I hope you enjoyed the pie-turned-bar recipes I shared with you a few weeks ago. The pecan pie bars were my favorite – who knows, maybe I’ll make them again for Christmas?

Anyway – I wanted you to know that I DID make a pie for Thanksgiving. And in case you aren’t too full of desserts, sugar or carbs – here’s just the recipe for you – perhaps for your next holiday get together!

Have you ever had REAL dulce de leche? I’m talking homemade super sweet and creamy dulce de leche. Oh my goodness. My mouth is watering just thinking about it – when I lived in Ecuador, the family I lived with used to make a jar of it nearly every week. I’d eat it with everything, but mostly on their amazing baked goods. Rolls with dulce de leche? Bagel and dulce de leche for a mid-morning snack? Don’t mind if I do!

How good does that look:

Anyway, I’m no longer in Ecuador, but was able to find a bottle of real dulce de leche (sorry, I didn’t make it myself) at a local grocery store in the Goya section – which was PERFECT because I have been dying to make this pie recipe from my favorite new cookbook, Recipe Girl’s book! If you aren’t reading Recipe Girl’s blog or getting her blog emailed to you daily (as I am), then I suggest you start right away.

Dulce De Leche Oatmeal Pear Pie (slightly modified from the Recipe Girl Cookbook)

Here’s what you need:

for the crust

• 3 1/3 cups oats
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, melted
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla

for the filling

• 6 cups peeled and sliced ripe green pears – we only needed about 5 large pears
• 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche

Here’s what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Prepare the crust: Mix together all crust ingredients – oats, melted butter, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Mix well until sticky and well combined. Reserve about a cup of the crust mixture and set aside. Take remaining mixture and spread crust into a 9 1/2 inch round pie dish. Pat down well with your hands so it’s stuck to the bottom of the pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. Make the filling: Combine peeled and sliced pears, lemon juice and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. When these dry ingredients are mixed well, add to pear mixture. Toss until pears are coated well. Add dulce de leche a little bit at a time and try not to drool because the pears covered in dulce de leche are just amazing. Add filling to the cooled crust. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup reserved crust mixture on top of pie.
4. Bake for 30 minutes and check halfway through – if top browns too soon, place some foil lightly on top of pie. After 30 minutes, check pie. Cook for 10-15 minutes more, or until pear is caramelized, bubbly and top is browned.
5. Enjoy!

You will LOVE this pie. I dare you NOT to. And can I share 2 more things that are pretty great?

1. I made a little extra filling and topping – and made mini pear oatmeal crumbles for a separate dessert!

2. B’s not a fan of pears. He won’t eat pears, doesn’t drink or eat pear flavored things, etc. BUT he loved this dessert anyway — woohoo! If you’re not a pear lover, I dare you to try this. Or at least sub apples for pears, because Recipe Girl says you can.