Peach Crumble is the dessert I reach for the second peaches hit their sweet spot: juicy fruit under a buttery crumb topping that skips the oats and leans into an actual crumble texture. No peeling required, and the whole thing comes together in about an hour, most of it hands-off in the oven.
Why this crumble works
The topping stays buttery instead of turning to an oat-crisp shell. That's because there's an egg and a spoonful of cream mixed right in, which give it more of a buttery texture than a crisp one. Most peach desserts turn soupy once they cool, so I toss the peaches in cornstarch before they go in the baking dish. It keeps the filling thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon instead of pooling around it.
This is still my go-to peach dessert every summer. The one I make on repeat the second peaches show up at the farmers market. This takes about 50 minutes start to finish between prep and bake time, and you don't have to peel a single peach.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
You only need a handful of staple ingredients to make this great dessert.
Ingredient notes
- Peaches: Fresh peaches or nectarines both work. I don't peel them. Peach skin isn't the fuzzy kind it used to be, and the peel adds color to the finished crumble instead of taking anything away.
- Cornstarch: This is what keeps the filling thick instead of watery once the peaches release their juice in the oven.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted both work in the topping. If you use unsalted, add a half teaspoon of salt so the topping isn't flat.
- Egg: Use a room temperature egg. A cold egg can start to scramble when it hits the melted butter.
- Sugar: Both brown and granulated sugar go into the topping. The brown sugar is what gives it that deeper, slightly caramelized flavor.
- Cream: Just a tablespoon, but it's what helps bind the topping into clumps instead of loose crumbs.
Instructions
You only need a couple of bowls and 10 minutes to prep this easy dessert.
- Step 1: In a medium bowl place sliced peaches and add sugar and corn starch, stir gently to combine.
- Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients to a medium bowl.
- Step 3: Stir with a fork to combine until it looks like coarse meal.
- Step 4: Spread the peaches in the baking dish and scatter the topping evenly over the top.
My best Tips
Slice the peaches in similar sizes. Uneven pieces cook unevenly. The thin slices turn to mush while the thick ones stay firm, and you end up with a mix of textures in the same bite.
Don't be shy with the fruit. Pack the dish fuller than feels right. Peaches shrink as they release their juice and bake down, so a dish that looks appropriately full going in can look sparse coming out.
Add berries if you want more color. Blueberries are my favorite addition. They don't compete with the peach flavor, but they streak the topping a nice purple as it bakes.
Swap in cold butter for a different texture. The melted butter here gives you that craggy, cake-like topping. If you want something closer to a pie crust, use cold butter instead and work it in with your fingers or a pastry cutter.
FAQ
The simplest answer: crisps have oats, crumbles don't. A crumble topping is more cake-like or streusel-like, made mainly with butter, sugar, and flour.
No. Peach skin isn't fuzzy the way it used to be, so you won't be able to tell it's there once it's baked. It even adds a little color to the dish.
Fresh peaches give the best texture, but well-drained frozen peaches work as a swap. Canned peaches are not recommended because the texture won't hold up in baking.
More Fruit Desserts
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Recipe
Peach Crumble
Ingredients
- 8 cups sliced peaches
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓-½ cup sugar
Crumble Topping
- 1 large egg
- 1¾ cups flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cream
- 8 tablespoons melted butter
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease and set an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish aside.
- Place fruit in a medium bowl and sprinkle with cornstarch and sugar. Stir gently to combine and let sit until topping is made. Adjust sugar levels according to the sweetness of your peaches.8 cups sliced peaches, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ⅓-½ cup sugar
TO MAKE TOPPING:
- In a small mixing bowl, place egg, flour, sugars, cream and melted butter.1 large egg, 1¾ cups flour, ¼ cup sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cream, 8 tablespoons melted butter
- Using a fork, combine until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal.
- Pour the fruit mixture into the pan and sprinkle crumble topping evenly over the top of the fruit mixture.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until browned and bubbling. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before eating.
- Serve with ice cream if desired.
Notes
- Slice the peaches in similar sizes for even cooking.
- Blueberries or another fruit can be added alongside the peaches for color.
- Pack the dish fuller than seems necessary. The fruit cooks down as it bakes.
- For a pie-like texture instead of a craggy one, use cold butter in place of melted.
- Well-drained frozen peaches can be used in place of fresh.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Rachel Winter says
Brought this to a dinner party- huge hit! Everyone loved it
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
Peaches + berries make the best desserts!