Spiced peach crumble is a delicious and EASY way to enjoy one of summer's shining stars - peaches! Gooey, slightly spiced peaches are topped with a serious crumble layer (like crumb cake) and baked for a perfect summer dessert. Dust 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 crumble like we're in a pie eating contest. Well, a peach crumble eating contest. And judging by the intensity of my cravings when this crumble is around, I'm going for gold.
After days of bringing peaches to work as a mid-morning snack and turning them into smoothies, I figured it was only right to indulge my sweet tooth with dessert. Hence, this spiced peach crumble was born.
It's an easy, seven-ingredient dessert that highlights one of the best fruits spring and summer have to offer. Peaches are coated in a gooey brown sugar and cinnamon mixture, then topped with the best 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.
Note: The pictures in this post were updated in June 2024 from the initial publish date in June 2015. Over the years I've slightly decreased the orange juice (now one tablespoon, from two) and add a pinch of salt to the peach layer.
Recipe Ingredients
This easy peach crumble requires just seven basic ingredients. You'll need:
- Peaches: Ripe peaches that aren't overly soft work best to balance great flavor with still being fairly easy to handle when peeling and slicing. Freestone or clingstone varieties work, but the prep will be slightly different (detailed below).
- Brown Sugar: This is used in both the gooey peach layer and the topping.
- Orange Juice: This is a favorite of mine to complement a variety of fruit desserts, including cherry rhubarb crisp. While freshly-squeezed is a treat, you can use orange juice from the carton here, or substitute with lemon juice.
- Cinnamon: For the "spice", and it's in in both layers, too!
- Salt: Just a pinch to offset the sweetness in the fruit layer.
- Butter: This melts to liquefy the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture before the flour is added. I go with unsalted butter.
- Flour: This gives the crumble topping heft and transforms a soupy, syrup-y mixture into scatterrable crumbs.
Peaches hard to peel?
Peaches on the underripe side can be difficult to peel, but blanching them in water helps a lot. This step may not be necessary for riper peaches.
Submerge them in boiling water for 25-30 seconds, then immediately remove to dunk in an ice bath to cool them down. At this point the skin should come off pretty easily once you grab and pinch bits of the skin and peel.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare peach layer. Peel and slice peaches and toss with orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Prepare crumble topping. Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and flour in a bowl until a coarse, crumbly mixture forms. You can see more detail on this part in my standalone crumb topping post.
- Assemble and bake. Add peaches to a greased skillet or baking dish, over which you'll crumble the topping in an even layer. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes, or until the juices are bubbling and the crumble topping has turned golden-brown and crisp.
Pitting Freestone vs. Clingstone Peaches
Ever wonder why some peaches can be pitted easily, while others are terrible? They're likely different peach varieties. True to their names, "freestone" peaches easily separate from the pit, while "clingstone" peaches are attached.
If you're fortunate to get your hands on freestone peaches, you can pit them by slicing them around vertically, from stem to end. Grab ahold of each side and twist to remove the fruit to slice.
If you're at the mercy of the supermarket selection and can only find clingstone peaches (me this year!), twisting won't work. Instead treat the peach like an apple. Sit it upright on a cutting board and make four straight slices around, avoiding the pit. Cut the segments of fruit into thin slices.
Tips and Tricks
- Canned/Frozen Peaches - These can work as a shortcut or if it's out of season, but be mindful of excess moisture that can lead to a juicier crumble. Thaw frozen peaches in the refrigerator, and drain/blot excess liquid before adding to the recipe.
- Making Ahead - Once sliced, the peaches will release liquid and become soupier. Because of this it's not recommended to assemble the peach crumble ahead of time before baking.
- Variations - Consider using other stone fruits, like nectarines or plums, or a combination!
More Fruit Crumbles and Crisps
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating in the recipe card and/or a comment review below!
Spiced Peach Crumble
Ingredients
For the Peaches:
- 6 large ripe peaches (2 - 2 ½ pounds, roughly 4 ½ cups sliced)
- 1 Tablespoon orange juice or lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
For the Crumble:
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅔ cup plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
For Serving:
- Confectioners' sugar (optional)
- Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Instructions
Peaches:
- Peel and slice peaches (see notes below). Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cast iron skillet, 9-inch pie plate, or similar-sized baking dish with butter.
- Place peach slices in a bowl and pour in the orange juice, 3 Tablespoons of the brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Gently stir so that brown sugar dissolves and the mixture is evenly coating the peaches.
- Add the peaches to the prepared dish and press lightly to form an even layer, leaving behind some of the excess juices if your fruit is quite liquid-y.
Topping:
- In a bowl, add the remaining ⅓ cup of the brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon and stir or whisk to combine.
- Pour in the melted butter and stir to combine, and then add the flour. Mix until all the 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.
To Bake:
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the peaches are bubbling and the crumb topping has turned golden-brown and crisp. Let the peach crumble cool slightly before serving. If you like dust confectioners' sugar over top of the crumbs before portioning out, and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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 DisclaimerIf you're coming back to this post from Pinterest or a bookmark, you may recognize one of the original photos below:
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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!