A buttery-crunchy oat topping balances atop a sweet and juicy filling in a gluten-free peach crisp. A quintessential summer dessert, this recipe's simplicity lets the flavor of ripe stone fruit shine through.
Our young peach trees aren't quite ready to give us enough fruit to make gluten free peach cake or gluten free peach pie, but that doesn't stop me from grabbing as many peaches as I can find at my local grocery store when they're in season! I love folding them into a juicy gluten free rustic peach cake, and of course, I also make loads of peach crisp. I love serving crisp as the crowning finish to a summer BBQ or al fresco meal; it's such a sweet and simple dessert that never fails to please. You can use this recipe as your base for other stone fruit or make it exactly as written. I've also given some variation suggestions. Enjoy!
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Why I Love This Juicy Dessert
Two words: Peach. Season. Do you celebrate it as much as I do? While nothing compares to eating a sun-warmed peach straight from the tree, a mid-summer peach crisp takes everything I love about fresh peaches and turns them into a delectably juicy dessert that's tucked under a blanket of toasted, crunchy oats.
I kept things very simple here; unlike my gluten free cherry crisp and gluten free blueberry crisp recipes, I left out baking powder in the topping so it's more of a streusel-like topping (similar to my gluten free rhubarb crisp). The focus is on the buttery oats and rich brown sugar that are tied together with a bit of warm spice from ground ginger. And the filling ...! It's a thing of beauty, with 5 whole pounds of fresh, sliced peaches spiked with vanilla and mixed with more brown sugar plus a big pinch of cinnamon. I love this crisp served warm with vanilla ice cream after a BBQ in the backyard, or for breakfast with a big dollop of Greek yogurt. More reasons why I love it include that it's:
- Easily gluten-free. No gluten, no problem! Oat flour stands in for all-purpose flour in this recipe, and you'd never notice the difference.
- Tastes like summer in a dish. Peaches just taste like summer to me, like sunshine in a fruit. I like to keep this crisp very simple so that the true taste of the peaches really sings out.
- Handily adaptable. If you don't eat oats, you can easily substitute another gluten-free flour. And, you can mix things up by adding berries to the peaches or trying a combination of stone fruits.
- Made in minutes. Prep time is pretty minimal, and I can have the whole crisp assembled and ready for the oven in less than 15 minutes. This makes it a great last-minute dessert option!
Ingredients Needed
Here's a look at everything that goes into this recipe. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Oats - I love old-fashioned rolled oats in crisp toppings - they add a wonderful texture that toasts up beautifully (like in a gluten-free granola). In a pinch, you can use instant oats.
- Oat flour - Easily learn how to make oat flour or use store-bought oat flour (certified gluten-free if needed). Swap brown rice flour or sorghum flour if you don't have oat flour.
- Brown sugar - Light or dark brown sugar is fine in both the topping and the filling. I used dark brown sugar here.
- Almonds - I included about ½ cup of sliced almonds in the topping for a bit of nutty crunch. This is an optional addition, but I really recommend it!
- Spices - Ground ginger and cinnamon add warmth.
- Salt - I used fine sea salt, and table salt is also fine.
- Butter - Unsalted, melted butter holds the topping together.
- Peaches - I used about 5 pounds of peaches so that the filling is very robust. No need to peel them first, just give them a good wash before pitting and slicing them up.
- Arrowroot starch - This gluten-free starch helps bind the filling. If you don't have arrowroot, use cornstarch.
- Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste adds depth of flavor to the peaches.
How to Make Gluten-Free Peach Crisp
Here's a quick look at how to put together this recipe:
1. Make topping: Combine the topping ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Place in the fridge to chill.
2. Make filling: Mix the peaches with the filling ingredients, then spread them in an even layer in a 9x13 baking pan.
3. Add topping: Scatter the topping evenly over the peach filling in the pan.
4. Bake: Place in a 375°F oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the topping is crisp, about 45 minutes.
Baking Tip: Chill the Topping
I always pop my bowl of topping in the fridge to chill while I make the filling. This serves the dual purpose of allowing the gluten-free oat flour to hydrate (always important when baking with gluten-free flours) and the butter to firm up slightly. If the topping is too firm when you take it out of the fridge, break it up with your hands before scattering it over the filling.
Tips & Substitution Suggestions
- Let it rest - After removing the crisp from the oven, let it sit for at least 15 minutes so that the filling sets up a bit.
- Add other fruit - Throw in some berries or pair the peaches with nectarines. I love a peach-blueberry crisp (swap 1 cup of blueberries for 1 peach), and peach-raspberry is another winning combo.
- Sweeten with honey - I'll often use honey in the filling instead of brown sugar. I love how honey's intense floral sweetness plays off of the peaches. To do this, just substitute ⅔ cup of honey for the brown sugar.
- Oat and oat flour substitute - Substitute almond flour and sliced almonds for the oat flour and oats, or use 1 ½ cups of your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the oat flour.
- Make it dairy-free - Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter for the butter or melted coconut oil for the butter.
Serving Options
- Any temperature: Crisp tastes amazing warm, at room temperature, or even straight out of the fridge.
- Ice cream: Top warm bowls of crisp with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate summer treat.
- Whipped cream: I also like a dollop of whipped cream atop servings of peach crisp.
- With yogurt: Enjoy crisp for breakfast warm or cold, with plain or vanilla yogurt, or try creamy and tart Greek yogurt.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Counter - Cover the crisp with plastic or foil and store it on the counter for up to 2 days.
- Fridge - Place leftover cooled peach crisp in an airtight container or leave it in the baking pan, cover it tightly, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Freeze the whole crisp by wrapping the baked and cooled crisp in a layer of plastic and a layer of foil, then store it in the freezer for up to one month. You can reheat the crisp directly from the freezer: Remove the plastic and foil, and place it in a preheated 350˚F oven and heat until it's hot all the way through.
- To Reheat - Enjoy your crisp cold, or warm it up in a preheated 350˚F oven until the topping is crisp and the filling is bubbly. Or heat it in the microwave to heat in 30-second increments until warm.
More Summer Dessert Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Recipe
Gluten-Free Peach Crisp
Ingredients
Topping
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats (240 grams)
- 1 cup oat flour (120 grams)
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sliced almonds , optional
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Filling
- 5 pounds ripe peaches , pitted and thinly sliced
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Have a 9x13-inch baking pan ready.
- To prepare the topping: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the 2 cups old-fashioned oats, 1 cup oat flour, ½ cup sliced almonds if using, ⅔ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt Mix in the melted 8 tablespoons unsalted butter and stir until the mixture is moistened and well combined. Place the bowl in the fridge to chill while you make the filling and the oven heats.
- To prepare the filling: In a large bowl, mix together the 5 pounds ripe peaches, ⅔ cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons arrowroot starch, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Spread the peaches in an even layer in the baking pan. Remove the topping from the fridge (break it up a bit if necessary) and distribute it evenly over the top of the peaches.
- Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Let it rest - After removing the crisp from the oven, let it sit for at least 15 minutes so that the filling sets up a bit.
- Add other fruit - Throw in some berries or pair the peaches with nectarines. I love a peach-blueberry crisp (swap 1 cup of blueberries for 1 peach), and peach-raspberry is another winning combo.
- Sweeten with honey - I'll often use honey in the filling instead of brown sugar. I love how honey's intense floral sweetness plays off of the peaches. To do this, just substitute ⅔ cup of honey for the brown sugar.
- Oat and oat flour substitute - Substitute almond flour and sliced almonds for the oat flour and oats, or use 1 ½ cups of your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the oat flour.
- Make it dairy-free - Substitute your favorite non-dairy butter for the butter or melted coconut oil for the butter.
Helen says
Nice one! So refreshing! Thanks!