This fresh and easy peach crisp recipe is about to revolutionize your dessert game. Made with juicy, ripe peaches and topped with a buttery oatmeal crumble, it’s the perfect summer treat that’s easy to make but delivers big flavor. Ditch the store-bought fruit crisps and see how easy homemade can be!

Easy Peach Crisp with Oatmeal Crumble — Sweet, juicy peaches with an oat crumble topping

Old-Fashioned Peach Crisp with Oats

This timeless dessert brings back memories of grandma’s kitchen. It’s simple, satisfying, and just the right balance of sweet and crunchy. Perfect if you are looking for a classic, no-fuss dessert with a bit of wholesome goodness!

Here is Why This Peach Crisp Recipe Works

Juicy peaches: This recipe lets those summer peaches shine with a juicy, sweet filling that’s the star of the show. If it isn’t peach season, you can still make this recipe with frozen or canned peaches.

Buttery, crisp oat topping: The crunchy, nutty topping adds the perfect contrast to the soft, sweet peaches—no soggy crusts here!

Simple to make: No need for fancy techniques or special equipment. If you can slice a peach and mix a crumble, you’ve got this.

Customizable crunch: Whether you’re team pecan or walnut, this recipe lets you add your favorite nuts for that extra bit of flavor and texture. And, if you don’t feel like a nut, leave them out 😉

If you love this recipe, try our raspberry peach cobbler.

Is Fruit Crisp a Pie?

Are you confused between a crisp, cobbler and a crumble? They are all pretty similar and I like to think of them as an easy version of pies. Since you don’t have to make a bottom crust, they come together pretty fast and effortless. Just dump the filling into a baking dish, top with an crisp topping, then bake.

The main difference between the three is in the topping. A cobbler is topped with a batter, dumpling or biscuit dough.

On the other hand, crisps and crumbles are made with a streusel-like topping. If the streusel is made without oats then it is generally called a crumble, however, if oatmeal is mixed into the streusel then it is usually called a crisp. That being said, the two terms are often interchanged.

The crumb topping on our fresh pear cake is an example of a crumble and the streusel topping on our Dutch apple pie is an example of what you would see in a crisp.

The Ingredients.

Here is what you need for this recipe.

For the Peach Filling with Tapioca

Fresh peaches (if you want to use frozen peaches keep reading for tips).
Sugar.
Tapioca. Thickens the crisp so it isn’t runny.
Lemon zest and lemon juice. The lemon brightens the flavor and makes a big difference.
Almond extract. Almond extract brings out the peach flavor. It’s kind of a secret ingredient but a little bit goes a long way. Don’t use too much or it will overpower the flavors.

Ingredients for the peach crisp filling.

For the crispy topping:

Rolled oats. We used regular old fashioned oats but quick-cooking oats will work too.
Flour. We used all-purpose flour but this works with whole wheat flour as well.
Brown sugar. You can use either light or dark brown sugar.
Salt. Salt helps enhance all the flavors.
Nutmeg. You can also add some ground cinnamon for more warm spice.
Chopped pecans or walnuts. If your not a nutty person then leave them out 😉
Butter. Butter brings it all together.

Ingredients for the oatmeal crisp topping that goes on the peach crisp.

This is so fast and easy you will want to make more desserts like this. Try a strawberry rhubarb crisp or a blackberry crumble next time.

Variations

If you love peach crumble but want to switch things up, these variations are perfect for you. Each fruit crisp variation brings a new flavor to the classic crispy crumble oatmeal topping.

Blueberry Almond Fruit Crumble: Fold in 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries to the peach filling and swap the pecans for sliced almonds in the crisp topping. Make a spiced cinnamon oat crumble by adding a teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

Mixed Berry Peach Crisp: Replace half of the peaches with a mix of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Top with a blend of oats and crushed graham crackers for an extra crunchy topping.

Cherry-Peach Crisp with Pistachios: Mix in 1 cup of pitted, halved cherries with the peaches and substitute the pecans with chopped pistachios in the crumble.

Do you have to peel the peaches?

Peaches….to peel or not to peel? Some folks like the peach skin left on. If you are in this group then just cut them in half, remove the pits and slice them up.

However, they really are easy to peel. First, drop them into a hot water bath for 15 to 30 seconds, then immediately into an ice water bath. The skins just slip right off. Cut the peach in half, remove the pit and slice them nice and thick.

Tips for Success

The riper the peach, the sweeter and juicier your filling will be. Look for peaches that give slightly when gently squeezed.
You can swap the fresh fruit for canned or frozen (and thawed) peaches.
Let the peaches sit with the sugar and tapioca for 15 minutes to soften the tapioca and thicken the filling.
Bake the crisp until the top is golden brown and the juices are bubbly around the edges. If the crumble topping looks like it is getting too brown then you can place some aluminum foil over the top.
Place the baking dish on a cookie sheet to catch any bubbling juices.
We used tapioca for this recipe, which works well with juicy peaches. If using frozen peaches, add an extra tablespoon of tapioca, as they release more juice than fresh ones.

Storage

To store leftovers, let the peach crisp cool completely before covering it with plastic wrap or transferring it to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

For freezing: If you want to freeze the peach crisp, wrap it well in plastic wrap, then cover it with aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the crisp in the refrigerator overnight.

For reheating: To reheat, bake the crisp for about 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also reheat individual servings in the microwave, though the topping may lose some of its crunch.

Want to make it gluten-free?

This recipe is easy to make gluten-free. All you have to do is substitute the flour in the oatmeal topping for a gluten-free flour blend. The oats are naturally gluten-free but you may want to make sure it was packaged in a gluten-free facility.

Check out these recipes:

This peaches and cream tart has a buttery shortbread pastry and a creamy filling for the fresh peaches to sit on top of.

Our fresh blackberry pie is always in high demand during the summer. We usually pick the blackberries in our back yard.

Have you made this easy peach crisp with tapioca? We would love to hear from you. Drop us a comment below.

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Easy Peach Crisp with Oatmeal Crumble

Celebrate the fuzzy peach! Bake this Easy Peach Crisp with Oatmeal Crumble. Sweet, juicy fresh peaches, a tangy bit of lemon juice, a grating of nutmeg and a buttery oatmeal topping. Pure bliss!

4.89 from 34 votes

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: servings

Calories: 501kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

For the Peach Filling:

4 pounds ripe peaches peeled, pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch thick wedges
3/4 cup sugar 175g
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon almond extract

For the Oatmeal Crumble Topping:

1 cup dry old-fashioned rolled oats 90g
2/3 cup all-purpose flour 80g
3/4 cup brown sugar 175g
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
10 tablespoons butter 1-1/4 cubes, softened

Instructions

For the Filling:

In a large bowl, add the sliced peaches, sugar, tapioca, lemon zest, lemon juice and almond extract. Toss to combine and let stand for 15 minutes to soften the tapioca. (See Notes on peeling the peaches)

For the Oatmeal Crumble Topping:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 3-quart ovenproof baking dish. Set a wire rack in a baking sheet and reserve. (See Notes)
In another bowl, add the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, nutmeg and nuts. Combine thoroughly.
Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients to a crumbly consistency. Set aside.
Add the peaches to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the topping evenly over the top of the peaches. Set the dish on the wire rack and transfer to the lower third of the preheated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned and the juices begin to bubble at the edges.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Prepare the peaches for peeling by cutting an ‘X’ just thru the skin on the bottom of the peach. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, reduce the heat to low. Drop the peaches into the hot water, and scald for 10-15 seconds. Remove and place in an ice water bath. The skins will slip right off.
Slice the peach by either cutting off wedges from the pit or slice the peach in half, remove the pit and slice into wedges.
Adding a touch of almond extract will bring out more of the peach flavor
A baking sheet will catch any overflow drips keeping your oven clean.
The wire cooling rack will allow for air-flow around the peach crisp and even baking.