The Best Peach Crisp
This is THE best peach crisp you'll ever sink your teeth into! The step of pre-baking the topping really helps you achieve that sought-after crunchy texture.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 3 ½ lbs peaches, semi-firm, peeled and sliced into 3/4 inch wedges
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp table salt
For the Topping
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp table salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 TB salted butter, cut into 6 pieces, chilled
- ½ cup nuts, walnuts, pecans, or sliced almonds
Instructions
- Gently toss peaches and 1/3 cup sugar together in a large bowl. Let sit for about 45 minutes, gently stirring several times, to allow maceration.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, oats, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine. Drizzle vanilla over the top and stir to combine.
- Add cold butter pieces and use clean fingers to gently work it into a crumbly mixture, with small clumps throughout.
- Add nuts and gently stir just enough so the nuts stick to the mixture. Mixture should consist of 1/2 inch chunks throughout, with some small loose bits.
- Place one oven rack on lowest position and another oven rack on middle position. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scatter topping into a single layer on lined baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned and firm, 12-14 minutes, giving it a gentle toss halfway through baking. Let cool while you continue with recipe.
- Thoroughly drain macerated peaches in a colander set over a bowl and reserve 1/4 cup of the juice - either discard remaining juice or save it for another purpose.
- Whisk the reserved juice with cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Fold in the peaches, and gently stir to coat.
- Transfer peach mixture to a deep 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle topping over the peaches evenly, pressing down gently if needed.
- Place on lowest rack and bake until nicely browned and filling is bubbling around edges, about 25-40 minutes - loosely tent the crisp with foil if it starts to brown too quickly. Let peach crisp cool 15 minutes and serve.
Notes
- For the best texture, use semi-firm peaches. They hold their shape well when baking and provide a nice contrast to the crisp topping.
- Macerating the peaches not only sweetens the fruit but also helps to draw out some of the natural juices, which can then be mixed with cornstarch to thicken the filling.
- When making the topping, keep your butter very cold and work it into the dry ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture with small clumps. This will give you a crisp topping that's both tender and crunchy.
- Don't skip pre-baking your topping. This extra step ensures that your topping will be fully cooked and crispy.
- Crispy topping mixture can be prepared and baked ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days before use.
- Do serve peach crisp while it's still warm, shortly after you bake it, while the topping remains super crispy!
- Serve with Stabilized Whipped Cream or Easy Vanilla Ice Cream.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg