Description
This Dutch Pear Pie features a tender, flaky crust filled with spiced, ripe pears and topped with a buttery oat crumble. Completed with a rich spiced caramel sauce infused with pear brandy and warm fall spices, this pie is perfect for autumn celebrations and cozy gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1/2 recipe Basic Pie Dough (store-bought or homemade)
Crumble Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Pear Filling
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 1/2 pounds firm-ripe pears (about 5 medium), cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick (7 cups)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pear brandy
Spiced Caramel Sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pear brandy
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- Pinch ground allspice
Instructions
- Prepare Pie Dough: Roll the pie dough into a 13-inch circle on a floured surface. Carefully fit it into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, trim excess dough to 1 inch, then fold the edges under and crimp to form a neat border. Place the crust in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill.
- Make Crumble Topping: Combine flour, oats, light brown sugar, kosher salt, and cold butter pieces in a bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to blend until the mixture forms coarse crumbs with some pea-sized clumps. Set aside.
- Prepare Pear Filling: In a large bowl, mix granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Add the sliced pears, lemon juice, and pear brandy. Gently toss everything to evenly coat the pear slices with the spiced sugar mixture.
- Assemble Pie: Transfer the pear filling into the chilled pie crust, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the pears, breaking it into clumps as preferred for texture and coverage.
- Bake the Pie: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the pie on the middle rack for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the pears are tender and the crumble topping is golden brown. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil or a pie shield during baking.
- Make Spiced Caramel Sauce: While the pie bakes, combine light brown sugar and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
- Finish Caramel Sauce: Stir in the pear brandy, butter pieces, vanilla extract, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of allspice into the caramel sauce until smooth and well combined.
- Serve: Once the pie has cooled slightly, drizzle the warm spiced caramel sauce over each slice before serving for an added burst of rich flavor and warmth.
- Enjoy: Enjoy this decadent pear pie with its warm spices and luscious caramel, perfect for any fall celebration or holiday dessert.
Notes
- You can make the pie dough ahead of time and keep it refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.
- Firm-ripe pears like Bosc or Anjou work best for the filling as they hold shape well during baking.
- If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, substitute pear brandy with additional lemon juice or pear juice.
- Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set properly.
- Leftover pie can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
