Gluten-Free Peach Crisp (Vegan-Friendly!)

Gluten-Free Peach Crisp – This is the PERFECT peach crisp recipe! With sweet peach filling and a gorgeous crumble on top, it’ll make all your summer dessert dreams come true. (Dairy-Free + Vegan-Friendly)

There are a few things that definitely make Arizona a crazy place to live in the summer (I’m looking at you, never ending triple digit heat!), but one thing I LOVE is that Arizona’s peach season is early. Like, May, early. That means we get to enjoy crates of fresh Arizona peaches just as summer’s starting to turn the corner, then we get to rely on the rest of the nation’s peaches all summer long. It basically gives us an extra month of peach season!

We’ve been eating juicy peaches for months now, and we’re still going strong. I’ve tossed them into our Peach Pineapple Smoothies, spooned them into Peach Berry Fruit Salad, mixed up batches of Peach Salsa, made lots of Peach Oatmeal, and lost count of how many I’ve eaten over the kitchen sink with juice running down my arm. But we’re not over them yet!

Today I’m sharing a classic summer recipe you won’t want to miss: the PERFECT Gluten-Free Peach Crisp!

With a sweet peach filling and a gorgeous crumble on top, our gluten-free peach crisp recipe is everything I LOVE about peach season. It’s also REALLY easy to make!

Here’s what you’ll need to make our incredible gluten-free peach crisp…

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO OUR GLUTEN-FREE PEACH CRISP RECIPE:

• Fresh Peaches. Juicy, ripe, fresh peaches are the base of our gluten-free peach crisp recipe. I almost always use yellow peaches because of their signature color and flavor. SO GOOD!
• Brown Sugar. One of the big things that makes our recipe special is that we make our gluten-free peach crisp with brown sugar in the filling instead of white sugar! Just like with our gluten-free apple crisp, I find that brown sugar gives an almost caramel-y taste to the filling, which is SO good with juicy, ripe peaches.
• Cornstarch. I prefer using cornstarch to thicken my peach crisp filling, since it gets an almost jammy texture and really makes the color pop.
• A Tiny Splash of Orange Juice. Another little secret–I use a tablespoon of orange juice (or lemon juice) to brighten the natural flavor of the peaches. It’s technically optional, and if your peaches are at their peak ripeness, you may not need it, but I do love the subtle difference it makes.
• Vanilla (+Almond Extract, If You Want). Adding a splash of vanilla to our gluten-free peach crisp filling adds a soft, sweet note that’s lovely. Peach + almond are natural best friends, so I like to add a little almond extract to the filling as well. I know it’s not everyone’s favorite, so feel free to skip it if you’re not a fan.
• A Pinch of Salt. Salt is VERY important here! Just a tiny pinch (less than 1/8 tsp.) of salt is just enough to help balance and wake up all the other flavors.
• Our Gluten-Free Peach Crisp Topping. Just like our Gluten-Free Apple Crisp and Gluten-Free Berry Crisp recipes, our Gluten-Free Peach Crisp Topping is made from a mix of softened butter (or vegan butter), brown sugar, gluten-free flour, gluten-free oats, and vanilla. Then, I add a little cinnamon to round things out.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE PEACH CRISP:

TRY ADDING NUTS! Some chopped pecans or sliced almonds can be a delicious addition to gluten-free peach crisp topping. About 1/2 cup will do the job! Do keep an eye on your topping as it bakes, as nuts have a tendency to brown quickly. If your topping is browning quickly, just cover it lightly with foil and you should be good to go!

MAKE IT VEGAN! It’s easy to turn this into gluten-free vegan peach crisp! All you need to do is use sugar you feel comfortable with (certified vegan, if desired), and a vegan butter option (like Earth Balance) for the crisp topping. Easy-peasy!

THE BEST WAY TO PEEL PEACHES FOR GLUTEN-FREE PEACH CRISP: For me, the easiest way to peel peaches is to cut them into quarters, then use a paring knife to pull back the skin on each of the quarters (the pointed ends of the quarters make it easy to get hold of the skin). If you prefer to do all the peaches at once, you can to the blanch and peel method, which Jessica Gavin walks you through here. My mom does hers this way, too! (I typically find I can peel all the peaches using my quarter + peel method in the same amount of time it takes for the water to boil + the peaches to blanch, so it’s easier for me to just quarter and peel.)

HOW TO RIPEN PEACHES MORE QUICKLY: Placing your peaches in a brown paper bag for 1-2 days is a good way to help ripen them faster. Ripening peaches give off ethylene gas, which the bag can trap, ripening the peaches more quickly. Or, you can place them near a bunch of bananas, which can also increase the ethylene gas near the peaches.

THE BEST DAIRY-FREE VANILLA ICE CREAM. We’re a dairy-free family, and we love serving peach crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Our favorite dairy-free vanilla ice creams are NadaMoo! Vanilla, So Delicious Coconut Milk Vanilla, Oatly Oat milk Vanilla Ice Cream. (In that order, I think.)

FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR GLUTEN-FREE PEACH CRISP: 

Can I Use Frozen Peaches For Peach Crisp? Absolutely! No need to thaw them in advance–just stir them into the recipe as directed and plan to add an additional 5-10 minutes to the bake time. (Keep an eye on your topping and gently cover the pan with foil if the crisp topping starts to brown too quickly.)

Do You Use White Peaches Or Yellow Peaches For Peach Crisp? I find yellow peaches work better in peach crisp recipes, but it’s largely a matter of personal preference. I find the slightly more tangy and sweet flavor of the yellow peaches is a better match for the other flavors in our gluten-free peach crisp recipe. If all you have is white peaches, go for it!

Do You Peel Peaches For Gluten-Free Peach Crisp? It’s honestly 100% up to you! I prefer peeled peaches since my kids aren’t fans of peach skins, but if they don’t bother you, feel free to leave them on!

Can I Use Almond Flour or Oat Flour Instead of Gluten-Free Flour? It’s up to you! For the lightest texture, I prefer gluten-free flour, but almond flour and oat flour can both work here. Just keep an eye on them, as they can brown more quickly in the oven. (Especially almond flour). Coconut flour will NOT work in this recipe.

How To Store Leftover Peach Crisp. Leftover peach crisp is best stored in the refrigerator. Cover your pan with plastic wrap or foil, then store in the refrigerator 2-3 days.

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