A Pear Brown Betty is similar to a crisp, layers of sliced pears are nestled between a sweet crust of sugar, butter, graham cracker crumbs and flour.
Disclosure: I received product from Nairn's and Taylor and Colledge as part of the #FallFlavors event. All opinions are my own.

Can you believe fall is almost here? I have no idea where the summer went but the weather has already started to turn cooler and my mindset needs to change from peaches and watermelon to pears and pumpkin.
This easy-to-make Pear Brown Betty recipe will definitely get you in the mood for fall! If you are a fan of desserts like crisps and cobblers, you'll love this recipe too. With only a few ingredients you have a delicious dessert perfect for all chilly fall day!
What is a Pear Brown Betty?
The origins of Brown Betty recipes date back to 1864 where the recipe started appearing in cookbooks. The crust of the recipe typically comes from using stale bread or breadcrumbs, but in this version I use a combination of graham cracker crumbs and flour.
Brown Betty is usually made with apples, but berries or pears are a great substitute. If you chose to use apples, versions like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith and Pink Lady are great choices. For berries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are popular choices.
Brown Betty vs Crisp vs Cobbler
All three desserts are similar in the sense that they are baked with fruit and a topping but that is where the similarities end. A Brown Betty has a top and bottom layer of crust, made with breadcrumbs or graham crackers.
A Crisp, however, is made with a crumb or streusel topping, usually containing oatmeal and is placed on top of the fruit before baking. And a Cobbler is more of a doughy batter, made with flour and sugar.
Ingredients for this recipe
- Fruit: pears
- Sugars: granulated and brown sugar
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt
- Wet Ingredients: unsalted butter and Taylor & Colledge Vanilla Bean Paste (or vanilla extract)
- Dry Ingredients: all purpose flour and Nairn's Oat & Stem Ginger Biscuit Breaks (graham crackers)
How to make a pear brown betty
- Cut up the fruit. Peel and thinly slice the pears, then toss them with the vanilla bean paste.
- Prepare the base and topping. Combine the sugars, spices, butter, flour and graham cracker crumbs until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Assemble the Brown Betty. Press half of the graham cracker mixture into a 8x8 baking sheet lined with parchment. Layer the pears on top, then press the remaining graham cracker mixture on top.
- Bake the Brown Betty for 45 minutes, covered with foil in a 350 degree oven. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes.
Ways to serve
A Brown Betty is best served after it's been slightly cooled. A big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream make the perfect toppings for this recipe. Or even a drizzle of caramel would be a great choice.
Huge thanks to Narin's and Taylor & Colledge for providing the graham crackers and vanilla bean paste used in this recipe! I'll be sharing delicious #FallFlavors recipes this week so make sure to check back to see what I've made!
What I love about this recipe
First, it's that pears are the star of the dish. I feel like pears are such an underutilized fruit, always getting passed over for apples in the fall. And why? Pears are just as delicious!
But also because of the ginger. Ginger is such a warm spice that it makes me think of fall. Combined with cinnamon and nutmeg, the smell and the flavor conjure up images of oversized sweaters, leggings and a warm fire.
So the combination of ground ginger, plus ginger graham crackers really packs in the ginger flavor without going overboard. Plus ginger and pears is a match made in heaven. (Think: apples and cinnamon)
If you can't find the biscuit breaks I used in this recipe, you can substitute in regular graham crackers. And if you aren't a fan of ginger, I understand. You can omit it from this recipe entirely and it will still be delicious.
Monday Fall Recipes
- Apple Butternut Squash Casserole by That Recipe
- Apple Pie Tacos Recipe by Blogghetti
- Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars by Lemon Blossoms
- Apple Tea-ramisu by Jolene's Recipe Journal
- Butternut Squash Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls by Sweet Beginnings
- Caramel Apple Crisp by Big Bears Wife
- Caramel Apple Empanadas by Take Two Tapas
- Caramel Apple Ice Cream Pie by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Caramel Apple Spice Cupcakes by Daily Dish Recipes
- Caramel Apple Tea Cake by An Affair from the Heart
- Caramel Swirl Pound Cake by Family Around the Table
- Creamy Sweet Potato and Sunchoke Soup by Eat Move Make
- Easy Sausage And Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner by Intelligent Domestications
- Fall Harvest Potato Beet Soup by Frugal & Fit
- Fall Punch Mocktail by Kate's Recipe Box
- Fall Vegetable Breakfast Hash by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
- Green Appletini Martini by Art of Natural Living
- Grilled Apple and Pear Salad with Maple Walnut Vinaigrette by Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Meyer Lemon Scones by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
- Pear Almond Crumble Pie by Savory Moments
- Pear Brown Betty by Cookaholic Wife
- Plum Kuchen by Palatable Pastime
- Scalloped Potatoes with Sweet Potatoes, Fennel, and Leeks by Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Smashed Roasted Rosemary & Garlic Potatoes by Simple and Savory
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Toasted Pecan Filling by Books n' Cooks
- Sunchoke Ricotta Gnocchi with Walnut Thyme Butter Sauce by The Spiffy Cookie
Giveaway!
The wonderful #FallFlavors sponsors have donated some awesome prizes for our readers to win. They, in conjunction with our participating bloggers and event hosts, Family Around the Table, A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures, and Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks invite you to enter the giveaway through the widget below. There are many opportunities to enter!
The Republic of Tea is giving away a gorgeous Red Dancing Leaves Teapot and a tin of their Hot Apple Cider Tea. Brew a pot and enjoy on a cool fall day.
Torani is giving away a bottle of their Green Apple Puremade Syrup and Caramel Puremade Sauce. These syrups are perfect for baking or making a variety of drinks.
Dixie Crystals Sugar wants your baking to be sweet. They are giving away a set of OXO Good Grips 3 piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls.
Taylor and Colledge is giving away a variety of their baking pastes. Your fall and holiday baked goods will wow your family and guests.
Take dinner to a whole new level with a variety box of fresh produce from Melissa’s. Here’s an opportunity to try some fruits and vegetables you may not otherwise have in your local market.
One lucky winner will receive a goodie box with a variety of Nairn’s gluten-free products.
Enjoy them for a snack or use them in creative ways for meals and desserts.
This giveaway will have multiple winners. Giveaway open to US residents only who are 18 years of age and older. Winners have 24 hours to respond to email notification. If they do not respond within that time they forfeit, and a new winner is chosen. Void where prohibited. Prize fulfillment handled by the sponsor. Neither hosts nor participant bloggers are responsible for prize fulfillment. No purchase necessary. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or any other social channel mentioned in the posts or entry.
Follow the Fall Flavors Pinterest board for more fall recipe inspiration!
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Recipe
Pear Brown Betty
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter cubed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 5 pears peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 dish with parchment paper.
- Toss sliced pears in a medium bowl with vanilla bean paste until combined.
- Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, all purpose flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt to a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add in cold cubes of butter and use a pastry cutter or two forks to mix in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand and there are no more lumps of butter.
- Press half of the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Layer the pear slices on top.
- Press the remaining mixture on top of the pears.
- Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. (The top of the brown betty will look wet, but should be set and not jiggly.)
- Remove from the oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Thank you #FallFlavors Week Sponsors: Melissa’s Produce, Dixie Crystals, Torani, Republic of Tea, Taylor & Colledge, and Nairn’s for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #FallFlavors Week recipes. All opinions are my own.
The #FallFlavors Week giveaway is open to residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six (6) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors.
The #FallFlavors Week Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #FallFlavors Week posts or entry.
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