This Gluten-Free Peach Crisp is a wholesome, healthy summer dessert! Fresh or frozen peaches create a juicy, jammy layer under a crumbly, buttery topping.
And it’s also grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, vegan and Paleo friendly!
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Why this recipe works
A peach crisp is a classic American summer dessert for a reason: juicy peaches are baked under a crumbly, crispy topping until bubbly and golden brown. Served with vanilla ice cream, it highlights summer produce while also feeling cozy and old-fashioned.
But some of us can’t tolerate the ingredients typically used, such as flour, butter and refined sugar. Even the oats used in the topping can be a problem.
So I wanted to create an easy gluten-free peach crisp recipe without oats, flour or dairy.
The peach layer uses maple syrup instead of white sugar to sweeten it. To thicken the juices, arrowroot flour/starch is used instead of flour or cornstarch. And you can use fresh or frozen peaches!
The topping is made with almond flour, coconut sugar and – to get that crisp topping – sliced almonds. It’s the same topping I used for my gluten-free blackberry crisp which got great results!
And instead of butter, this recipe uses palm shortening or coconut oil – whichever you prefer.
I also like to take the extra step of chopping the peaches before baking them. Traditionally you just slice them but peach slices are much too big for a spoon and such a pain to try to cut into chunks with a spoon! It is an additional step but I highly recommend it.
What you need
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds peaches, pitted, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained if frozen)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup – We’re not using a lot of sweetener as the peaches already provide some sweetness, as does the topping.
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour/starch – This will help thicken the peach juices, creating a jammy, saucy layer.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds – Once they’re chopped up, they’re almost like oatmeal in a regular crisp recipe!
- 1 1/4 cups superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 3/4 cup palm shortening or coconut oil (solid, not melted) – I recommend palm shortening as I find it’s the best dairy-free butter substitute for baking, but you can also use coconut oil. Refined coconut oil won’t have any coconut flavor but unrefined coconut oil might add a coconut flavor.
- vanilla ice cream, for serving (dairy-free/vegan, if necessary)
Equipment:
- an 8×8″ baking dish or other 6-cup baking dish
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- a medium mixing bowl
- a fine-mesh sieve (if your almond flour is clumpy)
- a whisk
- a cutting board
- a chef’s knife
- a spoon
- 2 knives, a pastry cutter or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment
- a cooling rack
How to make a Gluten-Free Peach Crisp.
Step 1: Heat the oven to 375° F.
Step 2: Chop the sliced almonds until they’re mostly about the size of oats (some larger pieces are fine). Place in a medium mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl, if using).
Step 3: If using fresh peaches, cut them into eighths (cut them in half, then keeping cutting in half until you have 8 wedges).
Step 4 (optional but recommended): Whether using fresh or frozen peaches, chop them into bite-sized chunks. This usually means cutting the wedges into thirds if they’re large or half if they’re small.
Step 5: In the baking dish, toss the peaches, maple syrup, arrowroot, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt with your hands until everything is evenly combined. Set aside and wash your hands.
Step 6: In the bowl with the sliced almonds, add the almond flour (sifting it through a fine-mesh sieve if it’s clumpy), coconut sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix until combined.
Step 7: Use a spoon to add the palm shortening or coconut oil in small clumps all over the almond flour mixture. Using the stand mixer with a paddle attachment, a pastry cutter or two knives (see pics below), blend or slice the fat through the dry ingredients until the mixture has the texture of wet sand. You can also use your fingers but it’ll get messy!
Step 8: Spread the topping evenly over the fruit and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the juices are bubbling around the edges.
Step 9: Let cool (preferably on a cooling rack) for at least 20 minutes but longer is fine. The longer it sits, the more the juices will thicken and set. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
You can use honey instead of maple syrup (but then it won’t be vegan).
You can use tapioca flour/starch instead of arrowroot.
You can use lime juice or orange juice instead of lemon juice.
You can also add the zest of 1/2 a lemon or 1/4 of an orange to the filling.
You can add 1 teaspoon, 3/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and/or 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg to the topping.
Once the baked crisp has completely cooled, tightly seal the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Remove the plastic wrap and reheat in a 300° F for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Keep in mind the topping won’t be as crisp as it is when freshly baked
The crisp can be tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and then foil in its own dish, placed in a airtight container or baggie and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Remove the foil and plastic wrap and reheat in a 300° F for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Keep in mind the topping won’t be as crisp as it is when freshly baked.
Yep. The recipe as written is completely gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free and dairy-free. So it is appropriate for a Paleo lifestyle.
Yep. The recipe as written is completely free of animal products. So it is appropriate for a vegan lifestyle.
Other recipes you might like:
- Paleo Peach Cobbler (gluten-free)
- Paleo Blackberry Crisp (gluten-free, vegan)
- Paleo Apple Crisp (gluten-free, vegan)
- Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (gluten-free, vegan)
- Paleo Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins (gluten-free)
Gluten-Free Peach Crisp (Paleo, vegan)
Ingredients
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 2 pounds peaches, pitted fresh or frozen (thawed and drained if frozen)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoons arrowroot flour/starch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 1¼ cups superfine blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ¾ cup palm shortening or coconut oil
- vanilla ice cream, for serving (dairy-free/vegan, if necessary)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°.
- Chop the sliced almonds until they're mostly about the size of oats (some larger pieces are fine). Place in a medium mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl, if using).
- If using fresh peaches, cut them into eighths (cut them in half, then keeping cutting in half until you have 8 wedges).
- Optional but recommended step: Whether using fresh or frozen peaches, chop them into bite-sized chunks. This usually means cutting the wedges into thirds if they’re large or half if they’re small.
- In the baking dish, toss the peaches, maple syrup, arrowroot, lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon salt with your hands until everything is evenly combined. Set aside and wash your hands.
- In the bowl with the sliced almonds, add the almond flour (sifting it through a fine-mesh sieve if it's clumpy), coconut sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix until combined.
- Use a spoon to add the palm shortening or coconut oil in small clumps all over the almond flour mixture. Using the stand mixer with a paddle attachment, a pastry cutter or two knives (see pics in blog post), blend or slice the fat through the dry ingredients until the mixture has the texture of wet sand. You can also use your fingers but it’ll get messy!
- Spread the topping evenly over the fruit and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the juices are bubbling around the edges.
- Let cool (preferably on a cooling rack) for at least 20 minutes but longer is fine. The longer it sits, the more the juices will thicken and set. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Remove the plastic wrap and foil and reheat in a 300° F for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. Keep in mind the topping won’t be as crisp as it is when freshly baked.
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