Crisps and crumbles are some of my favorite homey, comforting desserts any time of year. They’re equally as perfect in the summer with berries or stone fruits as they are in the winter with apples and pears! Did you know that although many people use the words interchangeably, crisps and crumbles are actually different? Crisps tend to use oats and nuts (in addition to flour & butter) in their topping, whereas crumbles usually contain more of a streusel-like topping with butter and flour only. Both are delish, but I tend to prefer crisps for all that added texture thanks to the oats and nuts! I was super lucky this summer, because my mom brought me some of the tastiest peaches from back home in the Texas Hill Country (thanks mom!). They were frozen to maintain freshness, so I just thawed them and reserved the juice (makes for a great bellini!) before baking, but you can also use fresh fruit here if you have access to it. I love baking crisps in my Staub cast iron skillet- it somehow looks rustic and fancy all at the same time, and also makes serving a breeze. Just grab a large spoon and dig in. I must say this summery dessert pairs perfectly with a crisp (get it, haha) glass of Lorenza Rosé enjoyed out on the deck. Whatever you do- don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!
Peach Crisp:
6-8 cups sliced peaches (fresh or frozen)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup dark brown sugar (or more if your peaches aren’t super sweet)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter
vanilla ice cream, for serving
Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, add peaches (thawed and liquid drained if using frozen), granulated sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Pour peach mixture into a cast iron skillet, and place on a large sheet tray (to catch any spillage!). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, slivered almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a pastry cutter (or your hands), incorporate butter into flour mixture until you have a clumpy mixture. Scatter crisp topping over the peaches, and bake until peaches are bubbling and crisp is golden, about 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.
*Adapted from Perfect Peach Crisp by Delish.
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