As promised, I’ve said farewell to apples (well, maybe more like, let’s take a break and revisit this relationship soon) and a big resounding hello to two other fruits that make the fall season so special with this easy and amazingly delicious, Pear and Cranberry Crumble!

Guys, this is autumn in a mouthful—sweet juicy pears perfectly balanced out by tart cranberries and topped with an irresistible oat based buttery crumble! It even looks seasonal—kinda like the reds and golds of the changing trees.

You’re going to love it! I promise! And the fact that it comes together in a snap!

After you’ve mixed the pear and cranberries with a little sugar, cornstarch and vanilla, you simply scrape the whole thing into a casserole dish or pie plate

And then generously top the whole shebang with a quickie crumble mixture of flour, oats, salt and butter.

A mere thirty minutes later you’re rewarded with a heavenly concoction of juicy, sweet fruits and golden, crumbly topping that makes the most wonderful after-dinner dessert!

Or top it with a dollop of yogurt and justify a bowl of it for breakfast (of course, no judgement if you go the more indulgent route of ice cream or whipped cream, even for breakfast. In these days, whatever gets you through!!)

Pear and Cranberry Crumble

Makes about 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Bake Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed

• 4 ripe, but not too soft, pears (I used Bartletts), peeled, cored and cut into small chunks

• 1 cup sugar, divided

• 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats

• ½ cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

• Pinch or two of salt

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces, plus a little extra for buttering dish

• Yogurt, ice cream, or whipped cream for serving (optional)

The Recipe

1. Make sure rack is in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425ºF. Butter a 2 quart baking dish or pie plate and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the cranberries, pears, ½ cup sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. Scrape into the baking dish and smooth out so it’s an even layer.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the oats, flour, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Work the softened butter into the mixture using your fingers until you get small clumps. Drop the clumps any which way over the fruit in the dish.

4. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the fruit mixture is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Let cool just a bit before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve as is or topped with yogurt, ice cream or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from an old issue of Gourmet Magazine. I subbed in pears for the apples and baked this longer.