Sweet summer peaches bake to juicy perfection in this classic peach crisp recipe. The oat-and-brown-sugar topping has an oatmeal-cookie-like texture. A how-to video is included.
Your Go-to Peach Crisp Recipe
Peach crisp is the ideal summer dessert—quick, simple, and irresistible served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The tender, juicy peaches pair perfectly with a crumbly topping flavored with brown sugar, cinnamon, and a hint of vanilla.
This recipe has been a favorite in our home for years. It’s easy to scale and works especially well with ripe, fresh peaches. If you grow your own peaches, this crisp is a lovely way to highlight their bright, summery flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- True peach flavor: a few simple enhancers—vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar—bring out the peaches without masking them.
- Crisp topping: this version is balanced so the topping stays crisp while the filling stays juicy and tender.
- Fast prep: the filling and topping come together in about 15 minutes before baking.
- Perfect for summer: an easy classic dessert to enjoy while peaches are at their best.
Ingredients
Here’s a quick look at the key ingredients and why they matter:
- Peaches: fresh, ripe peaches are best. Use freestone varieties for easier slicing. Thawed frozen peaches can work, but canned peaches are too soft for the best texture.
- Oats: old-fashioned rolled oats provide a sturdy, chewy topping. Instant oats make a finer, more crumbly topping and are a last-resort substitute.
- Cinnamon: warms and complements the peaches; feel free to add nutmeg or ginger if you like.
- Baking soda: a small amount helps the topping stay pleasantly crisp by creating tiny air pockets.
- Cold unsalted butter: cutting in cold butter creates clumps that bake into a crisp, crumbly topping—important when the fruit filling is juicy.
SAM’S TIP: If your peaches are very sweet, reduce the added sugar slightly, but keep at least 2 tablespoons for balance.
This overview explains the ingredient choices. The full recipe with quantities and instructions follows below.
How to Make Peach Crisp
- Slice the peaches into ¼–½-inch pieces. You can peel them if you prefer, but the skins are fine when left on.
- Toss the peaches with granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla until evenly coated. Let them sit while you prepare the topping; the fruit will release some juices.
- Make the topping by whisking together flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture forms coarse clumps.
- Assemble: stir the peach mixture again, pour it into a greased 8×8 baking dish, and scatter the oat topping evenly over the fruit.
- Bake: place the dish on the center rack and bake until the filling bubbles and the topping turns golden brown. Allow the crisp to rest 10–15 minutes after baking so the filling thickens for easier serving.
SAM’S TIP: Resist plunging a spoon in immediately—waiting just 10–15 minutes makes the filling spoonable rather than soupy, and it’s wonderful served with ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Peeling is optional. If you prefer peeled peaches, blanch them in boiling water for about a minute, then transfer to an ice bath; the skins will slip off easily. Leaving the skins on saves time and adds texture.
Peach cobbler has a soft, biscuit-like topping, while peach crisp features an oat-based, crumbly topping. Cobblers often bake longer because the topping is thicker; both are delicious variations on baked fruit desserts.
Leftovers can sit covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours, but refrigerate any longer. For best texture and flavor, enjoy within three days.
I have several other peach recipes and I’m adding more as our orchard yields fruit. Which peach recipes would you like to see next?
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of new recipes, and find recipe tutorials on YouTube. 💜
Peach Crisp Recipe
Recipe includes a how-to video.
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- 8×8 baking dish
- Pastry cutter
Ingredients
- 2 lbs peaches, cored and sliced to ¼–½” thick (about 5–6 cups)
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Topping
- ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (80 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 Tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into pieces
- Vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease an 8×8 glass or ceramic baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine peaches, granulated sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Toss until evenly coated.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Use a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter into the oat mixture until coarse clumps form.
- Stir the peach mixture again, pour into the prepared dish, and scatter the crumble topping evenly over the peaches.
- Bake on the center rack for 28–33 minutes, until the filling bubbles and the topping is golden. Peaches should be tender when pierced.
- Allow to cool 10–15 minutes before serving warm, ideally with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Peaches
Weigh peaches before slicing. Peeling is optional; some people prefer peeled fruit, but leaving the skins on saves time. If using frozen peaches, thaw fully and note the crisp may be juicier than when using fresh fruit.
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcal
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
More Peach Recipes
Peach Cake
Peach Cobbler
Frozen Peach Bellini
