Maple pear spelt breakfast cobbler is a warm baked dish of soft cinnamon pears topped with a spelt biscuit crumble, sweetened only with maple syrup. It bakes in about 35 minutes and works well as a make-ahead brunch you can reheat through the week.
Spelt flour gives the topping a nutty flavor and a slightly denser bite than white flour, but it still bakes up soft, not heavy. The pears soften underneath and release juice that thickens with a spoon of cornstarch, so the base stays saucy instead of watery.
Pick pears that give slightly at the stem end. Too firm and they stay crunchy after 35 minutes in the oven. Too soft and they turn to mush before the topping finishes browning.
This is a one-dish, one-bowl kind of breakfast. You mix the fruit right in the baking dish, scatter the batter over the top, and let the oven do the rest.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses one baking dish and one mixing bowl
- Sweetened only with maple syrup, no white sugar
- Spelt flour adds a nutty flavor to the topping
- Reheats well for breakfast through the week

Ingredient Notes
- Pears: Use ripe but firm pears like Bartlett or Anjou. If they give too easily under gentle pressure, they’ll turn mushy in the oven.
- Spelt flour: Light spelt flour works best here. Whole spelt flour makes a denser, slightly drier topping, so add an extra tablespoon of milk if using it.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup, for a cleaner flavor. Honey works as a substitute but tastes sweeter, so start with a little less.
- Rolled oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats give the topping some chew. Quick oats work too but make the crumb a bit softer.
- Butter: Keep the butter cold and cubed until you’re ready to use it. Cold butter is what keeps the topping from turning greasy or flat.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans add crunch against the soft pears. Walnuts work as a swap, or leave them out for a nut-free version.
- Egg: The egg binds the topping and helps it puff slightly as it bakes. For an egg-free version, use 3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce instead.

Maple Pear Spelt Breakfast Cobbler: Soft and Simple
Description
Sliced pears bake soft under a spelt biscuit topping studded with pecans, sweetened with maple syrup instead of white sugar.
Ingredients
Pear Filling
Spelt Biscuit Topping
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Butter a 23 cm / 9-inch baking dish.
- In the baking dish, toss the sliced pears with maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt until evenly coated. Spread the pears into an even layer.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until it looks like coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl, whisk the milk, egg, and maple syrup together. Pour into the flour mixture and stir just until combined, the batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
- Drop spoonfuls of the batter over the pear layer, leaving small gaps so the fruit can bubble through. Scatter the chopped pecans over the top.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit bubbles at the edges. A toothpick inserted into the topping should come out clean.
- Cool for 5 minutes, then spoon into bowls. Serve warm with yogurt or extra maple syrup.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 286kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 14g22%
- Saturated Fat 6g30%
- Cholesterol 45mg15%
- Sodium 220mg10%
- Potassium 230mg7%
- Total Carbohydrate 57g19%
- Dietary Fiber 6g24%
- Sugars 20g
- Protein 7g15%
- Vitamin A 250 IU
- Vitamin C 4 mg
- Calcium 90 mg
- Iron 1.2 mg
- Vitamin D 10 IU
- Vitamin E 1 mg
- Vitamin K 3 mcg
- Thiamin 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin 0.15 mg
- Niacin 1.5 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
- Folate 20 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.2 mcg
- Phosphorus 140 mg
- Magnesium 35 mg
- Zinc 0.8 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Use pears that give slightly at the stem, not fully soft.
- Keep butter cold until mixed into the flour for a light topping.
- Leave gaps between spoonfuls of batter so fruit can bubble through.
- Check doneness with a toothpick in the topping, not the fruit.
