Peach Crisp

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This peach crisp with a generous oat-pecan streusel is summer comfort food defined.

Partially-served Peach Crisp in a baking dish.

With a generous and crunchy oat-pecan streusel and juicy peach filling, this peach crisp is the ultimate summer comfort food. Bonus: it’s quick and easy to make. The only time-consuming part of the recipe is peeling the peaches. Serve the crisp warm from the oven topped with vanilla ice cream. Leftovers are delicious with your morning coffee the next day, too. For seasonal variations, see my fall apple pecan crisp and spring strawberry rhubarb crisp.

“Fantastic recipe, it tastes like Summer!”

Mike Stamm

What You’ll Need To Make Peach Crisp

Crisp ingredients including oats, butter, and lemon.
  • Peaches: Provide the main flavor and juiciness, offering a sweet and slightly tart taste, perfect for the base of the crisp.
  • Lemon Juice: Adds brightness and acidity, helping to balance the sweetness and prevent the peaches from browning.
  • Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the peaches, enhancing their natural flavors and contributing to the caramelization during baking.
  • Cornstarch: Acts as a thickening agent, ensuring the filling has a perfect, syrupy consistency without being too runny.
  • Vanilla Extract: Adds a subtle, rich flavor that deepens the flavor profile of the peaches.
  • Dark Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a rich, caramel-like flavor, creating a deeply flavored, crisp topping. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the topping, providing structure and helping it to crisp up nicely in the oven. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
  • Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Add a chewy texture and a nutty flavor, contributing to the traditional crisp topping.
  • Pecans: Provide a crunchy texture and a rich, nutty flavor, enhancing the overall texture and taste of the topping.
  • Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg: Add warmth and spice, complementing the sweetness of the peaches and adding depth to the flavor profile.
  • Butter: Binds the topping ingredients together, creating a rich, crumbly texture that melts into the peaches as it bakes.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-By-Step Instructions

Begin by making the peach filling. In a large bowl, combine the peaches, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt.

Bowl of unmixed peach filling ingredients.

Mix well to coat the peaches evenly, then set aside.

Bowl of peaches mixed with a sugar mixture.

Make the topping by combining the brown sugar, flour, oats, nuts, and spices in a large bowl.

Bowl of unmixed dry ingredients and nuts.

Mix well, using your hands to rub out the lumps of brown sugar.

Bowl of nut mixture.

Add the soft butter.

Butter in a bowl with a nut and oat mixture.

Mix until the mixture is crumbly (go ahead and use your hands if it’s easier).

Bowl of crumbly nut and butter mixture.

Transfer the peaches to a buttered baking dish and press into an even layer.

Peaches in a buttered baking dish.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly over top.

Baking dish of peaches topped with a nut and oat mixture.

Bake the crisp for 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Remove from the oven, and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Peach Crisp in a baking dish.

Spoon the crisp into bowls and serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen peaches for peach crisp?

Sure! Whether you have sliced and frozen peaches from the previous summer, or are using some purchased from the freezer aisle at the supermarket, they’ll work nicely. Just thaw and drain them before incorporating into the recipe. 

Can I substitute another fruit for the peaches?

The answer is…it depends. When making desserts that contain fruit, you can’t automatically substitute one fruit for another because different fruits vary in juiciness and sweetness. These variables can impact the recipe’s texture and amount of sugar needed. If you have a question about substituting another fruit, I’m happy to weigh in! Just email me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com.

What is a substitute for the pecans in the peach crisp topping?

You can just omit the nuts; the streusel will still be delicious.

Partially-served Peach Crisp in a baking dish.

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Peach Crisp

This peach crisp with a generous oat-pecan streusel is summer comfort food defined.

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

For the Filling

  • 3 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

For the Topping

  • ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ⅔ cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened

For Serving

  • Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set a rack in the middle position. Butter a 2-qt baking dish.
  2. Make the peach filling: In a large bowl, combine the peaches, lemon juice, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Mix well to coat the peaches evenly.
  3. Make the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour, oats, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, using your fingers to rub out any lumps of brown sugar. Add the soft butter and mix with a spoon until the mixture is crumbly (go ahead and use your hands if it's easier).
  4. Transfer the peaches to the prepared baking dish and press into an even layer. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over top. Bake the crisp for 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Remove from the oven, and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Calories: 439
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated fat: 8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 69 g
  • Sugar: 51 g
  • Fiber: 4 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Sodium: 117 mg
  • Cholesterol: 31 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • Way too sweet, which is a shame, because overall the end result turned out well, but the sugar was just overbearing -tasted like I dumped preserves into this instead of fruit. Could probably halve or even just use a third of the sugar and then it would compliment the tartness of the fruit vs overpowering it.

    • — J Beeton on August 18, 2024
    • Reply
  • PERFECTION!!!!! My husband & I had to stop ourselves from eating the whole thing!!

    • — Wendy Gross on August 4, 2024
    • Reply
  • I just made this today using fresh peaches from my peach tree; it was absolutely delicious and I will definitely make it again. Thank you for a great recipe that my family loved!

    • — Mindy on June 9, 2024
    • Reply
  • can this be made a day ahead and baked the next day? or baked a day ahead with good results? thank you, Making for my grandson for Thanksgiving!

    • — Cheryl on November 18, 2023
    • Reply
  • Can I bake this a day ahead and it still taste amazing? or best to assemble a day ahead and bake the day of? thank you. I am making with our garden frozen peaches for Thanksgiving. A request from my grandson.

    • — Cheryl Johnson on November 18, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Cheryl, You really could go either way. If you bake it ahead, before serving it, I’d let it sit out on the counter to come to room temperature and then pop it in the oven for a few minutes to heat it through and crisp up the top. Assembling it ahead and baking it later in the day is also fine. Hope everyone enjoys!

      • — Jenn on November 20, 2023
      • Reply
  • Very nice recipe. The crisp topping is excellent – buttery and holds up against the soft, jammy peaches. It is quite sweet, so next time I think I’ll cut the sugar in the peaches. I added a dash of almond extract along with the vanilla, reduced the cornstarch to 1 tbsp, and zested the lemon into the filling and the topping. A great way to use up some of those mealy peaches you end up getting in a basket!

    • — madmadjudy on September 19, 2023
    • Reply
  • Unfortunately, my fresh peaches are mealy & dry. Can I still bake with them? Thank you

    • — Frannie in The True North on September 16, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Frannie, you can use them, but unfortunately the end result won’t be as good as if you were using softer, juicer peaches.

      • — Jenn on September 18, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn, I just made this and it’s fantastic!
    I’m not sure why some folks had issues other then I suspect they may have had quite ripe peaches?
    I used 6 large peaches that were still firm, and increased cornstarch to 3 tablespoons. I decreased sugar in filling to 2 tablespoons, but made the topping exactly as written. Best topping ever! I did as one person suggested and cooked half the time at 375 and then decreased to 350 for remainder. This is a phenomenal recipe! Thanks again Jenn!

    • — Sandy on September 10, 2023
    • Reply
  • Would adding blueberries to this be ok? If so how much would you suggest? So excited to make this!

    • — Colleen on September 8, 2023
    • Reply
    • Sure, Colleen. I’d go with about a cup.

      • — Jenn on September 10, 2023
      • Reply
  • Perfection. The only thing I did change (based on one other commenters statement) I increased the amount of cornstarch to 4 TBS. It was wonderful. Also keep in mind that your oven may not be the exact temp, so be sure to check your peaches to ensure that they’re completely done. Great recipe. Thank you

    • — DOrothy ortu on September 3, 2023
    • Reply

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