Delicious Homemade Peach Pecan Crisp: Your Ultimate Summer Dessert Guide

There’s an undeniable joy that comes with the arrival of summer peaches. As soon as these fuzzy, fragrant gems start appearing, my mind immediately turns to creating this irresistible Peach Pecan Crisp. While this versatile recipe can truly embrace almost any fruit you have on hand, there’s something uniquely magical about how it pairs with the sweet, juicy essence of ripe peaches, creating a quintessential summer dessert that’s both comforting and vibrant.

A generous serving of warm Peach Pecan Crisp being dished out, ready to be enjoyed.

If you’re a fan of the comforting allure of a good crisp, you’re in for a treat! This recipe is a staple in my kitchen, often made alongside other fruit-filled delights. Be sure to also explore my Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp and my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp for more seasonal inspiration. The beauty of summer’s bounty is that so many fruits lend themselves perfectly to being topped with a buttery, oat, and sugar crumble, transforming into something truly amazing with minimal effort.

This Peach Pecan Crisp isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience. Each spoonful offers a delightful contrast: the tender, warm peaches bursting with natural sweetness, and the crunchy, buttery topping infused with toasted pecans and warm spices. It’s the kind of dish that brings smiles to faces, perfect for a family gathering, a backyard barbecue, or a quiet evening treat. And when topped with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream? Pure bliss.

Simple, Wholesome Ingredients for an Unforgettable Crisp

One of the many charms of this Peach Pecan Crisp recipe lies in its elegant simplicity. You’ll find that the ingredients required are mostly pantry staples, making it incredibly easy to whip up on a whim. This accessibility means you can almost always have the makings of a delicious, homemade dessert without a special trip to the grocery store. It also provides the perfect excuse to use up that generously sized bag of rolled oats you might have acquired from a bulk store – you know, the one tucked away in the back of your pantry!

All the fresh and pantry staple ingredients beautifully laid out to make the Peach Pecan Crisp.

Here’s what you’ll need to create this fantastic dessert:

Peaches: Fresh, ripe peaches are ideal for their vibrant flavor and juicy texture. You can use frozen peaches as a convenient alternative; just ensure they are thawed and drained properly. Leaving the skin on adds a rustic touch and extra fiber, but you can peel them if preferred.
Lemon: Both the zest and juice of a fresh lemon play a crucial role. The juice brightens and intensifies the natural peach flavor, preventing it from tasting overly sweet, while the zest adds an aromatic lift.
Granulated Sugar: This provides the primary sweetness for the fruit filling, balancing the tartness of the peaches and lemon.
Cornstarch: A vital thickening agent for the peach juices. It ensures the fruit filling isn’t watery, but beautifully luscious and saucy, clinging perfectly to each peach slice.
Rolled Oats: The foundation of our crisp topping. Old-fashioned rolled oats provide the best texture, creating a delightful chewiness and a satisfying crumble that becomes golden and crispy during baking. Avoid instant oats, as they can become mushy.
Light Brown Sugar: Adds a deeper, molasses-rich sweetness to the topping, complementing the oats and pecans beautifully. Its moist texture also helps bind the topping together.
Cinnamon: A classic spice pairing with peaches, ground cinnamon adds warmth and a comforting aroma to the topping.
Ginger: Ground ginger offers a subtle, spicy kick that elevates the flavor profile of both the peaches and the topping, providing a wonderful complexity.
Kosher Salt: Just a pinch of salt is essential in both the fruit filling and the topping to balance the sweetness and enhance all the other flavors.
Unsalted Butter: The key to a rich, crumbly topping. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content in the recipe. Ensure it’s at room temperature for easier incorporation.
Pecan Halves: These are what give our crisp its signature nutty crunch. It’s absolutely crucial to toast your pecans before incorporating them into the topping. Toasting significantly intensifies their flavor, bringing out their inherent nuttiness and adding an extra layer of depth to the crisp. Reserve a handful for topping the finished dessert before serving with ice cream!
Vanilla Ice Cream: While optional, a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream is the traditional and arguably best accompaniment, melting slightly into the warm crisp for an ultimate treat.

For precise measurements and detailed instructions, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card below.

Crafting Your Perfect Peach Pecan Crisp: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this Peach Pecan Crisp is a wonderfully straightforward process, designed to deliver maximum flavor with minimal fuss. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a bubbling, golden-brown dessert ready to impress.

Preparing the Juicy Peach Filling

First, I begin by preparing the star of our show: the peaches. I slice them into uniform pieces, usually leaving the skin on for added texture and nutrients – plus, it saves time! In a large bowl, these fresh peach slices are gently tossed with granulated sugar, cornstarch, and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. The granulated sugar works to sweeten the fruit and draw out its natural juices, while the cornstarch is crucial for thickening those juices into a luscious, syrupy sauce as the crisp bakes. The lemon juice, as mentioned, isn’t just for a hint of tartness; it’s a flavor enhancer that brightens and intensifies the inherent sweetness of the peaches. Once thoroughly coated, the peaches are transferred to your chosen baking dish – a sturdy cast iron skillet or a classic 9×13 baking pan works perfectly, ensuring even heat distribution and a beautiful presentation.

Freshly sliced peaches, vibrant and ready, in a large mixing bowl.

Granulated sugar and cornstarch being added to the bowl of sliced peaches.

Creating the Irresistible Pecan-Oat Topping

Next up is the crisp’s namesake topping! I find it incredibly convenient to use the same large bowl where I just tossed the peaches. This not only saves on washing up but also allows any lingering peach flavor to subtly infuse the topping. Into this bowl, I combine the rolled oats, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, kosher salt, room temperature unsalted butter, and the majority of our toasted pecan halves (remember to save some for garnish!). The key to a truly fantastic crisp topping lies in how you incorporate the butter. Using your hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients. Pinch, squeeze, and crumble the mixture between your fingers until the butter is fully integrated, and the mixture resembles wet, coarse sand with distinct pecan pieces. This hands-on approach ensures an even distribution and helps create those delightful clusters that crisp up beautifully in the oven.

Once the topping is ready, generously spoon it over the prepared peaches in the baking dish. For a more dynamic texture, I recommend giving it a light, gentle toss with a spoon or your hands. This allows some of the topping to nestle down among the peaches, while other peach slices peek through the crumble. This technique ensures that every bite offers a wonderful combination of both fruit and crispy topping, preventing a solid, uninteresting layer on top.

In the same bowl used for peaches, adding oats, brown sugar, pecans, and butter before mixing for the crisp topping.

The oat, brown sugar, pecan, and butter mixture perfectly combined in the bowl, ready for the peaches.

Baking to Golden Perfection

Now, it’s time to bake your masterpiece! Place the dish into a preheated oven and bake until the top turns a beautiful dark golden brown, and perhaps most importantly, until the liquid around the edges of the fruit is visibly boiling vigorously. This boiling is a critical step because it indicates that the cornstarch has fully activated and is effectively thickening the fruit juices. If the juices don’t come to a full boil, your crisp might end up with a runny filling, which nobody wants! The baking time can vary slightly depending on your oven and the ripeness of your peaches, so keep an eye out for those crucial visual cues.

A glorious Peach Pecan Crisp, fresh and bubbling, just pulled from the oven.

Close-up view of the perfectly baked Peach Pecan Crisp, golden-brown and steaming.

Cooling and Serving Your Delightful Crisp

Once your Peach Pecan Crisp emerges from the oven, resist the urge to dive in immediately! Allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes. This brief resting period is vital for the filling to set further and for the flavors to meld beautifully. After cooling slightly, serve generous scoops of the warm crisp, perfectly topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. The cold, creamy ice cream melting over the warm, fruity crisp is an iconic combination that truly enhances the experience. Don’t forget to sprinkle those reserved toasted pecans over the top for an extra layer of crunch and flavor. This crisp is wonderful served family-style directly from the baking dish, or individually plated. Leftovers, if there are any, keep remarkably well in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be easily reheated in the microwave for a quick, comforting treat.

A scoop of Peach Pecan Crisp elegantly topped with creamy vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of extra toasted pecans.

Expert Tips & Delicious Variations for Your Peach Pecan Crisp

While this Peach Pecan Crisp recipe is fantastic as written, a few tips and variations can help you tailor it to your taste or make it even easier to prepare.

Fruit Substitutions and Enhancements

Other Fruits: As mentioned, this crisp recipe is incredibly adaptable. Feel free to swap peaches for other stone fruits like nectarines or plums, or use berries like blueberries, raspberries, or mixed berries. Apples and pears also work wonderfully, especially in the fall. If using very juicy fruits, you might add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to ensure a thick filling.
Frozen Fruit: Don’t have fresh peaches? Thawed and drained frozen peaches (or other fruits) work perfectly. Simply pat them dry with paper towels before tossing with the sugar and cornstarch mixture to prevent excess moisture.
Adding a Splash of Spirit: For an adult twist, a tablespoon or two of bourbon, rum, or brandy can be added to the peach filling for an extra layer of flavor complexity.

Nutty Topping Adjustments

Toasting Pecans is a Must: Seriously, don’t skip this step! Lightly toasting the pecan halves in a dry skillet or oven for a few minutes before adding them to the topping makes a world of difference. It deepens their flavor and gives them a much better crunch.
Alternative Nuts: If pecans aren’t your favorite or aren’t available, walnuts, almonds (sliced or slivered), or even a mix of nuts can be used in the topping. Just remember to toast them first!
Gluten-Free Option: To make this a gluten-free peach crisp, simply ensure you use certified gluten-free rolled oats.

Flavor Profile Enhancements

More Spices: For an even warmer, more complex flavor, consider adding a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, or allspice to the crisp topping alongside the cinnamon and ginger.
Zesty Boost: A little more lemon zest in the topping can brighten the overall flavor, especially if you love citrus notes.

Storage and Make-Ahead Advice

Storing Leftovers: Any leftover Peach Pecan Crisp should be covered tightly with plastic wrap or transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Reheating: To reheat, you can use the microwave for individual servings until just warmed through. For a crispier topping, reheat portions in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes, or until bubbling and heated through.
Make-Ahead Option: You can prepare the peach filling and the crisp topping separately a day in advance. Store the peaches covered in the fridge and the topping in an airtight container at room temperature. Assemble and bake just before serving for the freshest result.

More Delectable Peach Recipes to Love

Once you fall in love with the versatility and flavor of peaches, you’ll want to explore even more ways to enjoy them! A fantastic place to start is with my super simple Peach Jam recipe – it’s incredibly easy to make and captures the essence of summer peaches in a jar. I often use this homemade jam as a base for other delightful creations, such as my creamy Peach Ice Cream and the indulgent Peaches and Cream Cheesecake. However, some of my all-time favorite peach recipes that truly highlight this fruit are my show-stopping Peach Upside Down Cake and the refreshing Peach Sweet Tea – perfect for a hot day. And for a new, crowd-pleasing favorite, be sure to try these utterly delicious Peach Shortbread Bars.

Did you make this amazing Peach Pecan Crisp recipe? I would absolutely love to hear about it! Please let me know by leaving a review or comment below. And for more delicious recipes, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and culinary inspiration, be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook! Your support means the world.

📖 Recipe Card

Yield: 12 servings

Peach Pecan Crisp

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 30 minutes

This irresistible Peach Pecan Crisp features juicy, sweet peaches with a crunchy, buttery pecan-oat topping. A perfect, easy-to-make summer dessert, especially delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

3 pounds Peaches, sliced (fresh or frozen)
1 large Lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup Granulated Sugar
½ cup Cornstarch
2 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
1 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon Ginger, ground
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, Morton’s
12 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temperature
2 cups Pecan Halves, lightly toasted
Vanilla Ice Cream, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375˚F and butter a 12 or 13-inch cast iron skillet or 9×13 baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine the peaches, lemon zest and juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir everything together until well coated.

Place the fruit into your prepared pan.

In the same bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, butter, and 1 ½ cups of the pecan halves, reserving the rest for toping when serving. Using your hands, combine and crumble working the butter in until the mixture feels like wet sand and the butter is fully worked in.

Spread the topping over the fruit and bake in the preheated oven for 60-75 minutes, till the top is dark golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. It is important the fruit comes to a boil.

Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Scoop out some of the crisp into a bowl, top with ice cream, serve immediately.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheat in a microwave or in the oven just till warmed through.

Notes

Take a few minutes to toast your pecans before using them in the topping. This boosts their flavor and allows you to reserve some for use in topping the crisp when serving.

Be sure the liquid comes to a boil before removing it from the oven. This is why the cooking time varies a bit. It must be boiling around the edges for the cornstarch to do its job and thicken the juices properly.

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Sweet Peach Pecan Crisp