Simple Peach Almond Crisp

It is officially peach season here in Michigan, and although our favorite orchard closed its doors last season, we still managed to find fresh-from-the-orchard peaches this year.

The kids are excited!

If I’m honest, peaches are one of my least favorite fruits to prepare (they take time to ripen, are hard to peel, have stubborn pits, and get sticky juice everywhere) but the flavor of fresh peaches is so delicious that I usually get at least a half-bushel every fall.

I grew up on home-canned peaches, and for several years after Dave and I were married, I kept the tradition alive, canning dozens of quarts of peaches and pears every fall.

However, our kids much prefer fresh fruit so I haven’t canned fruit (other than jam) in several years.

Now we just eat the peaches fresh — in yogurt, on ice cream, on our baked oatmeal, or just sliced in a bowl.

Of course, I save a handful of peaches to make a peach blueberry pie and our family’s favorite peach almond crisp!

You will love this tasty dessert!

For starters, peach almond crisp is (in my opinion) the perfect combination of sweet and savory, crunchy and gooey. And it’s nearly impossible to mess up because there’s no finicky crust to worry about.

It’s one of those quick recipes where you just dump ingredients into a baking dish and it magically comes out smelling and tasting delicious.

Plus, with fruit + whole grains, you can almost convince yourself that it’s a “health food” 🙄 and it’s really easy to make gluten-free.

The hardest part is literally cutting up the peaches!

Ingredients for Peach Almond Crisp:

For the peach filling:

• 6-8 cups peaches, peeled and sliced (I use fresh, but frozen will work as long as they are thawed)
• 1/4 c. flour, cornstarch, or tapioca
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar (if you like it really sweet, you’ll probably want to use more)
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/4 t. nutmeg
• 1/4 t. ginger

For the crisp topping:

• 1/2 c. oats (quick oats and traditional work fine)
• 1/2 c. almonds (sliced, slivered, or chopped almonds) or extra oats
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 c. COLD butter (I usually freeze mine)

Variations and Substitutions:

You can easily customize the recipe to fit your taste preferences, dietary needs, or the ingredients you have in the house!

• Try different spice combinations.
• Add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you like your desserts.
• Omit the almonds if you want to save money or if you have a nut allergy — just add in more oats.
• Mix in a few blueberries, or any other favorite fruit that pairs well with peaches.
• Use oat or almond flour to make it gluten-free.
• Swap canned or frozen peaches if you’re in a pinch (drain them well).

And you can easily double the recipe to feed a larger group — or if you just want leftovers!

How to make Peach Almond Crisp:

For the filling:

1. Wash, peel, and slice peaches. (TIP: if you let peaches sit in super hot water for 10 seconds, the skins slip off easier).

2. Dump sliced peaches into an ungreased baking dish (I use a 2 1/2 quart Corningware dish).

3. In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, and spices together; pour over peaches and stir until peaches are coated.

You’ll notice this is very similar to most pie recipes — so feel free to use your favorite fruit filling and then continue with the crisp topping. 

For the crisp topping:

4. In a medium bowl, mix all dry ingredients with a fork.

5. Use a coarse grater to grate cold butter over the dry ingredients.

6. Cut butter into the dry mixture with a pastry cutter, 2 knives, or with your hands. (The mixture should become “clumpy” and crumbly with the butter evenly distributed.)

7. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the peaches in baking dish.

8. Bake at 400ºF for 30-35 minutes or until peaches are bubbly and the crisp is golden brown.

9. Let it cool a bit (if you can resist) and serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

More Peach Dessert Recipes:

• Blueberry Peach Pie
• Peach Crisp for 2 (perfect for an at-home date night)
• Peach Cherry Salsa (recipe at the end of the post)
• Canned peaches

What are your favorite ways to enjoy peaches?

This easy recipe for peach almond crisp is my family’s favorite peach dessert. I hope your family enjoys this simple, sweet taste of fall around your kitchen table too!

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