Cinnamon Peach Crisp
Fresh, juicy peaches caramelized in cinnamon and brown sugar, topped with a crunchy, cinnamon-y crisp topping. This is a simple, delicious summer recipe that can even be made on the grill or over a campfire!
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Well, the heat FINALLY hit California for longer than a couple days. We have some “cooler” days in the 80’s this week, but it’s pretty much warm from here on out…I hope.
I know climate change and record highs are a concern, but I was sooooo ready for summer. I’m loving these pool days. And my daughter is actually swimming on her own now—like, staying afloat, using arms and legs to swim further and further, not sinking or choking (usually). She turned a major corner on Tuesday and her “body just decided it was time to swim” (her words).
With this gloriously warm weather comes a lack of desire to use my oven or have any heavy desserts. Thankfully, summer is the time of all the delicious fruits. And my absolute favorite fruit dessert is a crisp!
So, this summer, I knew I needed to try making a less common crisp flavor: peach.
Why this recipe works
This crisp is one of my go-to’s (along with the ever quick and easy chocolate tart!). It’s so simple to toss the peach filling, top it with the crumble, and then just let it cook. The topping is also my all time favorite crisp topping. So simple, and kinda foolproof. It’s full of flavor, and there’s a great texture—both crispy and chewy—thanks to the use of both flour and oats.
I also love making this in a cast iron skillet, which can be cooked on a grill, smoker, or campfire. On a grill or smoker, you just need to cook it over indirect heat and keep the temperature close to what’s indicated in the recipe. On a campfire, you’ll need to tent it with foil until the end and keep it near but not touching the flames. So whether you make this in the oven or out on the road, it’s simple, delicious, and so summery!
Key ingredients
Peaches. If you have super ripe peaches, you may want to double the flour in the filling, as it will otherwise be rather runny.
Vanilla extract. Use pure extract (or even vanilla bean paste!)
Flour. Be sure to spoon then level this, as you don’t want too much flour here.
Cinnamon. Use a high quality cinnamon, for a more vibrant taste.
Brown sugar. You can use light or dark here.
Old fashioned oats. Don’t use quick cook, as those will lose their crisp too easily and create a mushy topping. You can pulse them in a food processor if desired, for a chewier texture.
Butter. Use salted butter, or add 1/8 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter. Try to use European butter for a better texture.
How to make cinnamon peach crisp
1. Pit and slice the peaches. You can use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin, or blanch them, but I don’t mind the skin myself, as it turns soft during baking.
2. Mix your peaches with the filling ingredients and set aside. Doing this first helps create a perfectly thickened filling.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients for the topping. You can optionally pulse the oats in a food processor, but I like leaving them whole (to save on dishes and also get a more classic crust).
4. Mix butter and dry ingredients. You can stir by hand or use a hand mixer.
5. Pour the peach filling into a greased pie pan or cast iron skillet. If using a smoker (or grill), a cast iron skillet is best to prevent damaging the exterior of a nice pie pan.
6. Crumble the dough on top. Feel free to leave some exposed bits of peaches.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes. This time can vary, depending on your oven or if using a grill, smoker, or campfire. You want the filling to bubble throughout, so feel free to tent with foil as needed or adjust the temperature if the crisp is browning too fast.
8. Let cool at least 30 minutes.
Enjoy with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
How do I grill/smoke this?
Easy! Both work well, and a smoker will (obviously) add a smokey flavor. If your grill or smoker doesn’t have a thermometer, you’ll need one, like this cheap little thermometer. Somewhere in the medium-ish range will keep it at 350. Either leave one burner off or find a spot where your skillet can have indirect heat—meaning no flames directly beneath it. Check early and monitor that temperature, as sometimes thermometers are off or things just bake quickly. Also, if your skillet or baking dish isn’t cast iron, set it on a baking sheet (that you don’t mind turning dark colors—it doesn’t hurt the pan but it won’t be that shiny silver anymore.
Why can’t I pit my peaches easily?
Usually, you can just slice around the pit then gently pull each half away from the pit (similar to pitting an avocado). However, if your peaches are underripe, it’s sometimes difficult to do this. Or, as was my experience this time, impossible to do. If so, just cut around the pits, slicing close to—but not against—the pit on each side. You’ll lose a little peach flesh, but that’s okay.
Can this be made ahead?
Yes! I actually started making extra topping, then freezing half of it so I’m always ready to make this on a whim. You can make the topping ahead and keep it in a sealed container or baggie in the fridge up to 2 days. Much longer will actually cause the oats to get soggy, so freeze it if you need to make it more in advance. Once the peaches are sliced, they need to be baked or frozen right away, so you could freeze an assembled, unbaked crisp, baking/smoking it from frozen for a little longer (this could take up to 2 hours, depending on your Traeger). Or, what I prefer is to smoke or bake it then keep it refrigerated up to a day or frozen until serving. Reheat in your oven before serving.
Butter can be cold, softened, or melted
I like this with softened butter, as it creates an almost cookie-like texture that’s chewy yet crispy. Cold butter will give you that sandy, classic crisp texture, but you’ll have to use a food processor or pastry blender to cut it in. Melted butter, on the other hand, will still make a doughy topping that will crisp up more than what you see here.
My crisp tools
There’s really not much to this, but here are the tools I love that helped me make this crisp. Affiliate links provided.
Cinnamon Peach Crisp
- prep time: 15-20 minutes
- bake time: 45-50 minutes
- total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
servings: 8-12
Ingredients:
for the filling
- 3 pounds peaches*, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (34g) all-purpose flour**
- 1 tablespoon (8g) ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (110g) packed brown sugar
for the topping
- 1 ½ cups (150g) old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup (136g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (220g) packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (8g) ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227g) salted butter, softened (if using unsalted butter, add ⅛ teaspoon salt)
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven (or grill or smoker) to 350F/175C. Grease a 12” cast iron skillet* (or pie pan) with butter and set aside.
- Remove pits from peaches and slice about ¼ inch thick. Mix with the other filling ingredients.
- To make the topping, whisk the oats, flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir the butter and vanilla until combined (this is optional but ensures the vanilla is evenly distributed). Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix by hand or with a hand mixer until fully combined and crumbles form.
- Pour the peach mixture evenly into your prepared skillet.
- Crumble the topping evenly over the filling, making sure to get all the way to the edges. There’s no wrong way to do this, as long as you drop the pieces gently so as not to press it into the filling.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the filling bubbles throughout and the topping begins to turn a deep golden brown (this can be difficult to decipher, since the raw dough is already brown, so make a mental note of how light it was when you put it in the oven). If the topping browns too quickly, turn down the oven down a little or tent your pan with foil.
- Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving, ideally with some vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream!
Enjoy!
Leftovers can be stored, well-covered, in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in the oven or on the grill at 350 for 10-15 minutes.
*The amount of peaches you need will vary by your pan. This recipe was written for a 12” cast iron skillet. If you do not have one (or an equivalent sized dish), you can reduce the recipe or split it between two smaller skillets or pie pans.
**If you don’t have flour, you can sub 2 tablespoons cornstarch in the filling but NOT the topping.