Fall Fruit Pie with Oatmeal Crisp Topping
A cozy, seasonal dessert that combines juicy apples, pears, and blackberries into a "cooked" pie filling with a buttery pie crust. Topped with a buttery oatmeal crisp topping, this is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or any holiday gathering! This pie recipe delivers sweet and spiced flavors in every bite.
Servings: 10
Cost: $12
Equipment
- 1 standard 9 inch pie dish
- 1 single unbaked refrigerated pie shell or 1 single homemade pie dough https://straighttothehipsbaby.com/buttery-pie-dough/
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups peeled , thinly sliced apples (a mix of Granny Smith, Gala, and Honeycrisp works beautifully)
- 2 Bartlett pears , cored and thinly sliced
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , your preference
- Pinch of kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup blackberries
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 –3 tablespoons cold water
For the Oatmeal Crisp Topping
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup unsalted butter , cold and cubed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
To Make the Filling
- Wash, peel, and core the apples and pears. Slice thinly (about ⅛ inch thick) and add to a large mixing bowl.
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat until frothy. Add the sliced fruit.
- Stir in the sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
- Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit softens and releases its juices.
- Add the blackberries and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with cold water to form a slurry. Stir into the fruit mixture and cook for about 3 minutes, until thickened. If the filling still looks runny, add a bit more slurry and continue cooking.
- Remove from the heat and let the filling cool completely to room temperature before using.
To Make the Oatmeal Crisp Topping
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the cold, cubed butter to the bowl and use your hands to rub and press the butter into the dry ingredients, until a sandy crumbly texture forms.
To Assemble and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Reserve a 9-inch pie plate.
- Roll out the pie dough and fit it into the pie plate, leaving a slight overhang.
- Spoon the cooled fruit filling evenly into the crust.
- Trim the excess dough if needed, then tuck the edges under and crimp or press with a fork for a decorative edge.
- Sprinkle the oatmeal crisp topping evenly over the fruit filling.
- Bake on the center rack for 20 minutes at 400°F, uncovered.
- Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for another 20 minutes. Then loosely cover the top with foil to prevent over-browning, and bake an additional 15 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is slightly bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 3 hours before slicing and serving.
Notes
- This pie can be made and assembled ahead of time, then frozen UNBAKED until needed.
- The cooked pie filling can be made up to 3 days in advance, and stored in the refrigerator until use. Be sure to bring the cold filling to room temperature before adding to your pie shell.
- You can substitute red raspberries, fresh cranberries, or an equal amount of blueberries for the blackberries.