A peach crumble is one of the easiest desserts to make. Fresh peaches topped with a pecan cookie crumble that will melt in your mouth. If you like Pecan Sandies, you’ll love this topping.
I’ve been on the search all summer for a great peach cobbler, crisp or crumble. Taylor doesn’t like cake, so my favorite peach cobbler was off the list. Peach blackberry cobbler is another favorite fresh fruit dessert, but it is a little cakey.
I’ve been experimenting with crisps and crumbles trying to find just the perfect combination, not too sweet but thick enough to absorb some of the peach juice. This recipe for peach crumble with a pecan topping is fantastic making it hard for me to decide which recipe to make when I have a large box of peaches on my counter.
I always loved Pecan Sandies as a kid, I can’t believe Keebler still makes them. This is my dream combination, peaches, that are not overly sweetened, topped with an old fashioned cookie crumble.
I now make this dessert every summer once the peaches hit the fruit stands, sometimes with a mixture of white and yellow peaches and sometimes with just yellow peaches, it’s great whatever combination you use. You can leave the skins on or peel them depending on your preference, I like mine peeled. Here are some tips for peeling and cutting peaches.
The secret to this amazing peach crumble recipe is toasted pecans. The are finely ground and form the base of the crust which gives the topping that Pecan Sandy taste and texture. We all decided that we can stop searching for a crumble topping, it can’t be any better than this one.
All you need for the peach filling
- Peaches – any type or combination, pealed or un-pealed. They should be sweet enough to eat.
- Lemon juice
- Cornstarch so it’s not too juicy
- Just a little sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon
What you’ll need for the pecan crumble topping
- Toasted pecans – try toasting them in the toaster oven, it takes just a couple of minutes. You can also use the oven or toast in a skillet on the stove. Keep a close eye on them, it doesn’t take long to burn.
- Powdered sugar – this gives them a cookie texture.
- Turbinado or any coarse sugar for a crisper topping.
- Butter
- Flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla
How do you make a peach crumble
- First make the crumble by combining ground pecans and flour and then pour melted butter over the mixture, because it just wouldn’t be the same without butter!
- Combine the mixture with a fork and add some chopped toasted pecans.
- Next cut up your peaches and add some cornstarch and seasoning and place them in your baking dish. Top with the crumble and bake!
This crumble is great right out of the oven, supper crunchy on top and you just can’t beat baked peaches. Try to eat this the same day you make it. As it sits, the peaches will make the topping soggy. It still tastes great the next day or two, the texture is just a bit mushier.
Not that it kept Taylor from taking the leftovers home with her. You can just put this in the oven while you’re eating dinner and it will be perfect when you’re ready for dessert.
What’s the difference between a cobbler, crisp and crumble
All three are baked fruit, the only difference is what you decide to put on top. While the fresh fruit is the star of these desserts, the topping can make all the difference.
Cobblers are covered with a biscuit like topping so that the biscuits can absorb some of the juice. Cobblers are great with almost any fruit, because who doesn’t love a good biscuit, but I think the biscuit topping works best with fruits that are super juicy when cooked like berries.
Cobbler Recipes
Crisps and Crumbles are very similar. Instead of a biscuit, they are topped with a streusel like topping. Most crisps have an oatmeal based streusel while a crumble is typically made with a flour based streusel, both have butter and some type of sugar. The idea is that the topping gets crisp while the fruit bakes. These are especially good with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
You’ll find that the terms “crisps” and”crumbles”, are used interchangeable.
Crisp Recipes
Crumble Recipes
Why make a cobbler, crisp or crumble over a pie
The biggest reason to choose a cobbler, crisp or crumble over a pie is convenience. You don’t have to plan ahead. Just cut up your fruit, mix with a bit of cornstarch or flour and top it with some basic pantry ingredients mixed with butter.
You can pull a fabulous dessert together in 15 minutes and let it bake while you’re preparing dinner.
It’s a great way to use up fruit that’s getting too ripe or if your fruit is not the best, baking it will bring out the natural flavors.
A final reason is that fruit gets really juicy when it cooks and that can make a mess if you’re making it into a pie, and of course, you don’t have to make a pie crust.
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
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Peach and Pecan Sandy Crumble
Ingredients
Topping
- 1 cup pecan pieces toasted
- 1¾ cups flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup butter melted
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
Filling
- 8 cups peaches diced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Topping: Toast pecans and cool. In a food processor, add ¾ cup of pecans along with about one-quarter cup of the flour and grind the nuts until they are powdery. Add the remaining flour, powdered sugar, turbinado sugar, salt, baking powder and pulse two or three times to combine. Transfer dry mixture to a bowl and add melted butter and vanilla. Stir together with a fork until small and large clumps form, then stir in remaining coarsely chopped pecans. Refrigerate until needed.
- Filling: Preheat oven to 375º. Peal peaches if desired and cut into chunks. Toss the peach chunks with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish or several smaller ramekins.
- Remove topping from the refrigerator and cover fruit with the topping. Bake until crumble topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling and begins to creep up over the topping a little, about 40 to 50 minutes. If your topping browns too much before this happens you can cover the top with foil until it is done baking.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Bake in a 9 x 13 baking dish or in individual ramekins.
- You can choose to peel the peaches or leave the peelings on.
- Use white or yellow peaches or any combination as long as they are sweet.
- You can use Demerara or Muscovado instead of Turbinado sugar.
- You can make this in advance, just add the topping prior to baking.
Nutrition
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