Dive into the luscious flavors of summer with our Incredible Peach Crisp. This delightful dessert combines the natural sweetness of ripe peaches with a satisfying, crunchy topping, all while being mindful of your dietary needs. Perfect for those seeking a healthier option, this crisp is both low in sugar and gluten-free, ensuring everyone can enjoy a guilt-free indulgence.
Start with ripe but firm peaches. Wash them thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or residues.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. You can optionally add a little lemon juice or vinegar to the water to help maintain the peach color.
Using a sharp knife, make a shallow X-shaped cut at the bottom of each peach. This helps in easy removal of the skin after blanching.
Carefully place the peaches into the boiling water using a slotted spoon.
Blanch them for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how ripe they are. The goal is to loosen the skin without cooking the fruit.
Once blanched or poached, immediately transfer the peaches to a bowl of ice water using the slotted spoon. This stops the cooking process and makes it easier to handle.
After cooling in the ice bath for a few minutes, the peach skin should easily peel off. You can use your fingers to gently rub off the skin starting from the X-shaped cut.
Once peeled, slice then chop. Proceed with recipe. If not using immediately, store them in the refrigerator.
Add coconut sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and cornstarch to peaches and coat well. Pour into a 8x8 or 9x9 square baking dish. If using individual ramekins, fill with about 1 cup of peach mixture.
Prepare topping
Combine oat flour, whole oats, vegan butter and coconut sugar with a fork or your fingers to make a crumb mix. This is one of the times when I use vegan butter. If you choose to not use vegan butter, you can use applesauce or a nut butter.
Pour crumb mix over peaches. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until peaches juice bubbles and topping is crisp and nicely browned.
Notes
If you don't have any peaches on hand, try any stone or fall fruit. Apples, pears, nectarines, plums, or cherries would all be fabulous here.The coconut sugar adds a touch of sweetness which allows for bypassing using maple syrup (which can be a bit pricy). So use the sweetener of your choice that fits your nutritional goals.This is one of the VERY rare times I use vegan butter. If you prefer to avoid vegan butter, you can use applesauce e or a freshly ground, unsalted, and unsweetened nut butter such as almond or cashew.