Peach Pie Crumble (The Best Peach Pie With Iced Cream) Recipe

I created a Peach Pie Crumble that marries pie structure with a cobbler-style topping and hides one clever shortcut you won’t expect.

I made this Peach Pie Crumble because sometimes cobbler and pie both sound right and you cant pick, so you get both. If cobbler and peach pie had a child it would be this easy Peach Pie Crumble.

The heart of it is fresh peaches that still taste like summer, bubbling under a golden, crunchy top that somehow feels like a little celebration. Eat it solo or add a big scoop of vanilla iced cream and watch the cold meet the warm, magic happens.

I might even call it the Best Peach Pie, and honestly you’ll keep coming back to it even when you try new things.

Ingredients

• Fresh peaches: juicy, fiber rich, vitamin C, natural sweetness, adds bright acidity.
• Old fashioned rolled oats: hearty whole grain, fiber and protein, adds chewy texture, keeps crumble together.
• Light brown sugar: molasses note, sweetens and moistens, not the healthiest, use moderately.
• Granulated sugar: pure sweetness, dissolves quick, boosts browning, empty calories if overused.
• Cold unsalted butter: gives flakiness and tender crumbs, it’s high in fat so very rich.
• Cornstarch: thickener for juicy fillings, adds body without clouding flavor, gluten free.
• Ground cinnamon: warm spice, aromatic, brings cozy note, masks underripe fruit tang sometimes.
• Vanilla iced cream: cold creamy contrast, extra sweetness, balances warm pie, totally optional but addictive.

Ingredient Quantities

• Fresh peaches, about 3 lb (6 to 8 medium), peeled and sliced
• Granulated sugar, 2/3 cup
• Light brown sugar, packed, 1/4 cup
• Cornstarch, 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice, 1 tbsp
• Vanilla extract, 1 tsp
• Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp
• Ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp
• Salt, pinch
• All-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups
• Old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup
• Light brown sugar, packed, 1/2 cup (for crumble)
• Granulated sugar, 1/4 cup (for crumble)
• Ground cinnamon, 1 tsp (for crumble)
• Salt, 1/4 tsp (for crumble)
• Cold unsalted butter, 1/2 cup (8 tbsp), cubed
• Unsalted butter, 1 tbsp (for dotting the filling), optional
• Vanilla iced cream, for serving, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly butter a 9×13 inch baking dish or something similar, set aside.

2. Peel and slice about 3 lb of peaches into a large bowl, you want roughly 6 to 8 medium peaches sliced.

3. Add 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg and a pinch of salt to the peaches; toss gently to coat and let sit 8 to 10 minutes so the sugars start to draw out juice.

4. Pour the peach mixture into the prepared dish and, if using, dot the filling with the optional 1 tbsp unsalted butter for extra richness.

5. For the crumble topping combine 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl.

6. Add 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) very cold cubed unsalted butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingers until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits; quick tip grate cold butter on a box grater for an even faster, flaky texture.

7. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the peaches, dont pack it down, you want a loose, crumbly top so steam can escape.

8. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges, tent loosely with foil if the top browns too fast.

9. Let the crumble cool 15 to 30 minutes to thicken up, then serve warm by itself or with a big scoop of vanilla iced cream on top, its amazing together.

Equipment Needed

1. 9×13 inch baking dish or similar (lightly buttered)
2. Large mixing bowl (for the sliced peaches)
3. Paring knife and cutting board (peel and slice peaches)
4. Measuring cups and spoons (sugars, flour, cornstarch, spices)
5. Pastry cutter or two forks or box grater (grate cold butter for quick, flaky crumbs)
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon (to toss peaches and spread filling)
7. Baking sheet (place under the dish to catch any bubbling spillover)
8. Oven mitts and a cooling rack (safety and to let the crumble set)
9. Ice cream scoop or large spoon (for serving with vanilla ice cream, optional)

FAQ

Peach Pie Crumble (The Best Peach Pie With Iced Cream) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Fresh peaches: swap with frozen sliced peaches (same weight). Thaw and drain well and toss with an extra tablespoon of cornstarch or tapioca so the pie wont be soggy. You can also use ripe nectarines 1:1 for a slightly tangier bite.
• Cornstarch: use tapioca starch or arrowroot 1:1 for a glossy, stretchy filling. If you only have all purpose flour, use about 4 tbsp flour instead of 2 tbsp cornstarch but the filling will be a bit cloudier and heavier.
• All purpose flour (for crust/crumble): switch to a cup for cup gluten free baking blend if you need GF, or use whole wheat pastry flour same amount for a nuttier flavor. Expect a slightly denser texture.
• Cold unsalted butter: swap with chilled solid coconut oil or chilled vegetable shortening 1:1. Coconut oil gives a faint coconut note, shortening yields flakier crumbs but less buttery flavor. If you use salted butter, reduce added salt a bit.

Pro Tips

1) Let the peaches sit a bit longer with the sugar before baking, like 15 to 20 minutes. It pulls more juice out and concentrates the flavor, just add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch or a teaspoon of instant tapioca if they look overly wet so the filling wont be soupy.

2) Keep the butter for the crumble rock cold, even pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes then grate or rub it in. Warm hands turn it greasy fast, and cold bits give you that flaky, bakery style topping.

3) Bake on a rimmed sheet to catch spills and help the bottom cook evenly, and check the topping about halfway through then rotate the pan if one side is browning faster. If the top is getting too dark tent loosely with foil, you can still get a bubbly filling without a burned top.

4) Let it rest 15 to 30 minutes after it comes out so the juices thicken, but if you reheat leftovers pop them in a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes to re crisp the topping instead of the microwave. A splash of vanilla or a tablespoon of bourbon in the filling right before baking makes it taste way more grown up.