Winter Pear Streusel Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce

I am about to reveal something that I rarely talk about. I am not a dessert person. I know, I know. When I tell people, they act like I’m crazy… I didn’t grow up eating many sweets and pretty much cut them out entirely as an adult. I could live without cake. Ice cream? Meh. Cookies, okay, sometimes I like cookies. But PIE? I ALWAYS love pie. I feel like it’s fruit so it’s healthy, right? I think it’s because fruit pies are subtly sweet, which is definitely my thing. And when you add a salted caramel drizzle to my pie, I’m yours. Salty and sweet.

This winter pear pie is basically a dutch apple pie but with pears, so they have a bit of a different texture. Also pears aren’t so tart, so the flavors are more subtle and spiced. I had people over for dinner this week, and it was definitely a show stopping pie. Especially when you serve the caramel sauce on the side. And if there is leftover caramel, just stick it in the fridge and put it in your coffee in the morning. You’ll thank me later.

This pie may look like a long list of things to do, but it’s so so simple. Fruit pies are. But it always seems like you took forever. Bring it to Christmas! Bring it to a party! Or just make one and eat it all by your lonesome. I won’t tell.

Let’s get started on this pie! You’ll need a big bowl and some store bought pie crust, but not the shell that’s pre-baked. You want the rolled out dough from the store.

Press your pie crust into a 9 inch pie pan. Press the edges with a fork or your fingers. Slice the pears to about an eighth of an inch thin and mix them up with the lemon juice and cornstarch. Then stir in the brown sugar. Pour it all into your pie crust.

Joy the Baker seriously made my life easier when she showed that she grates the butter with a cheese grater instead of breaking into cubes. It’s genius! I did it and it saved me a lot of gooey hands trying to break up the butter. Why has no one ever told me you can do this?!

Mix the butter, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon for the streusel topping. It’s extra floury, which I like because it absorbs some of that lovely pear juice. Now sprinkle it all over your pear mixture.

Then a final little dusting of sugar on top of it all.

I like to use a little egg wash brushed on the edges to help things brown in the oven. Then you’re ready to bake! About 50 minutes or so.

I used Ree Drummond’s caramel sauce but added some things like sea salt! Super easy, and really quick to throw together and give your pie that extra something.  Get the full pie recipe below!

I’m totally a pie person. What’s your dessert of choice?

Winter Pear Streusel Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce

 

Save Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

 

the perfect winter pie! Recipe for caramel sauce adapted from Pioneer Woman

Author: Tastemaker Blog

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 1 nine inch pie

Ingredients

for the filling:

• 1 disc store bought pie dough, rolled out
• about 7 pears, peeled and cored
• the juice of 1 lemon
• 1 heaped tbsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp cloves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup brown sugar

for the streusel topping:

• 1 cup flour
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup butter, cold
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 egg, whisked

for the salted caramel:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ stick salted butter
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. For the filling:
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Once your pears are peeled and cored, slice the pears thinly and place into a large mixing bowl. In a small cup, mix together the lemon juice and cornstarch with a fork until no lumps remain. Pour over the sliced pears and stir together until pears are coated. Add the brown sugar and stir to coat. Press the pie crust gently into a nine inch pie pan. Pinch the crust together with your fingers at the edges or use a fork to press the crust into the edge of the pie dish. Pour the pear mixture into the pie pan. It will be taller in the center than the sides like a little hill!
4. For the streusel topping:
5. Cut the butter into small pieces. Add the flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon to a medium sized bowl and press together with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Sprinkle the mixture over the pears. Sprinkle the tbsp sugar over the top. Add a tbsp cold water to the mixed egg. Brush the egg mixture over just the edges of the pie crust.
6. Bake the pie for 50 minutes or so, until the top is browned and crisp. Remove from oven.
7. For the caramel sauce:
8. In a sauce pan over medium low heat, add the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and salt. Stir together. Heat, stirring continuously, for about five minutes or until the mixture is slightly thickened. Let it cool slightly. Drizzle over the fully baked pie.

3.5.3229