Not to toot my own horn, but this Crumble Top Peach Pie might be the best dessert I've ever made. Featuring a flaky crust, fresh summer peaches, and a potentially unreasonable amount of buttery brown sugar crumble, this pie is the stuff of dreams. It's also ridiculously easy to make, taking just 10 minutes of prep to assemble.
When it comes to summer dessert recipes, fruit-centric choices are tough to beat. This peach pie with crumble topping and my blueberry peach cobbler are two of my favorites for celebrating peach season. The bright acidity of peaches is such a refreshing palate cleanser, perfect for pairing with BBQ favorites!
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Why You’ll Love This Easy Pie Recipe
- Quick & Easy - So long as you have a pie crust on hand (I love to keep pre-made crusts in the freezer), this peach crumble pie couldn't be easier to make. You literally only need a fork, a spoon, a mixing bowl, and potentially a knife—unless you choose to use frozen peaches, which come pre-sliced. The entire filling AND crumble prep takes all of 10 minutes, including slicing the fruit. You don't even need a pastry blender!
- Basic Ingredients - Aside from the peaches, the rest of the pie ingredients are regular pantry staples: brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, kosher salt, and butter.
- Fresh & Fruity - Your people are going to flip for this peach crumble pie, especially if you serve it with a scoop of vanilla or oatmeal creme pie ice cream. I know mine sure did. Between us and the in-laws, we polished off the whole thing in a night!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here's everything you'll need to make this easy peach pie with crumble topping:
- Unbaked 9” Pie Crust - While I love to make homemade pie crust and freeze it (this super flaky pie crust recipe is my favorite), I will also keep a box or two of store-bought pie crust in the deep freeze. Check out this post about the best pie crust brands to buy.
- Ripe Peaches - Fresh, sweet peaches make the best pie filling. If they're starting to look a little bruised or wilty, don't worry! They will still be delicious. You can also reach for frozen peaches if you prefer. As a bonus, they’re already washed and sliced! No need to defrost them first.
- Corn Starch - This is used as a thickening agent for the filling. If corn isn't part of your diet, potato starch is my favorite 1:1 substitute. Here are some other cornstarch substitutes to consider.
- Brown Sugar - Use either light or dark versions here, depending on what you have on hand. Darker brown sugar will have more of a deep caramel-y flavor than light. Otherwise, you can make your own brown sugar using granulated sugar and molasses.
- White Sugar - This can be substituted for more brown sugar or coconut sugar instead.
- Cinnamon - While this is technically optional, peaches with a hint of cinnamon are wonderful friends. If you can, give them a chance to hang out. You'll be happy you did.
- All-Purpose Flour - Feel free to swap in oat flour or a gluten-free all purpose flour mix.
- Melted Butter - Vegan butter will also do the trick.
How to Make Brown Sugar Peach Crumble Pie
Seriously, y'all—get ready for the best peach pie of your life.
Step 1: Make Filling. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. If needed, roll the pie dough and place it in a pie pan, fluting the edges with your thumb. Add all the filling ingredients to a bowl and gently stir to evenly combine. Set aside.
Step 2: Make Peach Pie Crumble. Add all dry ingredients for the crumble topping to a large mixing bowl. Stir with a fork to combine. Pour in melted butter and stir until the crumble mixture is uniform and sticks together in little salty-sweet chunks of deliciousness. NOTE: This is a great recipe for putting on top of coffee cakes and sweet muffins. Keep it filed in your memory! It goes well with just about any flavor.
Step 3: Assemble. Add the peach mixture to your prepared (unbaked) pie shell, making sure to get all of the yummy peach juices that have accumulated in the bowl. Sprinkle the top of the pie evenly with the crumb topping.
Step 4: Bake Uncovered. Place pie in the preheated oven. Bake, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes.
Step 5: Cover & Bake. As soon as the edges of the crust start to look deep golden brown, cover with a piece of aluminum foil to prevent burning. Continue to bake for a total of 55-60 minutes.
Step 6: Cool & Serve. Remove the baked crumble pie from the oven and set it on a rack to cool for at least an hour or two to let the filling set up. (Or dig right in, but know that it's gonna be messy. Delicious, for sure, but messy all the same.) When ready to serve, slice into wedges and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy every summery bite!
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
As much as I love this peach crumble pie recipe just the way it is written, there are several ways to adapt it to your needs and preferences:
- Vegan/Dairy-Free: Use a vegan pie crust and swap in vegan butter for the crumble topping.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free pie crust and swap in oat flour or a gluten-free all purpose flour blend for the crumble topping.
- Add Nuts: For an extra crunchy crumble, add ½ cup of chopped pecans. You can also make this incredibly delicious pecan sandie pie crust for extra pizzazz.
- Swap Fruit: Other stone fruit like nectarines or plums would be excellent in place of the fresh peaches!
Expert Tips
- Choose juicy peaches for the best flavor. Look for peaches that feel heavy for their size, give slightly when gently pressed, and have a sweet, fragrant aroma at the stem. A little surface wrinkling around the stem can also be a good sign—they’re extra ripe and ready to burst with juicy goodness. Avoid peaches that are rock-hard or overly green, as they were likely picked too early and may never fully ripen.
- Make clean-up easy. If you have a shallow pie dish and you're worried about overflow, place the pie on a rimmed parchment-lined large baking sheet before putting it in the oven. It will catch all the syrup and prevent you from having to scrub the oven! (Speaking of, I highly recommend using oven liners to keep your scrubbing to a minimum.)
- Don’t peel. I didn't bother peeling the peaches for this crumble top peach pie, and ya know what? It didn't matter one bit—every bite was perfect. Save yourself the time and energy, and just the fruit cut into wedges.
- Free food. Find an awesome batch of peaches? Save the pits for planting!
- Be patient. Allow the pie to cool for at least an hour before slicing so the tender peach filling has time to set up.
Storage Instructions
- Store any leftover peach pie in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, making sure to let it cool completely before covering. It will keep well at room temperature for 1–2 days.
- For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 4 days—just keep in mind the crumble topping may lose some of its crispness.
- Fresh peach pie freezes well, especially if you freeze it before baking. Assemble the pie, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, pop it straight into the oven from frozen—just add an extra 15–20 minutes to the bake time.
- If you’ve already baked the pie, let it cool completely, then wrap slices or the whole pie tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 300ºF oven until warmed through and the topping is crisp again.
- To reheat, place a slice on a baking sheet and warm it in a 300ºF oven for 10–15 minutes to help revive the texture. You can also microwave individual slices for 20–30 seconds, though the topping will be softer.
Serving Suggestions
The best way to enjoy a slice of fresh peach pie is warm, ideally with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream slowly melting into the juicy filling and crumbly topping. A dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of heavy cream also pairs beautifully if you prefer something lighter. Try serving it alongside a mug of coffee with a dollop of vanilla yogurt for a delightful for breakfast the next morning (no judgment here!).
FAQs
A peach pie can turn out runny if there’s too much juice and not enough thickener to set it. Peaches release a lot of liquid as they bake, especially if they’re extra ripe or weren’t pre-cooked. To help thicken the filling, we add a starch—like cornstarch or potato starch—which absorbs moisture and creates a luscious, jammy texture.
Another secret weapon? Leave the skins on! Peach skins naturally contain more pectin than the flesh. Pectin is a plant-based thickener that helps gel the juices as the pie cools, giving you a sliceable filling instead of a soupy mess.
The main difference comes down to the topping and structure. A peach pie features a classic pie crust—either a bottom crust with a top crust, lattice crust, or a crumble topping—and is meant to be sliced, while the others are served by the spoonful.
Peach cobbler, on the other hand, is more rustic. It has a biscuit or cake-like topping spooned over the fruit, giving it a “cobbled” look. A peach crisp includes a crunchy topping made with oats, butter, and sugar, which bakes up golden and textured. A peach crumble is similar to a crisp but skips the oats, relying on a simple streusel topping.
When using melted butter, the secret lies in mixing just enough to create those perfect buttery clumps without overworking the dough. Pour the melted butter over your flour and sugar mixture, then stir gently until it forms moist, sandy crumbles. The goal is to create a variety of textures—some small crumbs, some larger chunks—that will bake up crisp and golden. Don’t pack it down on the pie; let it stay loose and craggy so the heat can circulate and create that irresistible crunch.
If you're using a crumble topping, like on this peach pie, make sure it’s not too wet, and don’t overmix. Bake the pie uncovered on the center rack so the hot air can circulate and dry out the topping. For extra crispiness, you can finish the pie under the broiler for 1–2 minutes at the end of baking—just watch it like a hawk to prevent burning. Letting the pie cool completely before slicing also helps the topping firm up and stay crisp.
Adding crumble to a dessert pie is easy, but timing and texture matter. Once you’ve filled your pie crust with the fruit filling, sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top. If you’re working with a juicy filling (like peaches), make sure your crumble is on the drier side so it doesn’t melt into the fruit. Bake the pie uncovered so the crumble can crisp up properly, and rotate the pie halfway through baking to ensure even browning.
More Fruity Dessert Recipes
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Crumble Top Peach Pie
Ingredients
- 1 Prepared Pie Crust Unbaked
Filling
- 5 C Sliced Peaches about 2.5 lbs
- ¾ C Brown Sugar
- 4 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Crumble Topping
- ¾ C Brown Sugar
- ½ C Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ C All Purpose Flour or sub oat flour or gluten free all purpose mix
- 1 ¼ sticks Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F.Add all the filling ingredients to a bowl and gently stir to evenly combine. Set aside.5 C Sliced Peaches, ¾ C Brown Sugar, 4 tablespoon Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Add all dry ingredients for the crumble topping to a mixing bowl. Stir with a fork to combine. Pour in melted butter and stir until the dough is uniform and sticks together in little salty-sweet clumps of deliciousness.¾ C Brown Sugar, ½ C Sugar, 1 tablespoon Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, 1 ½ C All Purpose Flour, 1 ¼ sticks Butter
- Add the peach mixture to your prepared (unbaked) pie shell, making sure to get all of the yummy juices that have accumulated in the bowl. Sprinkle evenly with the crumble filling. Place the pie in the preheated oven. Bake, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes. As soon as the crust starts to look deep golden, cover with a piece of tinfoil to prevent burning. Continue to bake for a total of 55-60 minutes.Remove the baked crumble pie from the oven and set it on a rack to cool for at least an hour or two to let the filling set up. (Or dig right in, but know that it's gonna be messy. Delicious, for sure, but messy all the same.)1 Prepared Pie Crust
Notes
- If you have a shallow pie dish and you're worried about overflow, place the pie on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet before putting it in the oven. It will catch all the syrup and prevent you from having to scrub the oven!
- Don't bother with peeling the peaches for this crumble pie.
- Best Pie Dough: this all-butter recipe is my favorite to make from scratch. Check out this post about the best pie crust brands to buy.
- Store any leftover peach pie in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, making sure to let it cool completely before covering. It will keep well at room temperature for 1–2 days.
- For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 4 days—just keep in mind the crumble topping may lose some of its crispness.
- Fresh peach pie freezes well, especially if you freeze it before baking. Assemble the pie, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, pop it straight into the oven from frozen—just add an extra 15–20 minutes to the bake time.
- If you’ve already baked the pie, let it cool completely, then wrap slices or the whole pie tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 300ºF oven until warmed through and the topping is crisp again.
- To reheat, place a slice on a baking sheet and warm it in a 300ºF oven for 10–15 minutes to help revive the texture. You can also microwave individual slices for 20–30 seconds, though the topping will be softer.
Nutrition
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