Warm, spiced apples and pears, covered with a sweet and crunchy topping. It's hard to say 'no' to Pear Apple Crisp, especially served with a dallop of yogurt or ice cream! And our version is so healthy you can even eat it for breakfast!
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While pears and apples are available all year long, they are their best in the Fall. This recipe takes advantage of the peak seasonal fruits and bakes them into a delicious, but easy, dessert for any night of the week.
You might also like to try our other seasonal fruit desserts, like Baked Pears with Chocolate Sauce or Instant Pot Baked Apples.
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Heart Health Benefits of Pear Apple Crisp
Our apple pear crisp isn't exactly a "diet" dessert, and it's not intended to be. But we do pack nutrition into every nook and cranny! The ingredients we use help to improve lipid profiles, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and support vascular health (1, 2, 3).
Macronutrients
While portion control is important with any dessert, including this one, we go low on added sugar, using just a little maple syrup for seasonal flare. Our use of whole fruits, plus whole grains, ensures the dish is high in fiber, which helps blunt blood sugar spikes, and can help reduce LDL cholesterol.
This recipe contains a good amount of both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, thanks to our use of walnuts and olive oil in the topping. Most crisp recipes use butter, which is high in saturated fat, and can contribute to high cholesterol in high amounts. Regularly consuming walnuts and olive oil instead of saturated fat sources can help reduce LDL cholesterol, and reduce your risk for cardiovascular events (4, 5).
Our pear apple crisp even contains 4 grams of protein! Which doesn't qualify it for being high in protein, but it is an impressive amount for a fruit dessert. This comes primarily from the walnuts, and a bit from oats and flour as well. Amp the protein up by serving the crisp over Greek yogurt for a well rounded breakfast!
Micronutrients, Phytonutrients, and Antioxidants
Our winning combination of fruit and nuts ensures the pear apple crisp is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and magnesium, and also low in sodium. A great boost for heart health this season!
Plants offer a wide range of healthful phytonutrients and antioxidants. Here's what you can expect to find in this recipe:
- Flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, and chlorogenic acid - (in apples and pears) polyphenols with antioxidant effects that may improve endothelial function (1);
- Soluble fiber - (in apples, pears, and oats) a type of fiber that dissolves in water and can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar (6);
- β-glucan - (in oats) type of soluble fiber in oats and barley known to lower LDL cholesterol (2);
- Avenanthramides - (in oats) group of phenolic compounds with anti inflammatory effects that may offer protection against coronary heart disease (7);
- Alpha-Linolenic Acid - (in walnuts) a type of omega-3 polyunsaturated fat that may be protective against stroke and other cardiovascular events (8, 9);
- Monounsaturated fats - (in olive oil) type of fat molecule that can help lower LDL cholesterol, and provides nutrition to maintain and build you body's cells (10);
- Hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein - (in olive oil) polyphenols that may be preventative against high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack (11);
- Insoluble fiber - (in dates) helps slow blood sugar response and support gut health (12); and
- Cinnamaldehyde - (in cinnamon) flavonoid that gives cinnamon its color and flavor. Cinnamon can help lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, and raise HDL cholesterol (13).
Ingredients
The fruit represents the biggest percentage of our ingredients, and we make a quick topping with oats, flour, and walnuts for extra heart healthy punch!
- Apples
- Pears
- Pure maple syrup
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
- Old fashioned oats
- Whole wheat flour
- Walnuts
- Date paste
- Olive oil
- (optional) Salt
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The skins of the fruit offer additional heart healthy nutrition, so we don't bother pealing them. Just scrub well! Here's what to do:
- Step 1: Core and chop the pears, and put them in a baking dish.
- Step 2: Core and chop the apples, and add them to the baking dish.
- Step 3: Sprinkle the fruit with cinnamon and nutmeg, and add the maple syrup.
- Step 4: Mix well to combine all the filling ingredients.
- Step 5: Combine the oats, walnuts, flour, date paste, olive oil, cinnamon, and salt (if using) in a bowl.
- Step 6: Mix well using a fork or your hands to make sure everything is fully combined.
- Step 7: Cover the fruit with the oatmeal topping.
- Step 8: Bake until the fruit is soft and the topping is brown and crispy.
Hint: old fashioned oats work the best for fruit crisp toppings. Quick cooking or instant oats can work in a pinch, but steel cut oats will not work.
Substitutions
- Apples/pears - if you don't want one or the other, you can use all apples or all pears, instead of a mix
- Flour - oat flour, almond flour, or an all purpose gluten free flour can be used to make this recipe gluten free (make sure your oats are certified gluten free, too!)
- Walnuts - chopped pecans or almonds are great substitutes
Variations
- Berry crisp - use about 6 cups of frozen berries instead of the apples and pears (you might want to mix 1-2 tablespoon flour into the filling to help thicken the juices as it bakes)
- Nut free - this will work without the nuts completely, so just omit them
Equipment
To make the apple pear crisp, you will need a baking dish around 9x9 inches, or similar dimensions.
Also make sure you have some basic kitchen tools, like a cutting board and knife, and measuring cups and spoons.
Storage
Cool completely, and keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The topping will no longer be crisp after storage, and may be toasted in the oven for a few minutes.
This should not be frozen after it's baked.
It could be frozen once completely assembled, before it's baked. Wrap it well to prevent freezer burn. Thaw completely, and bake per the instructions.
Healthy heart pro tip
Apple and pear skins contain a meaningful amount of polyphenols and fiber (14, 15), so it's best to leave them on the fruit. Pesticide residue can be a concern (although content is low to begin with in these fruits), so be sure to wash your fruits before using. A vinegar solution seems to be the most effective at removing pesticide residue (16). Organic produce should also be washed this way, as pesticide residues may still be present.
FAQ
Choose a baking apple like Braeburn, Cortland, Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith. You want a variety that is a little tart and is firm so it will hold its shape.
The best pears for baking are Bosc. They are easy to find and they hold their shape in the oven. You can also use Bartlett or Anjou pears.
Related
Looking for other healthy desserts using fruit? Try these:
Pairing
Make it a whole meal! These are my favorite dishes to serve with Pear Apple Crisp:
📖 Recipe
Pear Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Fruit Filling
- 3 large Pears
- 3 large Apples
- 2 tablespoon 100% Pure Maple Syrup
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
Crisp Topping
- 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
- ⅓ cup Walnuts chopped
- ¼ cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 3 tablespoon Date Paste
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 pinch Salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Make the filling
- Core and chop the pears into ½ inch pieces. Put them in the baking dish.
- Core and chop the apples into ½ inch pieces, and add them to the baking dish as well.
- Add the rest of the filling ingredients to the fruit, and mix well to combine everything. Set aside.
Make the topping
- Combine all the ingredients for the topping in a small bowl.
- Mix well, using a fork or your hands to make sure the topping is combined completely.
- Pour the topping onto the fruit, and spread in an even layer over the entire dish.
- Bake for 40-45 minute, until the fruit is soft and the topping is browned and crispy.
- Allow to cool about 10 minutes before serving, or refrigerate for serving later.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.
- Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
- Keep your face back when opening hot ovens to avoid hot air burns
- Always use oven mitts when removing hot pans from the oven, and place on heat proof surfaces
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Store leftovers promptly and appropriately
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