Oil-Free, Sugar-Free Pear Crisp
This vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free Pear Crisp is a naturally sweetened fruit crisp made without sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Plus, it contains no oil or butter.
Pear crisp – It sounds so healthy, so innocent. Fresh fruit. Whole-grain oats. And a boatload of sugar and butter. Uh hmmm …
In my quest to develop a delicious pear crisp recipe that was actually, truly good for you …. No, not just good-for-you because it has a few whole grains in it …. Not just good for you because it uses maple syrup instead of sugar …. But for real good-for-you. Like, really healthy. Anyway, as I was saying, in the quest to provide a delicious pear crisp recipe that was actually healthy, we made this crisp no less than 7 times. It was wonderfully delicious the first time. But I kept experimenting. And it got better with each attempt.
And the result?
An absolutely, fabulously scrumptious, sugar-free, oil-free pear crisp that actually tastes BETTER than the sugar-laden variety.
Healthy Fruit Crisp
An old classic gets a make-over! Not only is this new version of pear crisp healthier, it also is tastier and more flavorful! Sweet, fresh, juicy, warm pears combine with a satisfyingly crispy and chewy whole-grain topping for a delicious dish that is sure to please. (And, it tastes so luscious, no one will know that this pear crisp is sugar-free, oil-free, and made with wholesome ingredients!)
Instead of refined/processed sugar and oil, I used whole-food ingredients. Almond meal and coconut takes the place of oil. And naturally sweet, high-fiber dates take the place of sugar or other sweeteners.
This pear crisp is so good for you, you can eat it for breakfast.
Oats and Weight Loss
I use whole-grain oats in the topping for this pear crisp. Did you know that oats are one of the best foods for weight loss? Oats contain a special type of fiber that actually suppresses the appetite. So, when you eat oats, you stay fuller longer and you won’t be as hungry later.
Plus, this healthy grain improves insulin sensitivity, reduces cholesterol, and promotes gut health.
Tips for Making Pear Crisp
1. Be sure to use Bartlett pears in this crisp. I tested Bosc pears when making this crisp but the result was a crisp that was lacking flavor. I also tested D’anjou pears, but the D’anjous got too soft and mushy when baked.
2. No peeling needed! Pear crisp is easier to make than apple crisp because you don’t have to peel the pears.
3. Don’t cut the pears too small or they will become too mushy as they bake.
4. Regular rolled oats work best in this recipe, but quick-cooking oats will work fine too.
What to Serve with this Sugar-Free Pear Crisp
This crisp is so healthy, you can eat it for breakfast. You can serve it alongside some toast or Harvest Oatmeal or Wonderful Waffles or Pineapple Coconut Rice or Crockpot Oats or whatever sounds good to you.
Or, you could serve this pear crisp for a light evening meal or as a dessert with a scoop of this healthy, sugar-free, vegan ice cream on top.
How Much Does This Fruit Crisp Make?
This recipe makes a full 8-inch x 8-inch crisp – which yield approximately 5 to 6 cups of crisp.
How many servings are in an 8-inch x 8-inch crisp? Well, that depends on how hungry you are 😉 It may also depend on whether you are eating this fruit crisp for breakfast (in which case, I can easily polish off one-quarter of a pan) or if you are eating this crisp for dessert after a full meal (in which case it could provide 6 good-size servings or up to 10 small servings).
How to Store This Sugar-Free Fruit Crisp
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, in a covered container. Or, for longer storage, store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Pear crisp can be eaten cold, but if you prefer it warm, it can be easily reheated.
To reheat, place crisp in the oven at 250°F for about 10 minutes. (The length of time depends on how much crisp you are reheating.) If your crisp has been frozen, add an additional 5 to 8 minutes to reheating time.
Sugar-Free, Oil-Free Pear Crisp (Method #1)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pitted dates - (Deglet Noor dates work best, but Medjools can also be used)
- 1 cup almond flour - (Cold almond flour works best. See note #1.)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate - (found in the freezer section of grocery stores)
- 1 cup regular rolled oats - (See note #2.)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts - optional
- 1/2 cup date paste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder - optional (See note #3.)
- 6-7 medium Bartlett pears (about 6 to 7 cups of diced pears) - (See note #4.)
Instructions
- Place dates, almond flour, coconut, and salt in food processor. Process until dates are finely chopped, mixture is thoroughly combined, and resembles crumbly brown sugar. Do not overprocess or mixture will become too sticky.
- Add oats and orange juice concentrate, and process until date mixture and oats are very thoroughly combined. Add walnuts and pulse until mixed. Set aside.
- Place date paste in a large mixing bowl. Mix in 2 teaspoons starch or arrowroot.
- Wash and peel pears. Cut in half lengthwise and remove core. Dice into approximately 3/4-inch pieces and add to date paste mixture in mixing bowl. Cut pears quickly so pears don’t turn brown. Mix well. (I find that a fork works well to mix this.)
- Transfer pear mixture to an oiled 8-inch x 8-inch baking dish. Evenly distribute topping mixture over pears.
- Cover and bake on a lower rack (not the bottom rack) of the oven at 350°F for 18 minutes. Remove cover, reduce temperature to 325°F and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until topping in nicely browned. Watch closely so topping doesn’t burn. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
>> One quick request: if you like this recipe, please leave a rating and a comment. Ratings help more people find these healthy recipes!
Want More?
For more healthy and delicious recipes like this one that will simplify your journey to a healthier and thinner you, check out my
Sugar-Free, Oil-Free Pear Crisp (Method #2)
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted dates - (Deglet Noor dates work best, but Medjools can also be used)
- 1 cup almond flour - (Cold almond flour works best. See note #1.)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
- 1 cup regular rolled oats - (See note #2.)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts - optional
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder - optional (See note #3.)
- 6-7 medium Bartlett pears (about 6 to 7 cups of diced pears) - (See note #4.)
Instructions
- Place dates in food processor and process until mixture forms a thick paste. (This may take several minutes. Mixture may form a ball before it becomes a paste.)
- Remove 1/3 cup date paste and place in a large mixing bowl. Mix in 3 tablespoons water and 2 teaspoons starch or arrowroot. Set aside.
- Using a rubber spatula or spoon, pull/scrape remaining date paste off the sides and bottom of food processor bowl. (Leave the date paste in the food processor; you just don’t want it stuck on the bottom of the food processor bowl.)
- Add almond flour, coconut, and salt to remaining date paste in food processor. Process until somewhat mixed. Stop food processor and scrape any remaining date paste off the sides and bottom of food processor bowl. Continue processing until mixture is thoroughly combined and resembles crumbly brown sugar. Do not overprocess or mixture will become too sticky.
- Add oats and orange juice concentrate, and process until date mixture and oats are very thoroughly combined. Add walnuts and pulse until mixed. Set aside.
- Wash and peel pears. Cut in half lengthwise and remove core. Dice into approximately 3/4-inch pieces and add to date paste mixture in mixing bowl. Cut pears quickly so pears don’t turn brown. Mix well. (I find that a fork works well to mix this.)
- Transfer pear mixture to an oiled 8-inch x 8-inch baking dish. Evenly distribute topping mixture over pears.
- Cover and bake on a lower rack (not the bottom rack) of the oven at 350°F for 18 minutes. Remove cover, reduce temperature to 325°F and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until topping in nicely browned. Watch closely so topping doesn’t burn. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
>> One quick request: if you like this recipe, please leave a rating and a comment. Ratings help more people find these healthy recipes!
Want More?
For more healthy and delicious recipes like this one that will simplify your journey to a healthier and thinner you, check out my
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Hi Jennifer,
We can’t get orange juice concentrate here. What could we use instead please? Thank you.
Hi Janene,
The frozen orange juice concentrate adds a very nice flavor, but you could leave it out if you can’t find it.
Do you live near a Woolworths? I think I remember seeing juice concentrate in a Woolworths store when I was there. It wasn’t the frozen variety, but it was concentrate, so it would work.
Blessings,
Jennifer
Both recipes say to start baking at 350 and then reduce it to 350. Does it mean to start it at 375 and then reduce it?
Oops! Thank you for catching that, Rachel. It was a typo. You should start at 350 and then reduce to 325.
I’ve corrected it in the recipe.
Thank you!