Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Crust: 1 bottom crust for a 10×15 in pan (homemade: 3 cups flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1¼ tsp salt, 1¼ cups cold butter, ~¾ cup ice water) or 2 store-bought rolled crusts; 1 egg white (optional)
- Salted Caramel: 1 cup sugar, 6 tbsp butter, ½ cup heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla, ¾–1 tsp flaky salt
- Pear Filling: 3 lb firm pears (8 medium), ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, ¼ cup cornstarch, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla, ¼ tsp fine salt
- Oat Streusel: 1½ cups old-fashioned oats, 1 cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp salt, 12 tbsp cold butter; ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
- Vanilla Glaze: 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2–3 tbsp milk, pinch salt
- Finish: Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Do This
- 1) Heat oven to 400°F. Line a 10×15 in rimmed pan with parchment (overhang). Roll crust to 12×17 in, fit pan, chill 20 minutes.
- 2) Par-bake: Dock, line with parchment and weights; bake 12 minutes. Remove weights; bake 5 more minutes. Brush with beaten egg white (optional) to seal.
- 3) Streusel: Mix oats, flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt. Cut in butter to clumpy crumbs; chill.
- 4) Caramel: Dry-melt sugar to amber; whisk in butter, then cream. Off heat add vanilla and flaky salt. Keep warm.
- 5) Pears: Toss pears with sugars, cinnamon, cornstarch, lemon, vanilla, salt.
- 6) Assemble: Spread pears in crust, drizzle ½ cup warm caramel, top with streusel. Bake 15 min at 400°F, then 30–35 min at 350°F. Drizzle vanilla glaze while warm; finish with flaky salt.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All the cozy flavors: cinnamon-kissed pears, buttery crust, and a golden oat-streusel lid.
- Slab pie format makes easy squares for parties, potlucks, and holidays.
- Salted caramel weaves through the fruit for a not-too-sweet, perfectly glossy finish.
- Vanilla glaze goes on while warm, creating a gorgeous bakery-style drizzle.
Grocery List
- Produce: 3 lb pears (Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc), 1 lemon
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, heavy cream, milk (or cream), 1 egg
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, confectioners’ sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, cornstarch, kosher/fine salt, flaky sea salt
Full Ingredients
Bottom Crust (10×15 inch rimmed jelly-roll pan)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1¼ cups (2½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¾ cup ice water (plus 1–2 tbsp more as needed)
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten (optional, for sealing par-baked crust)
- Alternatively: 2 refrigerated pie crusts, overlapped and rolled together to a 12×17 inch rectangle
Salted Caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream, warmed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾–1 tsp flaky sea salt (adjust to taste)
Cinnamon Pear Filling
- 3 lb ripe-but-firm pears (about 8 medium), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Oat Streusel Topping
- 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 12 tbsp (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans
Warm Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2–3 tbsp milk or heavy cream (as needed for drizzle)
- Pinch of fine sea salt
For Finishing
- Flaky sea salt, to sprinkle over warm glaze
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the crust (or prep store‑bought)
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until pea-sized bits remain. Drizzle in ¾ cup ice water, tossing with a fork just until the dough holds together when squeezed. Add up to 2 tbsp more water only if needed. Press into a rectangle, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
Shortcut: Overlap two store-bought crusts by 2 inches and roll into a 12×17 inch rectangle.
Step 2: Fit and par‑bake the crust
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 10×15 inch rimmed jelly-roll pan with parchment, leaving 1–2 inches overhang on the long sides as a sling. Roll the dough to a 12×17 inch rectangle. Ease into the pan, pressing into corners. Trim excess to a 1-inch overhang and fold to form a tidy rim. Chill 20 minutes.
Dock the crust with a fork. Line with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake 12 minutes. Remove weights and parchment; bake 5 more minutes until the surface looks matte. Optional: Brush lightly with beaten egg white to seal; set aside.
Step 3: Mix the oat streusel
In a bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until clumpy, sandy clusters form that hold when squeezed. Stir in pecans if using. Refrigerate while you make the caramel and filling.
Step 4: Cook the salted caramel
In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, sprinkle the sugar in an even layer. Let it melt undisturbed, nudging gently as dry spots remain, until fully liquid and deep amber, 6–8 minutes. Whisk in the butter (it will bubble). Slowly whisk in the warm cream until smooth. Off heat, stir in vanilla and flaky sea salt. Keep warm on the lowest heat or rewarm briefly before using. Reserve about ½ cup for the pie and the rest for serving.
Step 5: Toss the cinnamon pears
In a large bowl, combine sliced pears with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and fine salt. Toss until no dry pockets remain and every slice is coated. If your pears are extremely juicy, add 1 extra tablespoon cornstarch.
Step 6: Assemble and bake
Spread the pear mixture evenly into the par-baked crust. Drizzle ½ cup warm salted caramel evenly over the pears. Sprinkle the chilled streusel in an even layer, squeezing some into larger clumps for texture.
Bake 15 minutes at 400°F. Reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking 30–35 minutes, until the juices are bubbling thickly at the edges and the streusel is deep golden. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack.
Step 7: Glaze, finish, cool, and slice
Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, pinch of salt, and 2–3 tbsp milk to a smooth, pourable glaze. While the pie is warm (but not piping hot), drizzle in zigzags over the streusel. Finish with a small pinch of flaky sea salt. Cool at least 60 minutes so the caramel and juices set. Lift out using the parchment sling and cut into 15 squares.
Pro Tips
- Use firm, slightly underripe pears for clean slices that don’t collapse; Bartlett, Bosc, or Anjou work well.
- Chill everything: cold crust and chilled streusel bake up extra flaky and craggy.
- Seal the crust with egg white after par-bake to guard against sogginess.
- Caramel caution: use a light-colored pot to monitor color; amber like honey equals perfect flavor.
- Let it set: a 60-minute rest prevents runny slices and rewards you with neat squares.
Variations
- Apple–Pear Blend: Swap 1–1½ lb pears for firm apples (Honeycrisp or Pink Lady) and keep the rest the same.
- Ginger Streusel: Add 1 tsp ground ginger to the streusel and 2 tbsp finely chopped candied ginger to the pears.
- Maple Twist: Replace ¼ cup of the granulated sugar in the caramel with ¼ cup maple syrup for a deeper, woodsy note.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours or refrigerate up to 3 days. Rewarm at 300°F for 10–15 minutes to refresh the crust. Freeze tightly wrapped squares for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and warm before serving. Make the crust dough up to 2 days ahead (refrigerated) or 1 month ahead (frozen). Salted caramel keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks; warm gently to loosen before using.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approx. 430 calories; 21 g fat (12 g saturated); 58 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; 31 g sugars; 4 g protein; 270 mg sodium.
