This Perfect Peach Crisp is a quintessential summer dessert that highlights the natural sweetness of fresh fruit with a comforting, buttery topping. Juicy peaches bake down into a bubbly, jammy filling, nestled under a blanket of golden, cinnamon-spiced oatmeal crumble.
Easy to assemble and impossible to resist, this dessert captures the rustic charm of homemade baking in every spoonful.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: The bright, floral sweetness of ripe peaches pairs perfectly with the warm notes of cinnamon, brown sugar, and rich butter.
- Texture: Soft, tender fruit contrasts with a crisp, crumbly topping that has a satisfying chew from the rolled oats.
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 30 minutes bake time.
- Difficulty: Very Easy. It requires no mixer and very basic assembly skills.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need an 8×8-inch baking dish for the crisp. A pastry cutter is highly recommended for blending the cold butter into the dry ingredients to get that perfect crumb texture, though two forks work in a pinch. The ingredients are simple pantry staples like oats, flour, and brown sugar, letting the fresh peaches shine as the star.
Ingredient Notes
- Sliced Fresh Peaches – You need 4 cups, which is about 4-5 medium peaches. Fresh peaches are best for texture and flavor. There is no need to peel them unless you prefer to; the skins soften beautifully during baking.
- Rolled Oats – Old-fashioned rolled oats provide the best chewy texture for the topping. Avoid instant oats as they can become mushy.
- Cold Butter – Using cold butter is essential. As it melts in the oven, it creates pockets of steam and crispiness in the topping, rather than just melting into a greasy layer.
- Brown Sugar – This adds a deep molasses flavor that complements the peaches and helps the topping brown and crisp up.
- Cinnamon – A teaspoon of ground cinnamon adds warmth and that classic “baked fruit” aroma.
- Flour – All-purpose flour binds the butter and sugar together to create the crumble structure.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Fruit Variations – This basic crisp formula works wonderfully with apples, pears, or berries if peaches aren’t in season.
- Nuts – Chopped pecans or walnuts added to the topping mixture provide an extra crunch.
- Spice Boost – A pinch of nutmeg or ground ginger is a lovely addition to the cinnamon spice blend.
How to Make Perfect Peach Crisp
- Prep: Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Arrange Fruit: Arrange the 4 cups of sliced peaches evenly in an 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Cut Butter: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cold butter, cinnamon, and salt. Use a pastry cutter (or two knives) to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Add Oats: Fold the rolled oats into the flour and butter mixture until combined.
- Top: Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the peaches, pressing down lightly to pack it slightly.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the topping is crispy and golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Serve: Enjoy warm!
Pro Tip: Don’t slice your peaches too thin. Aim for about 1/2-inch thick slices. If they are too thin, they will disintegrate into mush during the 30-minute bake time. You want them to hold their shape slightly for a nice texture.
Recipe Tips
- Butter Temperature: Keep your butter in the fridge until the very last second. If it gets too warm while you are slicing peaches, put it back in the fridge.
- Pressing Down: Pressing the topping down lightly helps it hold together so you get nice big clusters of crisp, rather than loose oats scattered on top.
- Check the Bubbles: You know the crisp is done when the fruit filling is bubbling vigorously, not just at the edges but towards the center. This ensures the cornstarch (if any) or natural pectins have activated to thicken the juices.
FAQs
- Do I need to peel the peaches? No, the skin provides color, texture, and nutrients. It softens significantly during baking so you barely notice it.
- Can I use frozen peaches? Yes, thaw them slightly but not completely. You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time.
- Why is my topping soggy? This usually happens if the butter was too warm or if the fruit released too much liquid that soaked the oats. Serve immediately for the best crunch.
Serving Suggestions
- A la Mode: Serve warm with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The contrast of hot and cold is unbeatable.
- Whipped Cream: A dollop of freshly whipped cream adds a lighter creamy element.
- Caramel: A drizzle of salted caramel sauce takes this dessert over the top.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can mix the topping ingredients (flour, sugar, oats, spices) ahead of time and store them in a bag. When ready to bake, cut in the butter and top the fruit.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven to re-crisp the topping; the microwave will make it soft.
Perfect Peach Crisp
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Perfect Peach Crisp is a quintessential summer dessert that highlights the natural sweetness of fresh fruit with a comforting, buttery topping. Juicy peaches bake down into a bubbly, jammy filling, nestled under a blanket of golden, cinnamon-spiced oatmeal crumble. Easy to assemble and impossible to resist, this dessert captures the rustic charm of homemade baking in every spoonful.
Ingredients
The Fruit Base
- 4 cups sliced fresh peaches (approx. 4–5 medium peaches)
The Crisp Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
- 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Arrange Fruit
Slice the peaches into roughly 1/2-inch thick wedges. Arrange the 4 cups of sliced peaches evenly in an 8×8-inch baking dish. Note: There is no need to peel the peaches unless you prefer to; the skins soften beautifully during baking.
Cut Butter
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, cold butter cubes, cinnamon, and salt. Use a pastry cutter (or two knives) to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add Oats
Fold the rolled oats into the flour and butter mixture until combined.
Top
Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the peaches. Press down lightly to pack it slightly (this creates nice clusters).
Bake
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges.
Serve
Let cool slightly (the filling will be very hot) and serve warm.
Notes
Butter Temperature: Keep your butter in the fridge until the very last second. Cold butter is essential for creating a crisp, crumbly texture. If it melts before baking, the topping will be greasy.
Slice Thickness: Don’t slice your peaches too thin. Aim for about 1/2-inch thickness. If they are paper-thin, they will disintegrate into mush. You want them to hold their shape slightly.
Frozen Fruit: If fresh peaches aren’t available, you can use frozen peaches. Thaw them slightly (but not completely) before baking. You may need to add 5 minutes to the bake time.
Topping Tip: Pressing the topping down gently before baking helps it hold together so you get nice big clusters of crisp, rather than loose oats scattered on top.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving (approx. 1/6 of dish)
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: peach crisp recipe, easy summer desserts, fruit crumble, oatmeal topping, fresh peach recipes, rustic baking, baked fruit dessert
