Boozy Bourbon Pear Crisp

Desserts

April 13, 2023

“A man watches his pear tree day after day, impatient for the ripening of the fruit. Let him attempt to force the process, and he may spoil both fruit and tree. But let him patiently wait, and the ripe pear at length falls into his lap.”

— Abraham Lincoln

Pears are one of the few fruits that do not ripen on the tree and must be picked unripe and allowed to reach their sweet and succulent maturity off the tree. With their smooth skin and bottom-heavy gentle curves, pears have captivated a few notable admirers that include Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest presidents of the USA.

Speaking frankly, you haven’t lived ‘till you reached for the motionless branches of an autumn pear tree and grabbed a sun-kissed blushing pear to eat and bake with.

Today’s pears are our good friend, Vincent’s, contribution to The Taste of Montana, and the bourbon in this recipe sets it apart from other pear crisps.
Be sure to top with ice cream before digging in.

Boozy Pear Crisp

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1

Course Dessert

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

8 medium-sized ripe pears peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
4 TBSP good-quality bourbon
3 TBSP granulated sugar
3 TBSP firmly packed light brown sugar
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Topping

6 TBSP 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Additional

Vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions

In a medium bowl stir together the pears and bourbon. Let stand ’till tender for 20-30 minutes, depending on the firmness of the pears.
While you wait, stir together the sugars, flour, and cinnamon in another bowl. Add to the pear mixture and stir to coat evenly.
Generously butter a 10-inch cast-iron frying pan. Dust with a bit of flour to minimize sticking. Add the pear filling to the prepared pan.
Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).
For the topping, in a bowl, stir together the melted butter and vanilla. In a larger bowl stir together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt with a fork. Add the butter mixture to the larger bowl and stir until evenly blended and crumbly.
Spread over the pears.
Bake until the pears are tender and the topping is crispy, golden, and brown (30-35 minutes).
Allow to cool slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream.