Showcasing sweet and juicy peaches bubbling beneath a toasted pecan oat streusel, peach crisp takes less than half the time and effort required for traditional peach pie. Served warm with cold vanilla ice cream, summer dessert doesn’t get much better than this!
This peach crisp combines a mountain of jammy, juicy summer peaches under sweet and crumbly oat streusels. It also requires a mountain of willpower to not eat the entire pan. Trust me, I’ve made this at least 3x each summer since 2015 and there are never any leftovers. It’s the *best* peach dessert. (Sorry, peach pie.)
One reader, Tammy, commented: “This has to be the best peach crisp recipe I have ever made or had. We absolutely loved it. It was simple and I had all the ingredients on hand. Was a great way to use up the rest of our gorgeous, fresh Georgia peaches. This recipe is going in my personal cookbook to make again and again. ★★★★★“
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Peach Crisp
- Showcase Fresh Peaches: This is the perfect recipe for peaches to shine during peak season.
- Easier Than Pie: I absolutely adore peach pie, but there’s no doubt that homemade pie is a labor of love. Sometimes we need a crowd-pleasing dessert that’s easier, but just as seasonal and impressive. In this peach crisp, you’re swapping pie crust for an easy oat pecan streusel topping.
- Wonderful Mix of Textures: Thick, soft, juicy peach filling + crispy, nutty, toasted topping.
- Full of Flavor: While the peaches steal the spotlight, they’re enhanced by a supporting cast of brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, lemon, and vanilla—which work together to deliver a caramelized flavor you will love.
- No Eggs: Another egg-free baking recipe.
- No Waiting: You don’t have to wait for anything to come to room temperature, chill, or cool! This is a crowd-pleasing dessert you can prep, bake, and serve in about an hour.
Fruit crisps, such as this strawberry vanilla crisp and my apple crisp, are the indisputable dessert champions as they only require a baking dish, fruit, and streusel. And they have so much texture in each warm bite. No need to dirty your rolling pin!
Not a fan of an oat topping? You’ll love this fan-favorite peach cobbler instead.
Ingredients to Use & Why
- Fresh Peaches: You need about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of peaches, or about 6 medium-size peaches, cut into slices. Peeling them is optional. See below for information on the best peaches to use.
- Flour: All-purpose is best here. You’ll use flour in both the filling and the topping.
- Sugar: You need granulated sugar for the filling and brown sugar for the topping.
- Salt: For its flavor-enhancing superpowers.
- Lemon Juice: The filling tastes a little flat without it.
- Vanilla Extract: I love using vanilla in this strawberry vanilla crisp, and it’s great in this recipe too.
- Cinnamon: Warm cinnamon spice and peach desserts go hand-in-hand.
- Butter: To prevent it from melting too soon and losing texture, use very cold butter. This will give the topping that incredible crumbly texture, when the pieces of cold butter hit the hot oven and melt all over the peach crisp. I take the butter out of the refrigerator, cut it into cubes, and then place the cubed butter in the freezer for about 10–15 minutes before I need it.
- Oats: Whole rolled oats are best in this crisp topping, but quick oats work too.
- Pecans: Chop up some unsalted pecans for the topping. You can leave them out for a nut-free dessert.
- Vanilla Ice Cream (for Serving): Optional, but strongly encouraged! The way the ice cream starts melting when it hits that warm peach crisp is just about the most mouthwatering dessert experience I can think of!
Want to level up your peach crisp? Try my brown butter blueberry peach skillet crisp.
Making Peach Crisp Is as Easy as 1, 2, 3
- Combine filling ingredients, and spread in a lightly greased baking dish. You can use pretty much any 9-inch or 2- to 2.5-quart baking dish, such as a deep-dish 9-inch pie dish, 10-inch cast iron skillet, or a 9-inch square baking pan. This is a smaller size pan than the one needed for this apple crisp.
- Combine topping ingredients. Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, then use a pastry cutter or forks to work the cold cubed butter into the dry ingredients, breaking it down into pea-sized pieces. The mixture should be crumbly. Stir the oats and chopped pecans into the topping mixture *after* you cut in the butter. You don’t want them to break down too much. This is the same way we make the topping for bourbon cherry crisp. Sprinkle the topping all over the filling. And then…
- BAKE. That’s it! The peaches release their juices, the juices bubble up, the topping becomes crunchy and toasted. And you don’t even have to wait for it to cool down, because you can dig into this peach crisp while it’s warm. YUM!
All the tasty perks of a traditional peach pie in a fraction of the time.
It will seem like a lot of topping, but keep in mind that a lot of it seeps down into that juicy peach layer.
The best fresh peaches for peach crisp are the same I recommend for other peach recipes including fresh peach cake, and peach bread. You can use any variety of peaches, yellow or white, but you want slightly firm (not hard) peaches with no bruises or soft spots. Your best bet is to purchase or pick about 10 firm peaches (about 3 pounds), then let them sit in a paper bag for 1–2 days to ripen. Some may have soft spots after this time, so that is why I suggest buying a couple more than you actually need. Eat any overly soft peaches or use them in peach muffins.
This is a great question, and I definitely want to answer it for anyone wondering. Peach crisp and peach cobbler both showcase peaches, but they have different toppings. Peach crisp includes a buttery streusel-like oat crumb topping, while peach cobbler typically has a thicker, more substantial biscuit topping. Both are easier than pie!
Fresh peaches are best for peach crisp, but you can get away with unsweetened frozen peaches. If using frozen peaches, thaw, chop, and blot them dry before using. Canned peaches are not ideal because they’re already too soft and mushy.
You can make this peach crisp without oats using most of the same exact ingredients. Use the topping from apple crumble pie. Don’t over-mix—it will become a paste if you over-mix. Use the same oven temperature and bake time as below.
Favorite Peach Recipes
Perfect Peach Crisp
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 8-12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This buttery peach crisp combines sweet and juicy peaches with brown sugar cinnamon oat streusel. Toasty pecans add a little crunch while vanilla ice cream adds a lovely contrast to the warm peach filling.
Ingredients
Filling
- 5 cups (750–800g or 2–2.5 lbs.) sliced peaches (peeled or unpeeled)
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cup (84g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 2/3 cup (57g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats (or quick oats)
- optional: 2/3 cup (95g) chopped or halved unsalted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a deep-dish 9-inch pie dish, 9-inch square pan, 10-inch cast iron skillet, or any 2–2.5-quart baking dish. Set aside.
- Gently mix all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl, then spread into the baking dish.
- Make the topping: Whisk the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or forks until the mixture is crumbly. Fold in the oats and pecans. Sprinkle evenly over filling.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling around the edges. Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack, and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving warm. You can also serve room temperature or cold.
- Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: I do not recommend preparing and refrigerating the crisp, unbaked, because the filling will become extra juicy the longer it sits. You can, however, prepare the topping up to 2 days in advance and cover and refrigerate it until needed. Baked crisp freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Vegetable/Fruit Peeler | 9-inch Square Baking Dish, 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet (or similar size) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Pastry Cutter | Cooling Rack
- Update in 2023: After making this peach crisp so often, I made a few slight tweaks to the original 2015 recipe. I reduced the sugar in the filling from 2/3 cup to 1/2 cup because it was a little too sweet. I also added some lemon juice to brighten up the flavor.
- Baking Pan: Any baking pan that holds about 2–2.5 quarts is best. You could also divide the filling and oat topping up into individual oven-safe ramekins. Bake them on a baking sheet. The bake time and yield depends on their size, but bake until the topping is lightly browned and peach filling bubbles up around the sides.
- Gluten Free: For a gluten-free crisp, use my recipe for gluten-free apple crisp and replace sliced apples with sliced peaches.
- Can I Use Frozen or Canned Peaches? Fresh peaches are best for peach crisp, but you can get away with unsweetened frozen peaches. If using frozen peaches, thaw, chop, and blot them dry before using. Canned peaches are not ideal because they’re already too soft and mushy.
Keywords: peach crisp
I am not rating this yet. My “crisp” did not crisp. Remained soggy. I put it under the broiler which helped some but there’s still too much soggy crisp. Do you have any idea why? I am a good baker and rarely have any problems so I’m puzzled. If you have a thought please let me know. I enjoy and use your recipes frequently as I bake for older neighbors who no longer bake. It’s something I enjoy.
Hi Susan, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Was your butter in the crisp extra cold? Very cold butter helps to prevent the crisp mixture from melting too soon and losing texture. Overworking the crisp topping can also break it down and cause it to become a bit mushy/pasty. Thank you for giving this one a try, and we hope this is helpful for next time!
Too Sweet. So I must have had the pre 2023 version but reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup because 2/3 seemed too much with the peaches being so sweet already. But – it came out sickly sweet anyways. Loved the topping that was already sweet but we could hardly eat the filling. Also, since my peaches were so ripe I should have cut them larger as they got a bit mushy. I would be tempted to cut the sugar to just a couple of tablespoons and rely on the sweetness of the peaches and topping. I love all your recipes but this one just did not work for me – maybe my peaches were too sweet already.
Hi Phil! The best peaches to use for peach crisp are slightly firm with no soft spots (see FAQ section above the recipe). Using very ripe peaches will definitely impact the flavor and texture. Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
Could I make this with almond flour?
Thx
G
Hi G, that would require some testing. Let us know if you try anything!
I’ve made apple crisp with almond flour and it turned out really well and absolutely yummy! I think you could try to sub the normal flour for almond flour 1:1 and see how that goes!
Great recipe!
★★★★★
Used a can of peaches and can of peach pie filling because I didn’t have any others. It was great.
Delicious…but I would decrease the amount of sugar in the filling if the peaches are sweet!
★★★★★
Yes! I find 1/2 cup (100g) sugar is best. I updated the recipe to reflect that.
Through the years I’ve made many desserts with fresh Colorado Palisade Peaches but my husband thinks this one is the best. The topping even stays crunchy in the fridge, which is a first for us. If I were making this for myself I’d use less sugar as I find it much too sweet but my husband finds it perfect exactly as described by this recipe.
★★★★★
HI! I am excited to make this recipe, but wanted to ask about the firmness of the peaches prior to baking? Are they to be more firm or on the riper side? Thanks!
Hi Sheila, you want slightly firm (not hard) peaches with zero bruises or soft spots. The softer they are, the softer the fruit component will be. Hope you enjoy it!
This was SOOO good. I made it and served it warm with vanilla ice cream and I could have eaten the entire pan. This recipe is going in my “make again” file, lol.
★★★★★
Absolutely delicious recipe! Thanks, Sally. I did one thing different as far as technique. My peaches were very ripe and juicy and I was concerned they would cook to mush if I sliced them thinly. I used another peach pie technique of Sally’s and cut the peaches into cubes instead of slicing. Worked beautifully! My only other comment is, yes, this recipe comes together quickly, ONCE you have all your prep done. And if you have cling peaches, not freestones, add on extra time, too, to prep those 🙂
Just harvested the last of my peaches and decided to make this recipe. Turned out so delicious. My modifications were switching out the pecans, only because I had walnuts in my pantry and I knew it was my last round of peaches and they were sweet, so I was able to cut back on the sugar in the filling portion and it still came out perfect.
★★★★★
The BEST crisp I have ever had! My family lived it. The pecans ad just The right crunch.
★★★★★
sooooo Good. The vanilla and the pecans added extra flavor. As the receipt stated, peeling the peaches took the longest.
For me, I don’t need ice cream but for company maybe a bit of cream
I can’t wait to try this. I just picked up an order of 25lbs of peaches. They just need to ripen so I can use them.
This recipe was delicious! Will definitely make it again!! I ate mine with a spoonful of plain greek yogurt and loved the combination. Of course my kids ate theirs with vanilla ice cream and loved it.
Has anybody tried applesauce as a sweetener instead of sugar for the filling?
Curious to know if I can prepare the peaches, the topping separately earlier in the day and then combine together to bake?
Hi Rani, yes you can certainly prep both separately in advance.
I skimmed comments and hopefully didn’t miss this question — can I use canned peaches if drained? Thank you!
Hi Amy, we’ve had a few readers used canned with success, but we haven’t tried it.
What about using almonds & almond extract instead of pecans?
Hi Bebe, we can’t see why not — let us know how it turns out for you!
Can’t wait to make this! To make a 9×13 would I just make 1.5 recipe? Thanks!
Hi Alyssia, You can double the recipe for a 9×13 inch pan. The bake time will be a little longer, though we are unsure of that exact time.
Made this Peach Pecan Crisp today and it is the best!! Doubled the recipe as every recipe I’ve tried from Sally is wonderful! My husband and I absolutely love it. Highly recommend.
★★★★★
I was gifted some peaches from Georgia… I’ve only ever made peach cobbler. This recipe is AMAZING! I didn’t refrigerate mine though; hopefully it’s still good, what’s left of it anyway
★★★★★
Absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe so I ended up using about 12 medium sized peaches and it was the perfect amount for the casserole dish used. Because I love cinnamon, I added some to the peach mixture! One change I will definitely make next time (because there WILL be a next time) is to use less sugar in the filling. It was a little too sweet. Other than these minor tweaks (and serving with vanilla ice cream) it was an incredibly yummy crisp for a hot summer day!
★★★★★
With modifications, I have made this several times. It is quick and easy especially with ice cream as recommended. Made as published I find it more of a warm ice cream topping rather than a dessert with ice cream on top. There is too little fruit in relation to the topping. My changes, with apologies to Sally and team. Reduce the sugar by one third in the topping AND filling. For a dessert with ice cream on top, double the fruit and another half of the dry topping ingredients.
★★★★★
Made this last night and it was superb! Loved it warm with vanilla bean ice cream. I only did 1/2 cup of sugar with the peaches, I think next time I would do the full 3/4 cup!
We’re so happy you enjoyed this crisp recipe, Claudia!
Love this recipe. I make it and put in my freezer to give as a gift for special occasions, like for my grandson when my new very special great granddaughter was born.
★★★★★
So easy and so delicious! I didn’t even peel the peaches. I was short a peach, so I added a cup of blueberries. Mmmm. Just delicious.
★★★★★
I made this and decided to add more pecans because I love them. I ended up using 3/4 cup of butter for the topping to get the crumble right. It was absolutely delicious. A definite show stopper. I served it with my homemade vanilla ice cream (which I feel like I have perfected) and everything was amazing. Thanks for this awesome recipe!
★★★★★
Delicious I loved the crunchy topping with vanilla ice cream
★★★★★
Is there a substitute for the pecans as I’m allergic to nuts?
Hi Belinda, You can simply leave out the nuts with no other changes to the topping.