Healthy Peach Crisp

This healthy peach crisp is an easy, gluten-free dessert made with juicy peaches and a golden oat crumble topping. It's naturally sweetened, works with fresh or frozen peaches, and comes together in about an hour. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned peaches!

It's one of my most popular summer desserts: the one I make on repeat every peach season alongside my healthy strawberry crumble and gluten-free blueberry crisp. I wanted something that still tastes like the classic peach crumble I grew up on, but made with simpler, better-for-you ingredients: oats, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and ripe peaches instead of white flour and refined sugar.

I fussed over the texture most. After 17 batches across three peach seasons, two things mattered: the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch that keep the filling from going watery, and adding frozen peaches straight from the freezer rather than thawing them. You get a jammy filling that's never soupy and a crumble that stays crisp, even on day two.

It works with both fresh and frozen peaches, so you can make it year-round! Plus, the steps are straightforward enough that it turns out right whether it's your first crisp or your fiftieth, just like my easy healthy blackberry crumble

Ingredients You'll Need

This healthy peach crisp is made with simple, wholesome ingredients you likely already have at home. I've tested this combination to get the right balance of jammy filling and crisp topping.

For the peach filling:

• Peaches: Fresh, ripe peaches make the sweetest, juiciest filling (just like my air fryer peaches). I've tested it with both fresh and frozen, and both work great. Add frozen straight from the freezer without thawing.
• Lemon juice: Adds brightness and keeps the sweetness from tasting flat.
• Coconut sugar: One of my favorite refined sugar-free sweeteners. It tastes a bit like brown sugar and won't spike your blood sugar the way white sugar does.
• Cornstarch (or arrowroot): Thickens the filling so it turns out jammy instead of watery. Don't skip it, or the crisp will be runny.
• Vanilla extract: Adds a warm, subtle flavor that makes the peaches taste sweeter.
• Cinnamon: Brings that cozy, classic peach crumble flavor.

For the oat crumble topping:

• Rolled oats: The base of the crisp. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed, and don't swap in steel-cut oats or the texture won't turn out right.
• Oat flour or almond flour: Creates that soft, crumbly texture. I've tested both. Oat flour gives a more classic crumble feel, while almond flour makes it a little richer. (For reference, I use oat flour in my healthy blueberry crumble bars.)
• Maple syrup and coconut sugar: Sweeten the topping and give it that caramelized, slightly crisp edge.
• Coconut oil (or butter): Makes the topping golden and crisp. Melt it first so everything mixes evenly.
• Cinnamon and salt: Round out the flavor and balance the sweetness. Don't skip the salt, it makes a bigger difference than you'd think.

Scroll to recipe card for quantities!