Delicious Gluten Free Pear Crisp (easy dessert!)

If you’re looking for a gluten free pear dessert, this Gluten Free Pear Crisp with cardamom cream is the one to make!

This warmly spiced pear crisp is topped with a brown sugar and oat topping, and served with a dreamy cardamom cream.

This gluten free pear dessert is perfect for those with food allergies but anyone who loves a Fall dessert will enjoy it too!

You know I love a crisp recipe! Just like my gluten free rhubarb crisp, this pear crisp is simple to make and so delicious.

Since my husband eats gluten-free now, I’ve been trying to develop delicious gluten free recipes that are easy to make and full of flavor! You will love the combination of warm pears with the warming spices and gluten-free oat topping.

This dessert is easily made ahead of time and can be served later in the day or the next day, making it a perfect dessert to make for a small Thanksgiving gathering. If you have a gluten-free friend, this is the dessert to make for them!

Why you’ll love this easy pear dessert

• This pear dessert is perfect to make for your gluten free friends and family!

• This gluten free pear dessert is packed with flavor thanks to the warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.

• Even though this recipe is gluten free, everyone is going to love it!

• This is a delicious dessert to make ahead of time since it gets better as it sits.

• This pear crisp is packed with simple ingredients, many of which you have in your pantry.

Ingredients Needed for this gluten-free pear crisp

Pears: I recommend using fresh pears, Bartlett pears or Green Anjou pears specifically are my favourite type of pear to use. You want them to be ripe enough so they keep their shape when baked, but still can soften in the oven.  I like to keep the peel on the pears but it’s up to your preference, you can peel the pears if desired.

Rolled Oats: if you’re gluten-free, make sure to use certified gluten-free oats! If you aren’t gluten free, you can use regular rolled oats.

Brown sugar: I like to use light brown sugar in this recipe.

Butter: feel free to swap out the melted butter for melted coconut oil.

Almond butter: I love to add almond butter to my pear crisp topping to help create delicious crisp crumbles

Nuts: adding chopped walnuts or pecans to the oat crisp topping will make it nice and crunchy!

Spices: using a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom is going to give you all the warm spices – perfect for fall!

Orange: adding a touch of orange zest to the pear filling brings together all of the warming spices and adds extra flavor

Cornstarch: make sure to use certified gluten-free cornstarch, otherwise you can try using tapioca starch

Mascarpone cheese: cream mascarpone cheese makes such a delicious topping when combined with ground cardamom, icing sugar and milk

Step by Step Process to make this gluten free pear dessert

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and grease a 9×9 baking dish or 10-inch cast iron skillet with butter, coconut oil or cooking spray.

Step 2: In a large bowl, mix the chopped pears with the sugar, vanilla extract, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange juice, orange zest and cornstarch.

Step 3: In another medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients – brown sugar, chopped walnuts, rolled oats, ground cinnamon, salt and almond flour. Add the melted butter and almond butter and stir until you have small clumps.

Step 4: Pour the pear mixture into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle over the crisp topping and gently pat it down.

Step 5: Bake for 40-55 minutes, or until the pear filling is bubbly and the pears are easily pierced with a fork.

Step 6: Let the pear crisp rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Step 7: While the pear crisp rests make the cardamom cream. Whisk together all of the cardamom cream ingredients in a bowl, and serve with the pear crisp.

Expert Tips

• The kind of pears used in this dessert matter! Ripe Bartlett pears give the this crisp the best flavour; ripe Green Anjou pears can also work but I would avoid using Bosc pears or any other type.

• If making this pear dessert a day ahead of serving it, bake and let fully cool. Then, cover the pear crisp with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 1 day.  Remove the gluten free pear dessert about an hour before serving to bring the dessert closer to room temperature.

• Feel free to swap out the cardamom cream for a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream!

• Let the pear crisp cool and rest for at least 15 minutes before serving, this will let the filling thicken up.

• If you aren’t gluten-free, you can use regular rolled oats or old fashioned oats.

• How to check if the pears are ripe: Very gently squeeze or press the pear near the stem. When you apply pressure, if it’s very slightly soft in that spot, then you know your pear is ripe.

• You can use pear slices instead of cutting the pears into pieces if desired.

Common Questions

Can I make this pear crisp without refined sugar?
Yes, just swap out the brown sugar for coconut sugar, and try using monk fruit as a substitute for the white sugar.

Can I use a fruit other than pears?
Swap out the pears for apples, or use a combination of pears and apples if you only have a few of each!

Storage

Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or transfer to an airtight container to store in the fridge.

More pear recipes to love from the blog

Quick and Easy Pear Tart (made with puff pastry)

Easy Pear & Goat Cheese Crostini Appetizer with Honey

Spiced Pear Baked French Toast