Effortless Slow Cooker Apple Cherry Pear Crisp: Perfectly Sweet & Fruity

This fruit crisp recipe uses a unique slow cooker technique to help you end up with a crisp crust. Be sure to watch it closely as it cooks in case you need to swap out the paper towels. This is what you'll need to make about 8 servings:

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Ingredients:

• 6 cups peeled, cored, and sliced Golden Delicious apples
• 6 cups peeled, cored, and sliced pears
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup uncooked oats, quick or regular
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup butter, softened

In a large bowl, combine the apples, pears, cherries, and orange peel. Add the sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, mixing thoroughly.

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, the remaining 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture becomes crumbly.

Lightly grease or spray the inside of your slow cooker, then add the fruit mixture. Top it with the flour-oat mixture and give the top a light spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Place a paper towel or kitchen towel over the top of the slow cooker, allowing it to hang over the sides to keep it in place when covered.* This will absorb excess moisture and help the top crisp up. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream, yogurt, or whipped cream as desired.

* Important Notes:

You can not leave this crock pot recipe alone. Due to the unique nature of each crock pot, and the method we are using to keep the top crisp, you do not want to risk it becoming a fire hazard. So, please stay close-by to keep an eye on it throughout the cooking process.

You are welcome to skip the paper towel/kitchen towl step and it will be fine to leave for several hours. However, your topping may not crisp up nicely. That's ok too. Just know it'll be softer.