This Spiced Peach Crisp with Crumb Topping is a simple, delicious way to enjoy one of summer's shining stars - peaches! Gooey, slightly spiced peaches are topped with a serious crumb layer (like crumb cake) and baked for a perfect summer dessert. Top with confectioners' sugar for a sweet touch.
After making quick work of several batches of fresh cherries, let's keep rolling right along with all the best seasonal fruit and inhale this spiced peach crisp like we're in a pie eating contest. Well, a peach crisp eating contest. And judging by the intensity of my cravings when this crisp is around, I'm going for gold.
A ton of peaches happened to have jumped into my cart at the store recently (weird how that happens...), so I had peach desserts on the brain.
After days of bringing them to work as a mid-morning snack and turning them into peach mango smoothies, I figured it was only right to indulge my sweet tooth with dessert.
So this spiced peach crisp with crumb topping was born!
It's an easy, seven-ingredient dessert that highlights one of the best fruits spring and summer have to offer. The peaches are skinned using a quick trick, and are tossed in orange juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Then everything is placed in a cast iron skillet or a baking dish and topped with my favorite part of one of my favorite baked goods - crumb topping. A thick layer of crumbs covers the peaches and once baked, is dusted with a hearty dose of confectioners' sugar, à la its New York cake inspiration.
Seven simple ingredients
This easy summer dessert requires just seven basic ingredients, including the powdered sugar for serving! You'll need:
- fresh peaches
- orange juice
- brown sugar
- ground cinnamon
- unsalted butter
- flour
- confectioners' sugar
The cinnamon adds a wonderfully spiced flavor to the gooey brown sugar peach layer without being overwhelming. It plays double duty along with the brown sugar as being in both the peach layer and the crumble topping.
Orange juice is a favorite of mine to complement a variety of fruit desserts, including cherry rhubarb crisp. While freshly-squeezed is always a treat, you can certainly use orange juice from the carton here. Just a few tablespoons are needed and it's not the star of the show.
Peeling ripe peaches
This recipe begins by peeling ripe peaches, which is not the easiest thing to do. To make this process easier, give them a dunk in boiling water and then immediately place them in an ice bath. Doing this seriously loosens the skins and makes them significantly easier to remove without taking half of the peach with it. The skin should come off fairly easily once you grab and pinch bits of the skin and peel.
Note that this process isn't seamless, but helps tremendously. Use a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife to remove any stubborn pieces of peel. Usually a peach or two in every batch (out of six) give me some trouble.
Recipe instructions
I'd argue that peeling the peaches is the hardest part of this peach crisp recipe, so once that's done you're in the home stretch.
In one bowl combine the peaches with orange juice, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Then pour the fruit mixture into a greased 8" cast iron skillet (affiliate link).
Now it's time for the crumb topping. In another bowl stir together melted butter, more brown sugar, and more cinnamon. Add in the flour and stir as the mixture thickens and starts forming clumps. You don't want a completely uniform consistency. We're after small- and medium-sized crumbs here.
If your crumble mixture is too wet, add additional flour a teaspoon or two at a time until it gets there.
Scatter these crumbs over top of the peaches in the skillet, then bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, or until the peaches are bubbly and the crumb layer has crisped up and turned golden brown. Let this spiced peach crisp cool a bit before serving warm. And I highly recommend dusting it with confectioners' sugar!
Recipe notes
- While I've only used ripe fresh peaches in this recipe, frozen or canned peach slices would work as well for a shortcut.
- I've substituted in white whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose on occasion and it works wonderfully.
Spiced Peach Crisp with Crumb Topping
Ingredients
For the peaches:
- 6 ripe peaches peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoon orange juice
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the crumb topping:
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- ⅔ cup plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Confectioners' sugar for serving (optional)
Instructions
For the peaches:
- Peel and slice peaches (see note below). Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease the bottom of an 8-inch cast iron skillet or baking dish with butter.
- Place peach slices in a bowl and pour in orange juice, 3 tablespoon of the brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Gently stir so that brown sugar dissolves and the mixture is just about evenly covering peaches.
- Add peaches to prepared skillet or baking dish and press lightly to form an even layer.
For the topping:
- In a bowl, add remaining ⅓ cup of the brown sugar and remaining ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon and stir or whisk to combine.
- Pour in melted butter and stir to combine, and then add flour. Mix until all flour is combined and small- to medium-sized crumbs form. Add additional flour a teaspoon or two at a time, if needed, to reach this consistency. With hands, scatter crumb topping evenly over the peaches in the skillet.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the peaches are bubbling and the crumb topping has browned slightly. Let cool slightly before serving. Recommended: sprinkle confectioners' sugar over top of the crumbs before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
Nellie Tracy says
Peach desserts and summer go hand-in-hand and I'm always on the lookout for a good crisp recipe. This is absolutely delicious and so simple to put together!
Liz says
I love peach desserts and this was so easy and incredibly tasty! Thanks for the terrific recipe!
Lisa D says
I have a question. Since I peel and cut up peaches and store them in the freezer, I need an amount in cups or ounces, is that possible?
Thanks so much!
Alyssa says
Hi Lisa! By my approximation, 6 whole peaches should yield somewhere around 4 1/2 - 5 cups of sliced peaches. I'd say as long as the peach pieces cover the bottom of the baking dish in an even layer, you'll be good. Peeling and storing them in the freezer is a great idea - I ought to do that before they go out of season! 🙂
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
This looks SO incredible, Alyssa! I can't get enough of peaches lately and making a crisp sounds like the perfect way to enjoy them. I have such a weakness for anything with a crumb topping and would have such a hard time waiting to dig in too! 🙂 So delicious!
Izzy says
I feel like I'm missing out on all the awesome summer fruit! For some reason I only seem to have savory food on the brain these days, but now I want a big peach crisp! With extra crispy topping 🙂
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Yay! Peach season is here! Isn't it funny how things 'fall' into our shopping carts? I wouldn't be surprised to find some peaches in my shopping cart tomorrow 😉 This crisp looks delicious! I love that you made it in a skillet...so easy.
Alyssa says
Hah things deeefinitely find their way into my cart somehow. Thanks Denise!
Jessica DeMay says
This Peach Crisp looks amazing! I love how simple it is and oh my gosh- that topping!! Yum!
Alyssa says
Thanks so much Jessica!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Isn't this just the perfect and easy Summer dessert. I love a classic crisp - especially when it contains as much sweet and delicious fruit like this one! That crumb topping looks pretty good too.. I think I could eat it just as is!
Alyssa says
Thank you Thalia! On occasion I love ice cream on warm fruit desserts, but this one didn't even need it!
Ashley says
Oh goodness me that topping definitely looks like crumb cake!! My weakness!! I can totally see why you dug in after 10 minutes!!
Alyssa says
Crumb cake is one of my weaknesses too!! Ugh so good. I haven't had it in FOREVER. This peach crisp sort of satisfied that craving, too. Two birds with one stone. 🙂
Consuelo | Honey & Figs says
Yes, yes, and YES. I will never get how peaches always seem to jump into my cart when at the grocery store... my fridge is full of them right now! Although, let's be honest: am I complaining? Not one bit.
This looks absolutely amaaaaaazing. I can only imagine how good the sweet peach filling must work with that lovely crumb topping. Am I in love? Absolutely!
I hope you have a great weekend Alyssa! x
Alyssa says
Thank you! Peaches can do no wrong I think. One of my favorites in the summertime! I hope you had a great weekend too, Consuelo! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
This is perfect timing! My grocery store had peaches, but they were still a little on the hard side? So what did I do? Buy 8, and hope that they'll ripen up so I can eat them. Haha! 8 peaches was probably overkill, but I can use them to make this crisp! That crumb topping sounds so so so good Alyssa : )
Alyssa says
Haha yes! I was impatiently waiting for these peaches to ripen up. I guess that comes with the territory with supermarket peaches. Thanks!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
I love a peach crisp! This one looks amazing!
Alyssa says
Thank you Christin! It's hard to go wrong with a peach crisp. 🙂
marcie says
I'm crazy about peaches right now and they're so good! This crisp sounds delicious with the orange juice and cinnamon! Pinned.
Alyssa says
Thanks Marcie! 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Peach crisp is my absolute favorite! This looks amazing, Alyssa! I'm in love with that crumb topping. Sounds so perfect for breakfast right about now!
Alyssa says
Thank you Gayle! This crisp definitely tempted me for breakfast the next day. After that there wasn't any left!