• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Untold Recipes By Nosheen
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Meet Nosheen
  • Cooking Classes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Meet Nosheen
  • Cooking Classes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Meet Nosheen
    • Cooking Classes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Desserts

    Pear Cranberry Gingersnap Crisp

    November 30, 2021 by untoldrecipesbynosheen Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    If you’re looking for an easy fall dessert then this Pear Cranberry Gingersnap Crisp is it! Sweet Bartlett pears are combined with tart Cranberries and seasoned with some fresh grated ginger and fall spices for the filling. The notes of ginger are continued in the crunchy topping through the addition of crushed gingersnaps. Finally, sweet, nutty and buttery pecans add the necessary mellow touch to balance the spicy notes and bring the dessert to a delicious finish!

    pear cranberry gingersnap crisp

    Is It a Crumble Or Is It a Crisp ?

    You've probably heard the terms Cobbler, Crumble and Crisp thrown around but what exactly is the difference between the three?

    All three are fruit based desserts with a flour or crumb based topping on top. Per the thekitchn.com the difference lies in the type of topping.

    A cobbler has a biscuit or cake style topping that's placed on top of the fruit in big dollops.

    The crumble has a streusel like topping but without the use of oats. The result is a slightly sandier texture than that of its counterpart.

    The crisp has a topping that contains oats and at times nuts. This makes it crispy, hence its name.

    The History Of The Crisp

    The records of the first ever Apple Crisp seem to date it to around 1924, both in Britain and in the United States. A recipe for the dessert appears in "Everybody's cookbook: A comprehensive manual of home cookery" and once again in an article in the Appleton Post Crescent in 12/9/24.

    Based on popular opinion, World War II further led to the popularity of this dessert. SInce ingredients for pies were hard to source, crumbles and crisps became the prefered dessert.

    From there on the dessert has evolved and become increasingly popular. It's a perfect way to showcase seasonal fruit and very easy to make, making it a popular choice both summer and winter!

    Cranberry Love

    I've always loved cranberries! So much so that I make a huge batch of my orange-pomegranate-cranberry-sauce every year and literally eat it with everything! This year I'm taking that love a little further and experimenting with a few other recipes!

    Cranberries have so many health benefits and are so low in calories, that even with sugar added, they're a great addition to desserts. The only negative to this delicious berry is that the season is very short lived!

    Well, I recently found out how to freeze fresh cranberries and plan on freezing a batch so I can bake away throughout the year!

    Freezing Cranberries

    • Buy fresh cranberries
    • Open the bag and wash them well
    • Lay them flat on paper towels for 10-15 minutes to dry them
    • Place them on a freezer safe tray with parchment paper and place in the freezer for 2-4 hours
    • Remove and place in a ziploc bag
    • Date the bag and use with 12 months of the date

    The Recipe

    ingredients for pear and cranberry crisp

    I am a big fan of fruit crisps! Lighter than a pie, and much easier to make, they are a perfect way to showcase seasonal fruit! Perfect for a large crowd, did you know that you can make the crisp topping a few weeks ahead of time and freeze it?

    This Pear Cranberry Gingerbread Crisp has all the feels of a Christmas Dessert! The red color, spicy smell, gingersnap cookies and pecans all work together to create the perfect taste. Take this to your next potluck and wow your guests!

    Fruit To Topping Ratio

    In a crisp the fruit is usually the star of the show. But for me I love my topping! I personally add a thick layer and this recipe is based on that ratio. If you prefer less, then make less or better still just freeze the extra to use later!

    Thickening Agent

    The fruit is marinated in sugar, lime juice and orange juice. Whereas this adds to the flavor and prevents the fruit from browning, it's important not to have too much liquid. To prevent the crispy topping from becoming soggy I add some flour to my fruit mixture.

    This thickens the juices and creates a rich and bubbly sauce. An alternate option is cornflour, in fact some people prefer corn flour as it creates a more clear and glossy sauce.

    Typically:

    • ½ teaspoon of cornstarch per cup of fruit
    • 1 ¾ teaspoon of flour per cup of fruit

    is the correct measure to thicken a recipe.

    However, this also depends on the type of fruit being used. For example, cranberries contain a fair amount of pectin and the liquid thickens quite well.

    On the other hand, if you were to work with a fruit like strawberries, you may need to adjust your ratios.

    The Butter

    Unlike in a pie, in a crisp it's better to melt the butter and add it to the flour. This hydrates the flour and as a result it gets crisper.

    The Lemon

    Not only does the lemon prevent the fruit from browning, it also helps to balance the sugar in the dessert.

    Cooking Temperature and Time

    For a Crisp it's best to cook at a slightly lower temperature, 350 degrees, for a longer time. This allows the fruit to cook properly and the topping to crisp up evenly and not burn.

    Before I {finally} get to the recipe let me suggest the best way to store and reheat your crisp if you have any leftovers!

    Storage and Reheating Instructions

    • Fridge - Cool the crisp completely. Place a paper towel over the top to absorb any moisture. Wrap the crisp in plastic wrap and store in fridge for up to 5 days.
    • Freezer - Cover with plastic and foil and freeze for up to 3 months
    • Reheating - Have the crisp thawed and heat, uncovered, in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

    There you have it! All the instructions to make the best ever crisp! Don't forget to tag, rate and comment!

    pear cranberry gingersnap crisp

    Pear Cranberry Gingersnap Crisp

    Nosheen Babar
    Juicy seasonal fruit is layered with a crispy topping in This Pear Cranberry Gingersnap Crisp that is a delightful medley of fall flavors.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe
    Print Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 50 mins
    pre bake filling 15 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 35 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 6 people
    Calories 466 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Fruit Filling

    • 1 lb pears
    • 3 oz cranberries
    • ½ lime
    • 1 tbsp orange juice
    • ¼ tsp ginger root {freshly grated}
    • ⅛ tsp salt
    • ½ tsp cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp nutmeg
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • ⅛ cup flour (SEE NOTES)

    Crisp Topping

    • ½ cup flour
    • ½ cup old fashioned oats
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¾ sticks butter {¾ cup}
    • ½ cup ginger snaps {crushed}
    • ½ cup pecans

    Spiced Whipped Topping {Optional}

    • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
    • 1 tbsps confectioners sugar
    • ½ tsp cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    Fruit Filling

    • Preheat the oven to 350°
    • Grease your baking dish
    • Peel and slice the pears
    • Mix in the washed cranberries and add the lime juice and orange juice
    • Grate the ginger and mix well, adding all the other spices as well
    • Stir in the sugar and flour to coat
    • Bake for 15 minutes to slightly soften the fruit

    Crisp Topping

    • While the fruit is baking, prepare your crisp topping
    • Mix the flour, sugar, oats and salt in a bowl
    • Melt the butter and pour over this mixture. Blend together to create a crumb like mixture
    • Place the gingersnaps in a ziploc bag and gently crush, using a rolling pin
    • Add the gingersnaps and the pecans to the crumb topping, evenly mixing in
    • Place the topping on top of the par baked fruit and bake at 350° for 50 minutes

    Spiced Whipped Topping

    • Whip the chilled heavy whipping cream with the confectioners sugar and cinnamon till peaks form and refrigerate to use later.

    Notes

    Flour - If you'd like to substitute cornstarch instead of flour, for this quantity of fruit, use ½ tablespoon.
    Calories - If you'd like to reduce the calories, halve the crisp topping and omit the whipped topping.
    Whipped Topping - A great substitute for the whipped topping is a plain old scoop of vanilla ice cream! If you're pushed for time just omit this part of the recipe!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 304mgPotassium: 253mgFiber: 5gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 540IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword cranberry dessert, crumble, fruit crisp, holiday desserts, pear crisp
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Pakistani & South Asian Desserts

    • Pumpkin Halwa {Gluten Free Dessert}
    • Easy Milk Barfi {Burfi Recipe}
    • Carrot Halwa {Gajar Ka Halwa}
    • Gulab Jamun with Milk Powder

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Nosheen headshot

    Hi, I'm Nosheen! Welcome to my world of Authentic South Asian recipes and much
    more.

    I’ve loved to cook from a very early age and my cooking style incorporates authentic recipes that hail from my mother's and grandmother's kitchens as well as many that I’ve developed and created along the way. 

    More about me!

    Popular Recipes

    • Tandoori Shrimp
    • Beef Pasanday Recipe
    • Best Mutton Biryani Recipe
    • Tawa Fry Beef Keema

    Quick & Easy

    • (Pakistani Style) Spicy Cranberry Chutney
    • Aloo Palak (Pakistani Spinach & Potato Curry)
    • Easy Moong Masoor Dal {Lentil Curry}
    • Easy Plum Jam Recipe {Without pectin}

    Footer

    back to top

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • Pinterest

    Copyright © 2021 Untold Recipes by Nosheen

    Disclaimer & Privacy Policy