Cranberry Pear Crumble Pie

5 from 6 votes

I was a bit skeptical the first time I enjoyed a pear pie. I just assumed I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as a classic apple pie. Boy, was I wrong. I dare say, this might be the best pie I have ever eaten. Juicy pears are tossed with cinnamon and tart cranberries and then topped with a crunch oatmeal streusel for one pie that might just take center stage at your holiday table.

Prep Time1

Cook Time55

Total Time1 55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 602kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 ¼ cups (150 g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter chilled and cut into cubes
3-4 tablespoons ice water

For the pear cranberry filling:

5 cups (815 g pears) peeled and diced into ½” chunks about 5 pears
1 tablespoon lemon juice
⅓ cup (40 g) all purpose flour
½ cup (99 g) granulated white sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 ¾ cups (170 g) cranberries, fresh or frozen

For the oatmeal streusel topping:

1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour
¾ cup (160 g) light brown sugar
⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon table salt
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup (50 g) old-fashioned oats

Instructions

Make the crust.

In a food processor, or mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Scatter butter over top and cut in until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. If using a food processor, transfer mixture to large bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Stir dough together using a spatula, until dough sticks together. Test the dough by squeezing some together with your fingertips. If it sticks together, then do not add more water. If it does not, then add the remaining tablespoon of water. Turn the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 4-inch disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Make the filling.

In a large bowl using a spatula, stir the pears, lemon juice, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and cranberries until combined and the fruit is coated in flour. Set the filling aside as the oven preheats.
Roll out the chilled pie dough. On a floured work surface, roll out the disc of chilled dough. Turn the dough a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9” pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Trim the excess, leaving about a 1 inch overhang. Fold the excess pie dough underneath, crimping the edges. Spoon the pear filling into the crust, leaving some of the liquid in the bowl. Refrigerate the pie as you make the oatmeal streusel topping.
Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 400^oF and position a rack in the lower third of your oven.

Make the streusel topping.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut the cold butter into the mixture. Stir in the oats. The streusel topping will be thick and crumbly. Sprinkle over the pear filling.
Bake the pie. Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 375°F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes.
Cool the pie. Remove the pie from the oven and transfer the pie dish to a wire cooling rack. Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Cover pie leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

What Kind Of Pears Should I Use For This Pie?

I used green Anjou pears for this pie, but you could Bosc or Bartletts varieties in this pie. I used about 6 pears for this pie, but it’s best to pick up a few extra just in case any pears develop some soft spots. You want to look for pears that are slightly firm to avoid a mushy filling. Check for ripeness by pressing your thumb towards the stem. It should give a little, but still remain slightly firm. If you need to ripen the pears quickly place them in a brown paper bag 1-2 days before you plan on using them. They will be ready and ripe when you go to use them!

Can I make this filling ahead of time?

You can make the filling ONE day ahead of time. Be sure to keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Can I make the pie crust ahead of time?

Yes and I absolutely recommend you do. Making a pie start to finish can be daunting, but not if you break up the steps. So you can make the pie crust up to 5 days ahead of time. Just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then refrigerate.

Can I make the whole pie ahead of time?

You can make this pie one WHOLE day ahead of time. Just allow the pie to cool and then cover the pie and refrigerate it. You can then bring it back to room temperature before serving.

Can I freeze this pie?

Yes you can! Pies can be frozen for up to 3 months.

To freeze a baked pie: You can freeze a baked pie for up to 3 months. Let the pie cool completely. Then be sure to tightly wrap the pie in a couple layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. And then when ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.

To freeze an unbaked pie: You can also freeze the unbaked pie with the crumble topping. You want to freeze for a couple hours to set the filling, then tightly wrap the entire pie in about 2-3 layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. And then freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, remove the pie from the freezer, unwrap, and bake. Add on additional 20 minutes (or longer) to the bake time.

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