Gluten-Free Peach Crisp

Peaches should be enjoyed year-round!  Juicy and sweet right off the tree in summer but they freeze well and pair with all sorts of flavors from vanilla and ginger to citrus fruit and basil. This is why I love this gluten-free peach crisp recipe, it uses fresh peaches or frozen peaches plus a few simple ingredients.

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You really can (and should) make it all year round, not just during peach season. I freeze peaches just to make this recipe (see my trick below for keeping frozen peaches bright).

And who doesn’t love the retro feel of a delicious crisp? Not fancy or complex just great ingredients complementing one another effortlessly. Just like my gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crisp, this recipe just works. 

🧾 Ingredient Notes

You can use any variety of peach you like. To tell if your peaches are ripe give them a firm but gentle squeeze with your fingers. They should be soft and not bounce back. A little wrinkling of the skin around just the stem area is also a good sign.

In this recipe, you can use fresh or frozen peaches. Avoid canned peaches and double-check your frozen peaches for added sugar.

For the peach filling you will also need:

• Lemon Juice- The acid in the lemon juice will prevent the peaches from browning.
• Arrowroot Powder- You can substitute cornstarch or tapioca starch in a one-to-one ratio. Gluten-free all-purpose flour won't have enough starch to prevent the peaches from becoming runny. See the notes in the instructions about working with these starches.

For the crisp you will need:

• Almonds- You could also use walnuts or pecans for a twist.
• Gluten-Free Rolled Oats- Be sure they are certified gluten-free and do not substitute oat flour.
• Oil- Coconut Oil, melted butter or vegan butter all work. 
• Honey - You can substitute granulated sugar, coconut sugar, or even brown sugar.
• Ground Cinnamon- Or you can use ginger (see my GF peach cobbler for ideas). 
• Kosher Salt- Never skip the salt in sweet dishes.

⏲️How to Make Gluten-Free Peach Crisp

Prep

Before starting pre-heat your oven to 350 F degrees and oil your baking dish. You will want something equivalent to the size of an 8x8 baking pan.

How to Peel Fresh Peaches

The peaches need to be peeled and thinly sliced and the pit discarded. Freshes peaches can be peeled with a knife. Because peaches are so soft you have to be extremely careful not to smush out all the good juice.

Therefore my preference is to blanch the peaches which breaks the skins and allows you to easily peel them off.

1. Boil a pot of water and add 2 to 3 peaches at a time.
2. Boil for 30 seconds, their skins should just start to break.
3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peaches into a bowl full of ice water to cool.
4. Once cooled, the peach skin should be very easy to pull away gently with your hands.

This is essentially the same method you use when peeling tomatoes for gazpacho soup. Save any extra peaches to make peach soup.

Make the Peach Filling

For the filling combine the peeled and sliced peaches with the vanilla extract and lemon juice in a sauté pan on medium-low heat. Heat until the peaches begin to juice and bubble.

We are warming the peaches, not cooking them down as you would for a jam. Keep a close eye on them.

Sprinkle over the arrowroot powder and turn off the heat. Stir well before transferring to a prepared baking dish.

Cornstarch and tapioca starch work in a pinch but require you to make a slurry and further heating.

I find arrowroot easier to work with as long as you remember to not bring it to a boil after adding. It is essentially the opposite of cornstarch, it loses its thickening properties if you bring it to a boil. Pour the peaches into a greased baking dish.

Add the Gluten-Free Crisp Topping

To make the topping, you combine all the topping ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. If the honey is too thick to mix try putting it in the microwave for 15 seconds.

You need to chop the almonds or break them up in a food processor. Do not make the entire topping in the food processor because we want to keep the oats whole.

Spread or dot the almond topping evenly across the peaches. Be sure your oats are certified gluten-free. 

Don't worry if the filling isn't fully covered. The peaches bubbling up is part of the recipe.

Bake and Serve

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is toasted brown. Be sure to turn once halfway through for even browning.

Finally, you need to top this beautiful peach dessert! A big scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or creme anglaise are all good bets for this delicious dessert. Use dairy-free alternatives if needed.

💭 Gluten-Free Crisp Variations

Vegan Peach Crisp

To make this peach crisp vegan you need to substitute an equal amount of maple syrup for the honey. Alternatively, you could mix one tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Blueberry Peach Crisp

Reduce the peaches by ¼ of a pound and add 1 cup of fresh blueberries.

Olive Oil Peach Crisp

Not everyone likes coconut oil or has it on hand. I often sub in olive oil. It offers a richer flavor that I absolutely love!

You can also use this peach filling with the biscuit topping from our gluten-free apple cobbler to make a peach cobbler.

🌡️Storing Leftovers

Any type of peach crips, gluten-free or not, is better the day it is made and served slightly warm. But unlike a cobbler where the dough can get gummy after sitting, you reheat this crisp in the oven at 250 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

Leftovers should be covered with plastic wrap or foil and stored in the refrigerator. It will be good for 3 to 4 days.

I enjoy leftovers warmed up for breakfast with a little oat milk on top!

🥘 More Gluten-Free Summer Dessert Recipes

📖 Recipe Card

💭 Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the Difference Between a Crisp and a Crumble?

Both a crisp and a crumble contain a fruit base with a rustic topping. Crumbles and crisps are used interchangeably by most people. But in fact, crips have oats and/ or nuts as the bulk of the topping and crumbles have strict streusel topping (flour, sugar, spices, and butter).

What’s the Difference Between a Crisp and a Cobbler?

Both a crisp and a cobbler contain a fruit base. Fruit cobblers have a biscuit or other dough scooped onto the top. The top puffs up a bit as the cobbler bakes creating a bumpy solid(ish) dough texture. While fruit crisps have a crumbly topping made from oats and nuts.

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