the trip!
After our dinner the night before, the main event started bright and early the next morning. O Organics put out the most beautiful breakfast for us, complete with a DIY overnight oats bar. There were all sorts of fun toppings that you could mix and match, plus COFFEE! Good thing, because I am useless without my morning cup and this brew was so rich and flavorful.
After breakfast we got to meet the beautiful and bubbly Annessa Chumbley, a registered dietitian who demo’ed a handful of delicious and healthy recipes for us. She had so many great ideas for a happier, healthier lifestyle!
Then, we all had the opportunity to go into the kitchen and create our own recipes. I teamed up with Serena Bakes Simply from Scratch and The Baker Upstairs to whip up a delicious batch of mixed berry muffins. It was so much fun baking with these talented ladies!
After that it was a beautiful luncheon, and then we all unwound, relaxed, and found our zen with a quick but restorative yoga session.
The trip wrapped with a fun shopping trip. We all packed our bags and headed home to create and share our O Organics recipes!
And now for that pear cranberry crisp recipe.  It’s just bursting with all of my favorite fall flavors. Sweet pears, tart dried cranberries, spicy ginger, warm cinnamon, and real maple syrup. The crumbly streusel topping is buttery and tender, with chewy oats and crunchy pecans.
I picked up all the O Organic ingredients at ACME, but if you are outside of the Philadelphia area, O Organics products are available at Albertsons Companies stores across the country, including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s,  Tom Thumb, Randalls, Pavilions and Star Market.
Albertson’s Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the US, with both a strong local presence and national scale. The company operates stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia! They believe everyone should have the opportunity to go organic, and this makes it really easy for us all to do so.
The pear cranberry crisp begins with the crumb topping. We start with my basic streusel recipe, using whole wheat flour and light brown sugar. Give it some added texture with oats and pecans, and spice it up with a little cinnamon and ground ginger.
Once that’s crumbly and delicious, set it aside and get going on the fruit filling. I just love the way tart cranberries compliment sweet pears, and fresh ginger is the perfect accent. Toss all that together with a little maple syrup for added sweetness, and cook ’til just beginning to soften.
Once the juices are flowing and the fruit has become more tender, you can top it with the crumble. This recipe gives you a nice ratio of fruit to topping. I don’t like to be skimpy on either count!
Pop the whole thing in the oven until it’s bubbly and crisp, and you have the most unforgettable fall/winter dish! I love it for dessert, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But I’ve been known to leave that off and just eat it as is for breakfast. So perfect for this time of year!
Pear Cranberry Crisp
Ingredients
For the crumb topping
- 12 tablespoons (177.44 g) unsalted butter,, melted
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup (110 g) light brown sugar,, packed
- 1/3 cup (27 g) old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup (24.75 g) chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) kosher salt
For the pear cranberry filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 pears,, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch dice
- 3/4 cups (90.91 g) sweetened dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) kosher salt
Instructions
Make the crumb topping:
- Melt the butter in a small pot over medium-low heat, and stir in the remaining ingredients with a fork, until evenly mixed.
Make the filling:
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the remaining ingredients, tossing to coat, and cook until slightly softened (about 5 minutes).
Bake the crisp:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Top the fruit filling with the crumb topping, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pears are tender and the streusel is lightly golden on top.
- Serve warm.
At the recent O Organics ‘Organic for All™’ event in Chicago, I had the opportunity to work with a vast selection of O Organics products, but please check your local Albertsons family store to see what’s available in your area.
This is yummy! Even a person who bakes lots more than me loved it. And easy.
That’s so great to hear Steve! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback!
I’m so glad that there’s no skimping on the fruit or the topping. This looks amazing!! LOVE the idea of mellow pears with tart cranberries dotting it. Yumz.
Yes and “yumz” is my new favorite word- totally stealing it 😉 Thanks so much Jessie!
This crisp looks awesome! I am especially loving all of the organic ingredients and the whole wheat flour 🙂
Thanks Medha! I agree, it’s nice to have a dessert that you don’t have to feel so guilty about sometimes. Hope you’re having a great week dear!