Fluffy pancakes with a sweet cinnamon-spiced pear topping and a generous dose of crisp oat streusel!
There are two kinds of people in this world…morning birds and night owls. I, myself, have always identified as a night owl. I much prefer sunsets over sunrises, and I feel like I naturally come alive and have a clearer mind in the evening hours of the day. Morever, I’ve never been one to wake up at 5 or 6am all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. (Who actually is though??)
Thankfully, you don’t necessarily have to be a morning person to enjoy one of my favorite pastimes…breakfast! Just because I happen to roll out of bed around 11am doesn’t mean I can’t revel in some of the best dishes this mealtime has to offer. As a matter of fact, breakfast tastes even better in the evening in my opinion. And unlike my fellow so-called “entitled” Millennials, I’m not much of a brunch person either. I prefer brinner or bressert! Which brings me to this week’s delectably exquisite recipe…
How would you like to wake up to THIS!!
Going through my breakfast recipes, I’ve noticed a consistent theme occurring…I really have an obsession with turning breakfast dishes into desserts. After all, I’ve made Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes, Sweet Potato Pie Pancakes, Almond Joy French Toast, Churro Waffles, S’mores French Toast, and the list keeps going.
So I guess these Pear Crisp Pancakes are just another bressert dish to add to the recipe book. With a topping of tender pears caramelized to perfection in brown sugar and warm fall spices along with a rich and buttery oat streusel, these pancakes allow you to enjoy breakfast AND dessert all at once!
And with fall just around the corner, I can’t think of a more comforting way to enjoy the season than with these pancakes. It’s basically pear crisp on top of a fluffy stack of pancakes…how could you go wrong, people??
Speaking of fluffy, here’s a simple tip on achieving those thick pancakes we all yearn for. Aside from not over-mixing the batter, let it to rest for at least 5 minutes before cooking. Not only will this allow the gluten to relax, but the big lumps–which often tempt you to over-mix–will smooth out a little.
I can’t even decide on what I love most about these pancakes because the combination of flavors and textures is so perfectly balanced. You’ve got the soft and delightfully fluffy pancakes, the warm cinnamon-spiced pear topping, and finally, the crisp oat streusel to round it all out.
Of course, a pear crisp is rather naked without its all-important scoop of vanilla ice cream. There’s truly nothing more seductive than a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream melting into the crevices of a warm, freshly-baked dessert. Honestly, it’s a MUST.
Correction. It’s MANDATORY.
Pear Crisp Pancakes
Ingredients
Streusel:
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup quick-cook oats
- ¼ cup pecans chopped
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter melted
Pear Topping:
- 22 ounces peeled, cored, and sliced (1/4" thick) pears*
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Pancakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- Vegetable oil for cooking
Instructions
Make the Streusel:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the butter and stir until a moist crumb forms. Spread streusel evenly onto the lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely.
Make the Pear Topping:
- In a medium saucepan, heat the pears, water, and lemon juice over medium-high heat until they soften and become translucent, about 8-10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine both sugars, cornstarch, and spices. Add mixture to the pears and continue cooking until it begins to thicken, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla; set aside.
Make the Pancakes:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg, then mix in the milk, yogurt/sour cream, and vanilla. Stir in the melted butter. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined, avoiding over-mixing. Allow batter to sit for at least 5 minutes.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat with some vegetable oil. Once hot, pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet. Cook pancake until little bubbles begin to form on the surface. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Serve pancakes warm with pear topping and streusel. Add a scoop of ice cream, if desired.