4poundsripe pears (about 8 medium pears), peeled, cored and diced into 3/4-inch pieces (see note)
3tablespoonsfresh lemon juice
3tablespoons(27g)all-purpose flour
½teaspooncinnamon
1cup(340g)caramel sauce, homemade or store bought (see note)
Streusel Topping:
1cup(212g)packed light brown sugar
1cup(142g)all-purpose flour
1cup(100g)old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½teaspoonscinnamon
½teaspoonsalt
¾cup(170g)(1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cut into pieces
For Serving:
Vanilla ice cream
Additional caramel sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside (a slightly smaller pan will work fine, too).
For the pear filling, in a large bowl, add the pears, lemon juice, flour and cinnamon. Toss to combine.
Add the caramel sauce and stir to combine well.
Spread the pears evenly in the prepared pan.
For the streusel topping, in a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and salt.
Add the butter and use a pastry blender or two butter knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly.
Spread the streusel topping evenly over the pears.
Bake the crisp until the pears are tender and the streusel is golden and edges are bubbling, 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove the crisp from the oven and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes for the filling to thicken and set up.
Serve the crisp warm or at room temperature.
If desired, serve with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and/or a drizzle of additional caramel sauce.
Notes
Pears: Don't dice the pears too small or they'll cook down too much/get mushy while baking. I prefer using Bartlett pears for this recipe. Amount of Caramel Sauce:For a less sweet filling, the caramel sauce can be reduced by 1/4 to 1/2 cup.Homemade Caramel Sauce:This homemade caramel sauce or this 10-minute caramel sauce work great in the recipe. Streusel:This recipe makes a delightfully thick layer of streusel. For a more moderate amount, use the following ingredient amounts: 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup oats, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2/3 cup butter.