This easy pear crumble combines warm pears, ginger and a touch of pure maple syrup with a sweet and crunchy oat topping for a simple yet satisfying dessert.

Oatmeal cookie meets warm pears, ginger and a touch of pure maple syrup in this simple yet satisfying dessert. This crumble lets pears take the spotlight. And packaged in these individual ramekins, each serving comes in just over 250 calories.

I said to a fellow friend the other day that pears are so underrated. I take them with me for snacks or enjoy with a slice of cheddar at night. But this time, I decided to make dessert. A Maple Ginger Pear Crumble to be exact.

Best pears for pear crisp or crumble

I chose to use Concorde pears (the green ones above) as the base. Concorde pears are a unique pear variety that combines the Comice and Conference pears. Concorde pears have a decadent quality about them and a pronounced vanilla flavor.

I also added a red Anjou pear (the one at the top of the picture) to the mix. Anjou pears are firm with a more mellow flavor – so they add great balance to the crumble.

Try this easy Maple Ginger Pear Crumble #recipe from @marisamoore for a healthier holiday dessert!

How to make pear crumble

Making this healthy dessert is simple.

There are two main steps to making a pear crumble. The first is mixing up the topping. Then you add spices, sugar or syrup (if using), to cut fruit.

Combine the two and bake!

Now about the crumble…

Oatmeal cookie meets warm pears, ginger and a touch of pure maple syrup in this simple yet satisfying dessert. This crumble lets pears take the spotlight and comes in just over 250 calories.

Make it vegan and gluten-free

For a vegan dessert: Swap cold coconut oil or coconut butter instead of regular butter to make it vegan. This will change the flavor a bit – especially if you opt for coconut butter. So only do that if you like the flavor of coconut. It will have a bit more tropical flavor.

For a gluten-free dessert: Swap blanched almond flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour for regular flour. Also, check the package to make sure you’re using certified gluten-free oats.

Can I leave the pear skin on for desserts?

Yes. You can leave the pear skin on for extra fiber and a more rustic feel. Just keep in mind that the skin may get a little tough while it bakes so you may want to peel your pears for a less chewy final dessert. I enjoyed it with a little fresh Bourbon whipped cream!

Tips for making the best healthy pear crumble

Taste the pears. How sweet are your pears? Sweeter pears mean less maple syrup. With this, make sure you start with ripe pears. If you need help with that check out how to choose ripe pears.

Don’t peel the pears. This helps the pears keep their shape plus provides more fiber! Plus, this saves time. It’s a win-win.

Preheat the oven. Adding the dessert to a hot oven helps the crumble to cook evenly – developing that gorgeous color and caramelized flavor.