Beautiful peaches and a buttery crumble come together to make this ultimate comfort-food dessert!

Wondering what to do with your farmers' market bounty? Did you go a little overboard at the pick-your-own orchard?

Make the most of sweet, juicy peaches with this simple recipe for a classic crumble. Serve it with some vanilla ice cream, or enjoy it on your own, but don't let summer pass you by without baking at least one!

Ingredients (makes 4-5 servings)

  • 4 large ripe peaches, peeled and sliced 
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats (not quick oats)
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, chilled or frozen
  • 2 T. cold water

peaches

Method

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and slice the peaches and arrange them in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the light brown sugar over the peaches and toss gently. Combine the rest of the sugar, the flour, oats, and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl.

Using a box grater or a zesting tool, grate the cold butter into the dry mix. Incorporate it as you go by tossing gently with a wooden spoon from time to time. You'll end up with a powdery, gravelly mixture. Using just your fingertips in a raking motion, drizzle the cold water on the mix and fluff the crumble topping until you get a pebbled texture. Tip the crumble onto the peaches and distribute it evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes, then let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. The crumble topping will firm up for a nice, satisfying crunch. Serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or plain.

peaches, baking dish

Variations

  • This works with pretty much any kind of fruit. Add peeled and sliced white peaches, nectarines, apricots, or plums if you have them. In the fall, fry some apples in a little butter to soften them up and use those instead. If you absolutely must, you can use 2 cups of drained, canned peaches for this recipe.
  • If you're using juicy berries instead of peaches, make a slurry of 1 tsp. corn starch and 1 tsp. hot water. Add the sugar and toss about 2 cups of berries in it before spreading them out in the baking dish. I'd use blackberries, raspberries, or a combination of the two.
  • This basic crumb topping is like a standard oatmeal cookie on top of your fruit filling. Dress it up with more cinnamon, some nutmeg, or sea salt if you'd like. You can even add some finely chopped pecans for a nutty bite.
  • You can use regular all-purpose flour, but I prefer unbleached whenever the color doesn't matter. You can also substitute up to half of it with whole wheat flour if you have it.

*The photos in this article are by Sarina Petrocelly.

This simple peach crumble will quickly become a family favorite. Whatever you do, have the recipe on hand if you're taking it to a potluck—everyone will ask for it!

Are you a big fan of tree-ripened summer peaches? Do you prefer them in crumbles or cobblers? Sound off in the comments!