Peach Crisp (Fresh or Frozen Peaches, Oat Topping)

What Makes This Recipe Work

Old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, and cold butter bake into a topping that stays crunchy at the edges and chewy where it meets the fruit, while the peaches cook down into a thick, cinnamon-scented layer. A measured thickener absorbs the extra juice peaches release so the crisp never turns soupy.

Ingredients for Peach Crisp (Fresh or Frozen Peaches, Oat Topping)

• 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) ripe peaches, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch (about 6 cups), or 2 lb (900 g) frozen sliced peaches
• 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch, or 2 tbsp if using frozen peaches
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 3/4 cup (75 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped pecans, optional

How to Make Peach Crisp (Fresh or Frozen Peaches, Oat Topping)

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9-inch square baking dish or a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
2. In a large bowl, toss the peach slices with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until coated, then spread them in the dish. If using frozen peaches, add them straight from the freezer and use the larger amount of cornstarch.
3. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon, then stir in the pecans if using.
4. Add the cold butter and work it in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture forms clumps ranging from pea size to walnut size, leaving some sandy bits.
5. Scatter the oat topping evenly over the peaches, pressing down very lightly so it settles in places but stays rough.
6. Set the dish on a rimmed sheet pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and the peach juices bubble thickly around the edges. For doneness, the fruit should be tender when you slide a knife into the center.
7. Cool the crisp 20 minutes so the juices thicken, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a pour of cold cream.

Tips for the Best Peach Crisp (Fresh or Frozen Peaches, Oat Topping)

• For a gluten-free peach crisp, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.
• Frozen peaches do not need thawing; just add the extra cornstarch and a few minutes of bake time.
• Stop mixing the topping as soon as the clumps form so it bakes up craggy rather than dense.

Variations and Substitutions

• Add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries to the peaches for a blueberry peach crisp.
• Swap the oats for an all-flour topping to make a peach crisp no oats or peach crumble version, or try the Apple Crisp Without Oats for the apple equivalent.
• For a double-crust dessert from the same fruit, make the Peach Pie recipe.
• Top stewed peaches with a biscuit lid in the Peach Cobbler recipe, or bake apples the same way with the Apple Crisp recipe.

How to Store and Reheat

• Cover and refrigerate leftover crisp up to 4 days. Re-warm in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes to bring back some crunch.
• Freeze the baked, cooled crisp up to 2 months, or freeze it unbaked before adding the topping and bake from frozen with 10 to 15 extra minutes.

Peach Crisp (Fresh or Frozen Peaches, Oat Topping) FAQ