Easy Apple Pear Crumble Pie

This apple pear crumble pie is designed to be as easy as it is delicious, with simple steps for both the fruit filling and the buttery crumble topping. There is no top crust to roll out, so you get a show stopping dessert without the usual pie stress.

Why You'll Love This Apple Pear Crumble Pie

• The Perfect Fall Combo. The tartness of Granny Smith apples pairs nicely with the floral sweetness of ripe pears.
• No Top Crust Stress. Forget rolling out a top crust, since the buttery crumble topping is easier to make and adds a great crunch.
• Not Too Sweet. I use just enough brown sugar to enhance the fruit without covering up the natural flavor.
• Make Ahead Friendly. You can assemble the pie unbaked up to a day in advance, so it is ready to go straight into the oven.
• Naturally Thickened Filling. Cornstarch keeps the fruit filling from turning watery, so every slice holds its shape.

Ingredients for the Best Apple Pear Pie

• Granny Smith apples bring the tart backbone of the filling and hold their shape well during baking.
• Ripe pears add a floral sweetness that balances the tartness of the apples.
• Cornstarch thickens the fruit filling as it bakes, so the pie holds together instead of turning watery.
• Brown sugar sweetens the filling and adds a light caramel note to both the fruit and the crumble topping.
• Cinnamon warms up both the filling and the crumble with classic fall spice.
• Butter, cut into small pieces, is worked into the crumble topping to create that sandy, crumbly texture, and a bit more is dotted over the filling for richness.
• Pie crust forms the base that holds the fruit and crumble, and a make ahead version keeps the process quick.
• All purpose flour gives the crumble topping its structure and helps it turn golden and crisp in the oven.

Preparing the Apple Pear Streusel Pie

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples and pears into quarter inch pieces.
2. In a large bowl, toss the apples and pears with the cornstarch, cinnamon, and brown sugar until well coated. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then leave behind any excess juice that collects in the bowl rather than adding it all to the crust, which helps prevent a soggy bottom.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the crumble topping. Work the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until a sandy, crumbly texture forms.
4. Place the pie crust in the pie tin and crimp the edges as you like.
5. Add the apple and pear filling to the crust and dot the top with the tablespoon of butter pieces.
6. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the filling.
7. Set the pie on a lined baking tray to catch any drips, then bake at 350 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes. Check the pie after 30 minutes, then every 5 minutes after that, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is visibly bubbling.
8. Let the pie cool for at least an hour before slicing, since the filling needs that time to set and will look runny if cut too soon.

Tips on Making the Apple Pear Crumble Pie

• Leave behind the extra juice that pools in the bowl after coating the fruit, since pouring all of it into the crust is one of the most common causes of a soggy bottom.
• Let the pie cool fully before slicing. Cutting in early gives you a loose, runny slice even when the pie itself is completely done.
• For a crumble topping that stays as crisp as possible, serve the pie the same day it is baked, since moisture from the filling gradually softens the topping the longer it sits.

Troubleshooting the Old Fashioned Pear and Apple Pie

• Bottom crust turned out soggy. This usually happens when too much of the juice released by the fruit ends up in the crust. Let the coated fruit sit for a few minutes and leave the excess liquid behind in the bowl before filling the crust.
• Filling looks watery when sliced. The pie likely needed more time to cool. Let it rest for a full hour, or longer, before cutting, since the cornstarch needs that time to fully set the filling.
• Crumble topping softened after a day. This is normal, since moisture from the fruit filling gradually transfers to the topping as the pie sits. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and expect the topping to be softer than it was fresh out of the oven.
• Crust or crumble browned too quickly. Loosely cover the pie with foil for the remaining bake time if the top is browning faster than the filling is bubbling.

The apple pear crumble pie would go great with some homemade vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of my salted caramel sauce!

If you love fruit crumbles, try my Peach and Strawberry Crumble for a summer version.

Looking for other apple desserts? Try my my Apple Cinnamon Muffins!

This would make an excellent ending to a City Chicken Dinner.

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Recipe

Easy Apple Pear Crumble Pie | Cleveland Cooking

Author: Dan Harper

851kcal

5 from 1 vote

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Prep 40 minutes mins

Cook 50 minutes mins

Total 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Want a delicious new pie recipe? Try our simple apple pear crumble pie, a family-tested dessert with a crunchy streusel topping that's a perfect addition to any meal or holiday.

Servings 12 servings

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

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Pie

• ▢ 3 granny smith apples or any other pie apple cored, peeled, and cut into ¼ inch slices
• ▢ 3 firm ripe pears cored, peeled, and cut into ¼ inch slices
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch
• ▢ ½ cup of packed brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ▢ 1 tablespoon of butter cut into ¼ inch pieces
• ▢ 9 inch pie crust

Topping

• ▢ ½ cup unbleached all purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon
• ▢ 4 tablespoons of butter cut into ¼ inch pieces

Method

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1. Combine topping ingredients in an appropriately sized bowl and pinch the ingredients by hand until a sandy mixture is achieved.
2. Combine apples, pears, cornstarch, cinnamon, and butter in an appropriately sized bowl.
3. Place pie crust in a pie tin. Crimp the edges if desired.
4. Place the apple mixture into the pie shell.
5. Place the apple mixture into the pie shell. Dot the top with the 1 tablespoon of butter pieces.
6. Sprinkle crumble topping on top of the apple mixture.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes. Check on pie after 30-35 minutes. Bake until crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling.

Nutrition

Serving12 servingsCalories851kcalCarbohydrates104gProtein10gFat44gSaturated Fat15gPolyunsaturated Fat5gMonounsaturated Fat20gTrans Fat0.2gCholesterol13mgSodium656mgPotassium271mgFiber6gSugar22gVitamin A183IUVitamin C4mgCalcium50mgIron4mg

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