Sweet peaches and tart rhubarb baked under a mountain of buttery, brown-sugar oat crumble. The absolute best sweet-and-tart flavor match you’ll make all summer.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Fresh peaches: Sweet, floral, and juicy. When baking, they soften into a jammy base that perfectly complements the tart rhubarb.
- Fresh rhubarb: Provides the necessary “zing.” Its natural tartness cuts through the sugar, creating that addictive sweet-and-sour balance.
- Granulated & brown sugar: A mix provides a balanced sweetness that caramelizes with the fruit juices.
- Cornstarch: Crucial for absorbing the excess liquid released by the peaches and rhubarb, turning the juices into a thick, syrupy sauce rather than a watery pool.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: The backbone of the crisp topping, providing that essential nutty, rustic chew.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of your crumble, helping the oats and butter bind into those perfect, crunchy clusters.
- Brown sugar: Adds depth and a rich, molasses-like caramel flavor to the topping.
- Unsalted butter: Rubbed into the flour and oats to create a rich, buttery crumble that browns beautifully in the oven.
- Lemon juice: A dash of acidity to brighten the fruit flavors and keep the rhubarb from tasting too earthy.
- Baking powder: Gives the crumb topping just enough lift so it isn’t dense or rock-hard.
- Ground cinnamon: Essential for bridging the gap between the fruit and the buttery topping with a hint of warmth.
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish (or 10-inch cast-iron skillet)
- 1 large mixing bowl (for fruit filling)
- 1 medium mixing bowl (for crumble topping)
- Pastry cutter (or just your hands/fork)
- Measuring cups and spoons (or digital scale)
- Rubber spatula
Our tips for a perfect peach rhubarb crisp
Because we put every single recipe through its paces in our kitchen, we’ve learned exactly what turns a good cobbler into a perfect one. Keep these three simple tricks in mind:
- Don’t Fear the Peeling: While you can leave the skins on, peeling your peaches gives the filling an incredibly luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The easiest way to do this without wasting fruit is to score a small “X” on the bottom of each peach, drop them into boiling water for 30 seconds, and then submerge them in ice water. The skins will slide right off with your fingers!
- The Boiling Water Secret: Adding a splash of boiling water at the very end of mixing your biscuit dough partially gelatinizes the starches in the flour. This creates a uniquely light, tender, and intensely moist biscuit that bakes beautifully on top of wet fruit without getting doughy or dense underneath.
- Give the Fruit a Head Start: Baking the spiced peaches by themselves for 10 minutes before adding the dough guarantees that your fruit will be perfectly tender and jammy by the time the biscuits are golden brown. It prevents the common pitfall of having perfectly baked biscuits sitting on top of crunchy, undercooked fruit.
How to store your crisp
Peach cobbler is best enjoyed warm on the day it’s baked, but the leftovers make for a spectacular breakfast or dessert the next day.
- In the Fridge (Up to 4 Days): Once the cobbler has cooled completely to room temperature, cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
- The Best Way to Reheat: To restore that fresh-baked magic, avoid the microwave if you can, as it will make the biscuit topping soggy. Instead, place your desired portion in an oven-safe dish and heat it in a 350°F (177°C) oven or toaster oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the peaches are bubbling again and the biscuit topping is perfectly crisp.
FAQ
Can I use frozen peaches and rhubarb?
Yes! Do not thaw them first, as they will release too much water. Toss them while frozen and increase the baking time by about 10–15 minutes. You may also want to add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to handle the additional moisture.
My topping isn’t crunchy; it’s soft/sandy. What happened?
This usually happens if the butter wasn’t worked into the flour/oats thoroughly, or if the fruit was too wet. Ensure you rub the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse sand. If it feels too dry, add a tiny bit more melted butter.
Can I swap the rhubarb for something else?
Rhubarb and peaches are a classic because the tartness of the rhubarb cuts the sugar of the peach. If you can’t find rhubarb, try swapping it with tart green apples (like Granny Smith) or raspberries, which provide a similar acid profile.
Does the crisp need to cool for 15 minutes?
Yes, absolutely. If you scoop into it straight out of the oven, the fruit filling will be thin and runny. That 15-minute rest period allows the cornstarch-thickened juices to settle into a gorgeous, syrupy consistency that coats the peaches perfectly.
Peach Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups fresh peaches, sliced
- 2 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish (or a large 10-inch cast-iron skillet) with butter or nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced peaches and rhubarb with the sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Pour the mixture and all its juices into your prepared baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter. Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Spread the dough over the fruit mixture.
- Bake the crisp for 35 to 40 minutes. Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls and serve warm, ideally topped with a giant scoop of melting vanilla bean ice cream.
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