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!
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. I also made a few small tweaks to the recipe, which are reflected in the printable recipe below.
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 make this at least 3x each summer and there are never any leftovers. It’s the *best* peach dessert. (Sorry, peach pie.)
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 recipe that you can prep, bake, and serve in about an hour. It joins 30+ others in my collection of Quick Dessert Recipes—ready in 1 hour or less!
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. ★★★★★“
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? Try this fan-favorite peach cobbler or spiced pear berry crumble instead.
Ingredients to Use & Why
- Fresh Peaches: You need about 2 to 2.5 pounds of peaches, or about 6 medium-size peaches. Pit and slice them. Peeling 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.
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 (around 750–800g) 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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally,
I made your recipe last week and it was delicious! I will definitely make this again. Now I would like to make a vegan gluten free version. The store only had Bob’s Red mill steel cut oats…I cooked them about half way through, cooled them, then added to my topping. I also used gf flour and vegan butter. It is in the oven now…hope it turns out!
I’m not sure what I did wrong but the topping never got very crisp and the peach juice was definitely bubbling over. I did make a larger portion in a 9×13 dish and baked it 20 min extra but I was nervous to let it cook longer. It’s going in the freezer so hopefully baking it again to heat it up helps?
This was SO good! I made it exactly as written and it turned out super delicious.
I’m on a roll with your recipes today. Earlier I made your banana bread with raspberries and dark chocolate chips. I inhaled one right out of the oven. Thanks for two winners today!
So I did a silly thing…first, I tried to soften the butter in the microwave but I left in the middle of checking it and by the time I returned it had completely melted! I had no choice but to mix it with the topping like that but I didn’t use everything. Then, after preparing the filling and it looked great, I realised I had run out of pecans aaaargh! I had no choice but to substitute flaked almonds for it. I was praying it turned out great nonetheless as earlier I made soft pretzels with my 6 year old – she said it wasn’t like Auntie Anne’s pretzels and she totally blamed me anyway 🙂 Bottomline, this recipe turned out to be “Peach Almond Crisp” and it was delicious! I hope you’re keeping well.
Do you toast the pecans first?
Nope!
Wonderful – will make for sure again. I used fresh peaches.
This was the best crisp that I have ever made. I made it as stated except I added a cup of fresh blueberries. Wonderful!!! I will be trying this with apples in the fall.
I was interested in making this is a 9×13 casserole dish. Would I double the recipe? If so, how would his alter cooking time?
I would double the recipe– the bake time will be a little longer, though I’m unsure of that exact time.
Hi, can I prepare the dish and warm it up again in couple of hours before serving? If yes, then for how much time and will the crisp get soggy on reheating?thanks!
I would reheat in the oven to prevent any sogginess 🙂
I made this for the first time about 5 days ago. Meant to write a comment, but, it slipped my mind. I highly recommend you to try this recipe. I did not make any changes. Wow. It was delicious and yes, we had it with ice cream I have found many of your recipes that were winners. And yes, I am a signed member. Perfect summer dessert!
Thank you again Sally
ps I love your photography
I can’t wait to make this!! Quick Question- Can you use can peaches ?
I’ve had a few readers used canned with success!
I really loved making this crisp and was wondering could I swap the peaches for apples. If I did, is there anything you would suggest to do differently?
I wouldn’t change anything. 🙂 Enjoy!
Sally if I only have salted butter can I just leave out the salt in the topping or should I leave out the salt in the topping and filling?
Hi Natalie– I would leave the salt out of the topping. You can keep it in the filling.
Hi Sally,
one more question. Would you change the filling recipe at all if I were to use apples?
I wouldn’t change a thing at all!
Fabulous crisp topping!! The pecans add a tasty dimension to the peaches. This is the best technique forvpeeling peaches ever!! . I used a bag of dark cherries as i was a little short on peaches. Amazing!!!
Holy smokes. That was good!
I made this for our Bible study last week. I added some blackberries to the mix. It was outstanding!! Love the topping. We had homemade peach- vanilla bean ice cream. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks!
Made with fresh nectarines. Husband said it was one of the best things he’s ever had. Crisp is amazing!
Oh m! I made this tonight with some peaches my grandma gave me, and all I have to say is oh my gosh! I think my favorite part are seriously the pecans! But the best part is my boyfriend “doesn’t” like peaches or pecans and we went and got more. Enough said. :). Thank you so much and I can see myself making this more than once!
Hey Sally!
Can nectarines be used instead of peaches for the crisp?
Absolutely!
Is the cook time longer with frozen peaches? I’m a little nervous to not thaw them first. 🙂
Looks delicious as always!
Maybe a few minutes longer, but not much.
I made this for a potluck at church. It was a great hit! Not too sweet, just right. Loved it!
Made this recipe last night for mothers day, was a total hit! Everyone loved it at home 🙂 I substituted the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour from Bobs Red Mill and it was amazing!
Made this today with apples and my family declared it’s their favorite. Thanks for all the amazing recipes! I have cooked 6 of your recipes over Thanksgiving and they were all a hit!
Definitely a keeper! Cindy….Thanks for the blueberry idea. I was wondering that.
The topping is divine! Will never use another crumb topping:) So glad I used the good peaches for this. It was consumed in a day:)
I made this because I am always looking for good peach recipes. This is indeed just that. It was delicious and I would definitely make it again. I added about 1 1/2 cups of blueberries because I had them. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Sally! This looks amazing! I’ve been on a pie/crisp kick too. I have a question–how do you get your streusel so…streusely? Whenever I’ve attempted it (especially recently), it comes out in one unattractive flat sheet. It’s still delicious, to be sure, but it’s less than stunning. I’ve tried cutting in cold butter, stirring in melted butter, more flour, less flour, etc. Always with the flat sheet. Any ideas?
Hey Liz! The flour adds structure to the streusel, sucking up all the buttery liquid– so maybe adding 1/4 cup more flour will help? Not sure if you tried adding that much more. Try crumbling some of the streusel in your hands as you layer it on top.
I made this tonight for dessert and it was a huge it!!! However, mine was very runny. I used fresh peaches and followed the recipe exact. Any idea why it might be so runny? Maybe I should have added more peaches?
I made this last night after seeing your post! My dad and husband loved it! The topping is just perfect with the pecans. Thanks Sally!
It’s in the oven, then it’s going in the car for our annual trip Up North, well we hope some makes it to the car! This dessert looks divine. After having your apple pie with crumble, I can’t wait to taste, only hope I don’t burn my tongue!
I made this crisp yesterday, and I did NOT show any self control! I couldn’t stop taking little bits before dinner.
My husband doesn’t eat sweets, so I guess it’s up to me to finish eating it up. BTW, I halved the recipe and used a small dish. Perfect!