These jars are my autumn comfort in a pot — soft, warmly spiced pears simmered with fresh ginger, topped with a buttery oat-pecan crumble that gives every spoonful a satisfying crunch. I made a batch for a weekend brunch and ended up tucking a couple into the freezer for “emergency” breakfasts; they thaw quickly and taste like something you’d buy at a market. They’re fuss-free to make, brilliant for batch cooking or gifting, and the contrast between plush fruit and crisp topping is exactly why people keep coming back for more.
Why it’s so good and so easy
The pears cook down into a silky, lightly spiced compote that needs only a few pantry staples and a short simmer — no fancy techniques, no long infusions, and no complicated equipment. The crumble comes together in minutes with simple rubbing (or a quick pulse in a food processor) and can be baked on top for a show-stopping finish or sprinkled raw for a faster make-ahead option. Make a batch, jar half, and you’ve got a ready-made, crowd-pleasing dessert or breakfast that looks deliberately special without the fuss.
Ingredients
Fruit filling
- 4 medium pears, peeled, cored and diced (about 24 oz)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1-1/2 tbsp cold water (slurry)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Crumble topping
- 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- Pinch flaky sea salt
Method
- Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant; chop and set aside.
- In a medium sauté pan combine the diced pears, granulated sugar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, grated ginger, cinnamon and lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the pears begin to soften and release juices.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry again and stir into the hot pears; cook 1–2 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla if using. Taste and adjust lemon or sugar if needed.
- Make the crumble while the fruit cooks: rub the cold cubed butter into the oats, flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar with your fingertips (or pulse briefly in a food processor) until the mix resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in toasted pecans and a pinch of flaky salt.
- Spoon the hot pear mixture evenly into six 200 ml (≈7 fl oz) jars. Top each jar with 2–3 tbsp of the crumble, pressing lightly to adhere.
- Optional finish: if your jars are ovenproof, place them open on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 8–10 minutes until the crumble is golden and crisp. If not, bake the crumble separately and spoon it on just before serving.
- Cool 15–30 minutes, seal, and chill if serving cold. Serve warm or chilled.
Storage and make-ahead
- Refrigerate sealed jars up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooled jars (leave headspace) up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
- If you’ve baked the crumble on top, it will soften in the fridge — briefly re-crisp under the grill (broiler) before serving.
Estimated nutrition (per jar — approximate)
Assumptions: recipe divided into 6 jars; typical ingredient values used. These are estimates for guidance.
- Calories: 470 kcal
- Protein: 5.7 g
- Total fat: 20 g
- Saturated fat: 8.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 71 g
- Sugars: 41 g
- Fibre: 6.6 g
- Sodium: 6 mg
Tip: to reduce sugar and calories, cut the added sugars by 1–2 tbsp and/or reduce butter in the crumble (topping will be less rich but still tasty).
Deliciously Simple Pear & Ginger Jars — No Fuss Autumn Treat
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Ingredients
Method
- Toast the pecans in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant; chop and set aside.
- In a medium sauté pan combine the diced pears, granulated sugar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, grated ginger, cinnamon and lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the pears begin to soften and release juices.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry again and stir into the hot pears; cook 1–2 minutes until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla if using. Taste and adjust lemon or sugar if needed.
- Make the crumble while the fruit cooks: rub the cold cubed butter into the oats, flour and 1/2 cup brown sugar with your fingertips (or pulse briefly in a food processor) until the mix resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in toasted pecans and a pinch of flaky salt.
- Spoon the hot pear mixture evenly into six 200 ml (≈7 fl oz) jars. Top each jar with 2–3 tbsp of the crumble, pressing lightly to adhere.
- Optional finish: if your jars are ovenproof, place them open on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 8–10 minutes until the crumble is golden and crisp. If not, bake the crumble separately and spoon it on just before serving.
- Cool 15–30 minutes, seal, and chill if serving cold. Serve warm or chilled.
Nutrition
Notes
- Refrigerate sealed jars up to 5 days.
- Freeze cooled jars (leave headspace) up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
- If you’ve baked the crumble on top, it will soften in the fridge — briefly re-crisp under the grill (broiler) before serving.
