Peach crisp is a classic summer dessert but add pecans to the mix and you get something extraordinary. This peach pecan crisp is warm, sweet, buttery, and crunchy in all the right places. It celebrates ripe, juicy peaches in the best way possible: bubbling under a brown sugar oat crumble packed with toasted pecans. It tastes like sunshine and nostalgia, baked into one golden skillet.
This isn’t your average fruit dessert. The pecans bring a caramelized crunch that balances the soft, syrupy peaches underneath. Each bite is a perfect mix of textures and flavors—a little tangy, plenty sweet, and rich with warm spice. It’s the kind of dessert that feels like home, whether you’re serving it after a family dinner or scooping it up by the spoonful straight from the pan.
In the U.S., crisps are a staple of summer and fall baking, thanks to their flexibility and ease. No pie crusts or fancy techniques required. Just fresh fruit, a handful of pantry staples, and a hot oven. This recipe leans into that simplicity, while turning up the flavor with toasted nuts and cinnamon.
The key to a great crisp is balance. You want the filling to be juicy but thick enough not to run all over the plate, and the topping to be crisp, not soggy. This recipe nails it, with cornstarch in the fruit to thicken the juices and butter worked into the topping for golden, crunchy clusters.
We recommend using fresh peaches when in season, but frozen peaches work just as well. If using frozen, make sure to thaw and drain them to avoid excess moisture. The topping is a mix of oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans, all brought together with cold butter.
Serve it warm, preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. The contrast of hot and cold, soft and crunchy, is unbeatable.
This peach pecan crisp also travels well, reheats beautifully, and can be made ahead of time. It’s one of those desserts you can throw together last-minute and still impress everyone at the table.
Want to make it more decadent? Add a drizzle of caramel sauce on top. Prefer less sugar? Cut back the brown sugar a bit and let the natural sweetness of the peaches shine. The recipe is forgiving and easy to customize.
This dessert brings together everything people love about American baking: seasonal fruit, warm spice, and a golden-brown, buttery finish. It’s approachable, adaptable, and soul-satisfying.
It’s especially great for gatherings, potlucks, or just because you picked up a basket of perfect peaches and need something sweet. No matter how or when you make it, this peach pecan crisp will win hearts.
Even those who claim not to like fruit desserts tend to go back for seconds. It’s that good. The crunch of the pecans takes it to another level.
Bake it once and you’ll want to make it again and again—because few things beat the smell of warm peaches, cinnamon, and brown sugar wafting through your kitchen.
This is comfort food in its most irresistible form. And it doesn’t get much easier than this.
Servings: 6 servings
Time:
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
For the filling:
- 6 cups sliced fresh peaches (or thawed frozen peaches)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, toss peaches with sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and vanilla. Transfer to a greased 9×9-inch baking dish.
- In another bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pecans.
- Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the peaches.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Best served warm with ice cream.
Tips:
- Toast the pecans before adding for extra flavor.
- Make ahead and reheat in a 300°F oven until warm.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg for deeper spice.
Why You Will Love This Recipe:
Warm peaches, buttery oats, and toasted pecans make this crisp a rustic yet elegant dessert. It’s easy to make, hard to mess up, and even harder to resist.
This peach pecan crisp is a cozy, crunchy dessert full of juicy fruit and warm spice. Easy to prep, crowd-friendly, and endlessly comforting.
