Is the bag of peaches on your kitchen counter ripening faster than you can eat them? While there are endless ways to cook and bake with the peak summer fruit (see: pie, sorbet, and pound cake), there are few recipes are simply and satisfying as a crumble.
With juicy, sliced peaches tucked underneath a sweet, crispy topping, this comforting summer dessert best served with a scoop of ice cream after a lazy dinner outdoors.
What’s the Deal With Crumbles, Cobblers, and Crisps?
Ah, yes, the trifecta of summer fruit desserts! Crumbles, crisps, and cobblers are all very popular in the warm-weather months since they typically feature fresh fruit (and is there a better season for fresh fruit than summer?).
However, there are slight differences between the three:
- Crumbles (such as this one) have a streusel-like topping
- Crisps also have a streusel topping, but theirs will also typically contain oats.
- Cobblers, on the other hand, have a biscuit topping.
They're all delicious and you can't go wrong turning your summer fruit haul into any of the three.
Tips for Buying the Sweetest Peaches
Crumbles are most delicious with ripe, sweet fruit. Follow these tips to pick the best peaches at the market:
- Peaches are available throughout the year, but they are in season from May until October. When buying peaches, choose fruit that is not too soft and is free from cuts and bruises. Ripe peaches will have a sweet aroma and yield to gentle pressure.
- If the peaches are hard, keep them at room temperature until they ripen. You can ripen them more quickly by putting them into a paper bag, which is similar to the way you ripen bananas.
- When the peaches are ripe, store them in the refrigerator. Bring them back to room temperature before eating to enjoy the flavor.
How to Pick a Perfectly Ripe Peach
To Peel or Not to Peel?
Whether or not to peel the peaches is all a matter of personal preference. If you don't mind the skin, then leave it on and save yourself some prep time. But if you're not a fan of the additional texture it brings, we show you how to quickly remove them in the steps below.
How Do You Know When a Crumble Is Ready?
A crumble is ready once the topping is golden and crispy and the sides are gooey and bubbling.
“This peach crumble is so simply, yet comforting. I followed the instructions to quickly blanch the fruit and it made peeling nice and easy. Once the fruit is prepped, you’re just a few steps from a lovely summer dessert. I served it with a scoop of ice cream in each bowl and it was devoured immediately. I can see myself making in again with other stone fruit, such as nectarines.”—Patty Lee
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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2 1/2 to 3 pounds peaches (about 7 to 8 medium peaches)
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Butter, for baking dish
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1/4 cup packed brown sugar
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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1 cup granulated sugar
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1 large egg
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1/2 cup butter, melted
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Heavy whipped cream, whipped cream, or ice cream, for serving
Steps to Make It
Peel the Peaches (Optional)
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
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Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Set aside.
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put peaches in boiling water and boil for about 10 to 20 seconds, or just until there are splits in the skin.
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Remove peaches to ice water to halt cooking process.
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Begin to peel peaches with a small, sharp knife. The skins should slip off easily.
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Remove pits and slice peaches thinly.
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Prepare the Peach Crumble
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Preheat the oven to 375 F. Butter a 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
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Pour out the water and ice from the larger bowl and add the fresh sliced peaches and brown sugar; stir to blend thoroughly. The combination of fresh peaches with brown sugar will create the syrup. Pour fruit and sugar mixture into prepared baking dish.
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In a separate bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir with a spoon or whisk to blend.
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Whisk the egg separately in small bowl and add to dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until mixture is crumbly.
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Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over the peach filling.
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Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the crumb topping.
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Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and filling is bubbling around the edges.
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Serve crumble warm with a drizzle of heavy cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of your favorite ice cream.
The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Recipe Variations
- Substitute frozen peaches or well-drained canned peaches if you don't have fresh peaches.
- If you like a topping with more texture, add about 1/2 cup of rolled oats or some chopped pecans.
