Pioneer Woman peach crumble from The Pioneer Woman site tops cinnamon-sugared peaches with a melted butter crumble of flour and brown sugar baked at 375°F. And the dessert serves 6 to 8 at approximately 340 calories per serving in about 50 minutes, since the crumble topping stirs together in the same bowl the filling used.
Most crumble recipes cut cold butter into the flour with a pastry blender, but this version melts the butter first and stirs it in. So the topping comes together in under a minute without any special tools, and the melted butter creates uneven clumps that bake into a mix of crispy and chewy pieces.
Tossing the sliced peaches with sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla before they go into the dish is what draws out the natural juices and builds a syrupy filling during baking. And if you skip that step and just lay plain peaches in the dish, the fruit bakes dry underneath the topping because nothing has pulled moisture to the surface.
Source: The Pioneer Woman (thepioneerwoman.com)
Pioneer Woman Peach Crumble
Course: Desserts4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalSliced peaches toss with sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt before pouring into a pie plate. Then flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon stir with melted butter into a crumbly topping that scatters over the fruit and bakes golden in 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- For the filling:
4 cups sliced peaches (from about 2 lbs.)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- For the topping:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- For serving:
Vanilla ice cream
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Heat to 375°F.
- Mix the filling: Then stir together the sliced peaches, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Fill the dish: Once tossed, pour the peach mixture into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or an 8×8 baking dish.
- Make the topping: In the same bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Add the melted butter: Then pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture is crumbly with uneven clumps.
. - Top the peaches: Once crumbly, sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit.
- Bake until golden: Then bake for about 40 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges.
- Serve warm: Once done, let cool a few minutes and serve with vanilla ice cream
FAQs
Can I use frozen or canned peaches?
The source page says both work when fresh peaches are out of season, but thaw and drain frozen peaches or drain canned ones before tossing with the sugar mixture. And the page suggests adding a little extra lemon juice and sugar to make up for the milder flavor of processed fruit.
But fresh summer peaches produce the juiciest filling, because their natural sugars caramelize against the hot dish during baking. Since the crumble topping does not change regardless of which peach type you use, the filling quality is the main variable.
What is the difference between a crumble and a cobbler?
The source page explains that a crumble has a dry, crunchy topping made from butter, flour, and sugar, while a cobbler uses a biscuit dough or batter. And the pioneer woman peach cobbler on the site uses a dropped biscuit dough that bakes into golden mounds, so the two desserts look and feel completely different on the plate.
A crisp is another close relative, but it typically includes nuts and oats in the topping for more texture. Since this crumble sticks to just flour, sugar, and butter, the result is simpler and lets the peach flavor carry the dessert.
Do I need to peel the peaches?
The source page says peeling is entirely optional, and leaving the skins on helps the slices hold their shape during the 40-minute bake. And the thin peels soften in the oven, so most people do not notice them in the finished dessert.
But if you prefer a smoother filling, blanch the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds and transfer to ice water. Since the heat loosens the skins, they slide off with your fingers in seconds.
How should I store leftovers?
The source page says to refrigerate the cooled crumble for up to 5 days, though the topping softens the longer it sits. And reheating individual portions at 375°F for about 10 minutes crisps the topping back up better than microwaving does.
For another Pioneer Woman fruit dessert that stores well, the pioneer woman blackberry cobbler keeps covered in the fridge for up to 4 days with its cake-like topping. But both desserts taste best warm from the oven with a scoop of ice cream melting over the top.
Can I use cardamom instead of cinnamon?
The recipe lists cardamom as a direct swap for cinnamon in both the filling and the topping, and the warm floral spice pairs naturally with stone fruit. Since cardamom is slightly more intense than cinnamon, start with the same 1/2 teaspoon and taste the raw filling before baking.
But do not use both together at full strength, because the combined spice can overpower the delicate peach flavor. And if you want to experiment, try 1/4 teaspoon of each for a blend that adds complexity without dominating.
