A Cozy, Warm Holiday Dessert You’ll Want on Repeat
Okay… these Baked Pears with Cinnamon Pecan Oat Crumble might be one of my favorite “fancy-but-not” desserts I’ve ever made. And I swear — they look so elegant, like something you’d order at a restaurant — but they’re secretly the easiest thing EVER.
I used ripe Anjou pears, and oh my gosh… they were so fragrant and juicy I could smell them across the kitchen. Pears don’t get enough love compared to apples, but honestly? They make such a soft, buttery base for a warm crumble.
This is the perfect lighter dessert for the holidays — fruit-forward, naturally sweet, warm, cozy, and such a nice contrast to heavier pies and cakes. You can dress them up with a drizzle of date caramel (my fave), a scoop of vanilla yogurt, whipped cream, or even ice cream if you’re feeling fun.
The pecan-oat-spiced crumble is just…YUM!
Be sure to cut cold butter into the oat mixture and don’t skip this step. It really does help it crisp beautifully.
Let’s bake. 💛
🍐 Baked Pears with Brown Sugar Pecan Oat Crumble
Servings: 8 halves (4 pears)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
What You’ll Need (Ingredients)
For the Pears
- 4 ripe Anjou pears, halved lengthwise
- A little avocado oil or melted butter to grease the pan (optional)
For the Crumble Topping
- ½ cup organic brown sugar
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Optional for Serving
- Drizzle on the date caramel (highly recommended!)
- Vanilla yogurt, whipped cream, or good quality vanilla ice cream
How to Make It (Instructions)
- Prep the pears:
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Slice pears in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stem area, creating a small well. - Arrange:
Place the pear halves cut-side up in a greased 9×9 baking dish. - Make the crumble:
In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pecans, and vanilla.
Add the cold cubed butter and use a fork to “cut” it into the mixture until crumbly. (You did this perfectly!) - Fill the pears:
Spoon the crumble mixture generously into the center of each pear, packing it lightly. - Bake:
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the pears are soft and the crumble is golden and crisp. - Serve warm:
Drizzle with date caramel and top with yogurt, whipped cream, or ice cream — or enjoy as-is!
Full Recipe Below:
Baked Pears with Cinnamon Pecan Oat Crumble (Cozy Holiday Dessert)
Equipment
- 1 9 x 9 baking dish
Ingredients
- 4 Anjou Pears
- 1/2 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup almond flour or regular AP flour
- 4 tsp cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prep the pears:Preheat your oven to 375°F. Slice pears in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stem area, creating a small well.
- Arrange:Place the pear halves cut-side up in a greased 9×9 baking dish.
- Make the crumble:In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, oats, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, pecans, and vanilla. Add the cold cubed butter and use a fork to “cut” it into the mixture until crumbly.
- Fill the pears:Spoon the crumble mixture generously into the center of each pear, packing it lightly.
- Bake:Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the pears are soft and the crumble is golden and crisp.
- Serve warm:Drizzle with date caramel and top with yogurt, whipped cream, or ice cream — or enjoy as-is!
Notes
🍐 Nutrition (per pear half, approx.)
- Calories: 185
- Carbs: 27g
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 9g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 18g
Amy’s Holiday Kitchen Notes
- Why cold butter matters:Cutting cold butter into the crumble helps it crisp instead of melt into the pears and it makes the topping amazing.
- Pears to use:Anjou, Bartlett, or Bosc all work great — just make sure they’re ripe so they soften beautifully.
- Make-ahead tip:Assemble everything except the butter step, cover, refrigerate, then add the butter crumbles right before baking.
- Make it dairy-free:Swap butter for coconut oil or a dairy-free butter.
Enjoy! 💛
Baked pears are one of those simple desserts that make you feel like you put in way more effort than you actually did — and I’m always here for that. This is such a cozy, warm, feel-good treat for holidays, dinner parties, or slow Sunday nights at home.
Looking for more?
Try this cozy favorite:
👉 Apple Banana Bread with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
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