I feel like pumpkin, apple, and pear are The Big Three of the fall baking fruits (if you count pumpkin as a fruit). But I feel like pears don’t get as much limelight as apples and pumpkins. Which is such a shame: they’re one of my all-time favorite fruits!

I used my Sourdough Pie Crust for this recipe. You wouldn’t know it was made with a sourdough starter from the taste, but it makes the crust so delightfully flaky.

My biggest tip for success with lattice crusts is to freeze your strips of pie dough on a cookie sheet before attempting the weave. It makes it a lot easier to work with!

Serve with a (large) dollop of homemade whipped cream. This is the perfect end to a meal. Or you could eat if for breakfast: no judgement!

Jump straight to Sourdough Crust Recipe

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Step by Step Guide to Making Sourdough Pie Crust

1. Combining Dry Ingredients:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and sucanat (or sugar).
• Pulse a few times to mix these ingredients well.

2. Adding Butter:

• Add the cold butter pieces to the flour mixture in the food processor.
• Pulse the mixture until the butter is incorporated and the pieces are no larger than the size of peas.

3. Incorporating Sourdough Starter:

• Transfer the flour and butter mixture to a large bowl.
• Add 3/4 cup of the sourdough starter to the bowl.
• Using your hands, mix and gently knead the dough, incorporating the starter until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
• Add more starter as needed, but only enough to achieve the right consistency (the dough should not be too wet).

4. Fermentation Process:

• Cover the bowl with a plate and let the dough sit at room temperature for 7-12 hours. This fermentation period allows the sourdough starter to work its magic.

5. Preparing the Dough for Use:

• After the fermentation period, divide the dough in half.
• Shape each half into a flattened disc and wrap each disc in parchment paper.
• Refrigerate the wrapped dough discs until completely chilled, which takes about 1-2 hours.

6. Ready to Use:

• Once chilled, your sourdough pie crust is ready to be used in your pie recipe!

Recipe Notes:

• Unfed Sourdough Starter: Use a starter that was fed 8-12 hours previously and is capable of passing the float test. Ideally, feed your starter around noon, prepare your dough at night, and let it ferment overnight.
• Hydration Level: This recipe assumes a 100% hydration starter, which means you should feed your starter with equal weights of flour and water.

Step by Step Guide to Making Spiced Pear Pie with Sourdough Crust

1. Preparing for Baking:

• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Mixing Dry Ingredients:

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. This will be your spice mix.

3. Preparing the Pears:

• In a large bowl, toss the sliced pears with vanilla extract and the prepared spice mix until evenly coated.

4. Preparing the Pie Crust:

• Roll out half of the sourdough pie dough and line a pie dish with it.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over the bottom of the crust.

5. Assembling the Pie:

• Pour the spiced pear mixture into the crust-lined pie dish.
• Roll out the remaining half of the pie dough and place it over the pear filling. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges to seal the pie.

6. Baking Preparation:

• Brush the top crust with heavy cream. This helps to create a golden-brown finish.
• Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips during baking.

7. Baking the Pie:

• Bake in the preheated oven at 425°F for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, approximately 50-60 minutes.
• If the crust starts browning too quickly, tent the pie with foil or use a pie crust shield.

8. Cooling and Serving:

• Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This allows the filling to set.
• Serve with homemade whipped cream, if desired.