Aren’t you just as sweet as a peach! It’s peach season and I can’t seem to get enough of this sweet and delicious fruit. Peaches are popping up everywhere - in salads, salsas, sauces and especially desserts. So, for all the sweet tooths out there, I’ve got a peachy dessert for you - my Peach Crisp.
My Peach Crisp is the quintessential summer treat! Ripe peaches are tossed in sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon juice, which bring out their inherent sweetness. Wait, it gets better! The peaches are then coated with a spiced oatmeal and flour mixture to create the most glorious crisp.
Enjoy my Peach Crisp for breakfast, as a snack or for dessert - there’s no judgment here! Serve it on its own, with a dollop of yoghurt or indulge with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream. Grab a spoon and come and bake with me!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Serves: 8 - 12
Ingredients:
Peaches
3 lbs ripe peaches, pitted and cut in 1/3 inch slices (See Notes below)
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of coarse salt
1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
Oatmeal Crumble
1 1/2 cups quick or rolled oats (See Notes below)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour (See Notes below)
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp coarse salt
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9” x 13” baking dish with butter.
Preparing the Peaches: To a large bowl, add the sliced peaches, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt and mix until well incorporated. Pour the peach mixture into the baking dish and set aside.
Making the Oatmeal Crumble: To a medium bowl, add the oats, flour, brown and granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg and mix until combined. Then, add the butter and, using your hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Assembling the Peach Crisp: Scatter the oatmeal crumble over the peaches, ensuring an even distribution of crumble throughout.
Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until the peaches have softened and the oatmeal crisp is golden in colour. Remove the Peach Crisp from the oven and let it cool for at least 30 minutes.
Serve as is or top it with a dollop of yoghurt or a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes:
To Peel or Not to Peel, That is the Question: Anything goes! If you are pressed for time and don’t mind a little peach fuzz, toss the peaches in, skin and all. But, if you prefer a smoother consistency, peel the peaches and then slice them in accordance with the recipe.
Peeling Peaches: Using a pairing knife, simply score the bottom of the peach with a “X” and submerge them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Blanching the peaches will aid with loosening the skin, making peeling easier. Then, carefully, transfer the peaches to an ice bath to shock them and halt the cooking process. Once cooled, peel the peaches starting at the scored end and the skin should come right off.
Make It Gluten-Free: To make this dish gluten-free, simply substitute the all-purpose flour in this recipe with gluten-free flour on a 1:1 basis. I have made this recipe on plenty of occasions using gluten-free flour and it’s turned out beautifully.
Choosing your Oats: My recipe calls for quick or rolled oats and gives you the freedom for creative expression. I have made this Peach Crisp using quick oats, rolled oats or a combination therein and you really can’t go wrong with whatever avenue you choose.