Tasty Peach Crisp

Finding the perfect dessert that showcases summer’s best fruit without spending hours in the kitchen can feel impossible. After all, most fruit desserts require complicated techniques or fancy ingredients, and things get even trickier when you’re dealing with ripe peaches that need to be used quickly before they go bad.

Luckily, this peach crisp checks all the boxes: it’s simple enough for beginner bakers, makes your house smell amazing, and gives you that cozy, homemade dessert feeling without all the fuss of making pie crust from scratch.

What Kind of Peaches Should I Use?

Fresh peaches are definitely the way to go for this crisp, and you’ll want to choose ones that are ripe but still firm enough to hold their shape during baking. Look for peaches that give slightly when you press them gently, but aren’t so soft that they’re mushy. Yellow peaches tend to be sweeter and work great in desserts, while white peaches have a more floral flavor if you want something a bit different. If fresh peaches aren’t in season, you can use frozen peach slices – just thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid before using. Don’t forget to peel your peaches before slicing, as the skin can become tough and chewy once baked.

Options for Substitutions

This peach crisp is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Fresh peaches: You can use frozen peaches (thaw and drain first) or even canned peaches in juice (drain well). Other fruits like apples, pears, or berries work great too – just adjust the sugar based on how sweet your fruit is.
• Old-fashioned oats: Quick oats can work in a pinch, but your topping won’t be quite as chunky. Avoid instant oats as they’ll get mushy. You can also add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts for extra crunch.
• All-purpose flour: You can substitute with whole wheat flour or even almond flour, though almond flour will give you a nuttier flavor and slightly different texture.
• Salted butter: Unsalted butter works fine – just add a pinch more salt to the topping. You can also use coconut oil (solid, not melted) for a dairy-free version.
• Cornstarch: If you’re out of cornstarch, use an extra tablespoon of flour instead. It’ll thicken the fruit juices just as well.
• Brown sugar: White sugar mixed with a tablespoon of molasses works as a substitute, or you can use coconut sugar for a slightly different flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making peach crisp is using peaches that are either too firm or overly ripe – you want peaches that give slightly to pressure but aren’t mushy, as hard peaches won’t cook through properly while overripe ones will turn to mush.

Another common error is skipping the cornstarch or flour in the fruit mixture, which leads to a watery bottom instead of a nicely thickened filling, so make sure to toss those sliced peaches with the flour and cornstarch before adding them to your baking dish.

Don’t forget to cut your butter into small pieces and work it into the oat mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs – large chunks of butter will create uneven browning and some spots won’t get crispy.

Finally, resist the urge to overbake; your crisp is done when the topping is golden brown and the peach juices are bubbling around the edges, which usually takes about 35-40 minutes at 375°F.

What to Serve With Peach Crisp?

A warm scoop of vanilla ice cream is absolutely perfect with peach crisp – the cold, creamy texture pairs beautifully with the warm, cinnamon-spiced fruit and crunchy oat topping. You can also try it with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or even some Greek yogurt if you want something a bit lighter. For an extra special touch, drizzle a little caramel sauce over the top, or serve it alongside a cup of coffee or black tea. This dessert is also wonderful on its own, especially when it’s still slightly warm from the oven and all those peachy juices are bubbling.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Your peach crisp will stay delicious covered with foil or plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want to keep it longer, pop it in the fridge where it’ll be good for up to 5 days. I actually love eating leftover peach crisp cold straight from the fridge – it’s like a different dessert!

Freeze: You can freeze peach crisp for up to 3 months, either before or after baking. If freezing unbaked, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then bake straight from frozen (just add about 15 extra minutes). For baked crisp, let it cool completely first, then wrap well and freeze.

Warm Up: To bring back that fresh-from-the-oven taste, reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, or warm the whole dish in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes. The topping gets nice and crispy again, and the peaches become all bubbly and warm.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	20-25 minutes
Total Time	35-45 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3000-3200
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 120-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 480-500 g

Ingredients

For the fruit filling:

• 8 cups peeled, thinly sliced fresh peaches
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the crumb topping:

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Pan and Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Butter a 9×9 baking pan to prevent sticking, then set it aside for later.

Step 2: Make the Peach Filling

• 8 cups peeled, thinly sliced fresh peaches
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine the peeled, thinly sliced peaches, white sugar, 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and salt.

Mix thoroughly until the peaches are evenly coated and the mixture is well combined.

Pour the prepared peach mixture into the buttered pan and spread evenly.

Step 3: Prepare the Oat Crumble Topping

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup salted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

In the same large bowl, combine the packed light brown sugar, remaining 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, room-temperature salted butter, and the remaining 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Cream these together with a spoon or your hands until a wet, clumpy mixture forms.

Add the old-fashioned oats to the bowl and mix until a coarse, crumbly texture develops.

I find it easiest to mix this with my hands for even blending.

Step 4: Assemble and Bake the Peach Crisp

• peach mixture from Step 2
• oat crumble topping from Step 3

Evenly sprinkle the oat crumble topping from Step 3 over the peach filling in the baking pan.

Make sure to distribute the topping all the way to the edges for a uniform, golden crust.

Bake in the preheated 400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the oats start to turn a light golden color around the edges.

Step 5: Cool and Serve

Remove the baked peach crisp from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes so the filling can set.

Serve warm—if you want to make it even more delicious, I like to top mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.