Gluten Free Pear Crumble- Is it Breakfast or Dessert? How about both!

I don’t know about you, but nothing speaks wintertime and the holidays like the flavor of warm, spiced pears baking in the oven. After purchasing a large bag of mixed pears at my local Trader Joe’s this week, I decided to create a treat for my family by tweaking a few recipes I found online. I had enjoyed berry, peach or apple crumbles in the past, but never thought about using just pears! The end result is one of the most delightful treats I’ve experienced in a long time and one that is sure to become a favorite in your home too! I have kept this recipe gluten free by using almond flour, however, you may feel free to substitute regular flour as well if you choose to. Enjoy!

Filling ingredients:

2 lb. ripe but firm pears, any variety with skins intact (I used about 6 small pears to fill my casserole dish)

1/4 c coconut sugar

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 T pure vanilla extract

Crumble topping ingredients:

1 c almond flour or other flour of choice

1/4 c gluten free raw oats

1/2 to 3/4 c coconut sugar (use less if planning to serve with ice cream)

1 c walnuts, or pecans or combination, chopped

1/2 t ground cardamom

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry pears and chop into bite size pieces, removing the core and stem as you chop. Place in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice, vanilla and sugar. Meanwhile, add all dry crumble topping ingredients to a medium sized bowl and stir to combine. Add melted butter and mix well, using hands to incorporate fully.

Spoon fruit mixture in the bottom of an oval 8x10 baking dish and spread out evenly. Spoon crumble mixture on top of fruit evenly to cover. Bake in over approximately 40 minutes. If crumble browns too fast, cover with foil halfway through baking time. Serve warm in bowls topped with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.