Individual Pear and Apple Crisps

It’s finally feeling like fall here in Oklahoma. Yellow and red leaves are falling from the trees after our first frost and I’ve pulled my boots and coats out of hiding. As usual, Oklahoma weather is unpredictable and tomorrow we’ll enjoy a sunny, 70 degree Thanksgiving. I’m not complaining!

Today, on Thanksgiving eve, I thought I’d share a quick fall dessert in case you’re on the hunt for last-minutes ideas. I’ve been on a stuffed vegetable kick lately (evidence: stuffed tomatoesand stuffed globe zucchini), and Joy the Baker’s peach cobbler for one inspired me to try the concept with fruit. Using a peach halve as a bowl for crispy, buttery goodness—it’s brilliant, right?

These crisps aren’t the prettiest dessert of all but they make up for their humble appearance in flavor. I based the recipe on Heidi Swanson’s recipe for plum and peach crisp recipe. She replaced some of the butter with yogurt in order to reduce the fat content, but I love the yogurt for its tang. I sweetened the dough up with a bit of maple syrup and added some autumn spices. I experimented with two kinds of apples as well as D’Anjou pears. The pears were the clear winner, with Gala apples coming in second. Thicker skinned Granny Smith apples came in last; their skin was still a little tough after baking.

 

Individual Pear and Apple Crisps

Author: Cookie and Kate

Recipe type: Dessert

Prep time:  15 mins

Cook time:  25 mins

Total time:  40 mins

Serves: 8 (fewer if anyone wants seconds, which they will!)

 

These make a wonderful, quick and pretty darn healthy dessert. They’re also delicious for breakfast with a big dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt. You could also top them with vanilla bean ice cream or maple-sweetened whipped cream. Feel free to gussy them up with a sprinkle of lemon zest. No matter how you eat them, you’re going to love them!

Ingredients

• 4 D’Anjou pears or Gala apples
• Scant 1/2 cup rolled oats
• Scant 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup turbinado (raw) sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons real maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a large baking pan (a 13×9 inch pan would work well).
2. Cut the pears and/or apples in half and use a paring knife to carefully cut out the cores. Discard the cores.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Use a big spoon to mix it well.
4. Scoop about two tablespoons of dough onto each pear/apple half and use your hands to smush it into a mound.
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden.

Notes

Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks’ plum and peach crisp recipe and inspired by Joy the Baker’s peach cobbler for one.

P.s. If you’re looking for more easy last-minute Thanksgiving ideas, consider rosemary and parmesan sweet potatoes, chickpea salad (I’m making it for my family), butternut squash orzo risotto, rosemary and feta beer bread biscuits and gala and gorgonzola salad. These pumpkin pancakes would be great for breakfast, too. Hope your holiday is full of laughs and good food!