Easy Peach Crisp with Oats

Peach crisp is a classic favorite, but have you ever considered a whole-food, plant-based version? Not only does it align with a vegan lifestyle, but it also brings a host of nutritional benefits while maintaining that irresistible flavor and texture.

During the warm summer month of August, Boulder gets delivery of delicious local Palisade, Colorado, peaches. And, this Easy Peach Crisp with Oats is a great way to use them. Peaches don’t last long, especially if they’re ripe.

Why Choose a Whole Food, Plant-Based Peach Crisp?

1. Nutrient-Dense Ingredients: Traditional peach crisp recipes often include refined sugars, butter, and processed flour. A whole food, plant-based version replaces these with nutrient-dense alternatives. For example, using rolled oats and almond flour for the crisp topping adds a delightful crunch and provides fiber, healthy fats, and essential vitamins.
2. Natural Sweeteners: Plant-based recipes utilize natural sweeteners like maple syrup and date sugar instead of relying on refined sugar. These alternatives have a lower glycemic index and are packed with trace minerals and antioxidants.
3. Healthy Fats: This plant-based peach crisp offers healthy fats that support heart health by swapping out butter for nut butter. These fats are also easier for the body to digest and use efficiently.
4. Fiber-Rich: Whole grains, nuts, and fruits used in a plant-based peach crisp significantly boost their fiber content. This aids in digestion, helps maintain a healthy weight, and supports overall gut health.
5. No Animal Products: This whole-food, plant-based peach crisp aligns with vegan principles, avoiding any animal-derived ingredients.

Of course, peaches are wonderful by themselves, but I really enjoy them for dessert, sliced on my oatmeal, or in a smoothie. You could also peel, slice, and freeze them to have your very own supply all year long.

Be sure to lay them out separately on a baking sheet so they don’t stick together. Once they’re frozen, gather them up and put them into a container.

Making the Switch: A Simple and Satisfying Recipe

Creating a whole-food, plant-based peach crisp is straightforward and rewarding. Here’s a simple outline to get you started:

Ingredients:

• Fresh peaches
• Oat flour
• Chia seeds
• Almond flour
• Date sugar & maple syrup
• Almond butter
• Lemon juice
• Cinnamon and nutmeg

This easy peach crisp with oats is also a good choice for house guests. You could serve it with vanilla vegan ice cream or a dollop of cashew cream.

Peeling the peaches is probably the hardest part of this recipe. A fast way to do that is to immerse them in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Once boiled, the skins should easily slip off. See the quick “how-to” video below.

Most crisp toppings use butter, and almond butter is a much better substitute. If you want less fat, try this vegan peach crisp recipe with a little more applesauce for moisture. Also, for a gluten-free version, choose gluten-free oats. I make my granola with applesauce (no fat), and it turns out great.

Don’t forget you could even eat this vegan peach cobbler with oats for breakfast.

Plant-based desserts are not only delicious but satisfy your sweet tooth:

• Baked Apples with Cashew Cream
• Vegan Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream
• Blueberry Lemon Coconut Bars
• Chai Spice Apple Muffins
• Carrot Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thanks to Donna Manquen for helping me develop this plant-based peach crisp recipe. She has taught a plant-based nutrition course in Buffalo.

I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Easy Peach Crisp with Oats! If you have a photo, post it on my Instagram page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking in your caption, and I won’t miss it!

Print Recipe

4.14 from 30 votes

Save Saved!

Peach Crisp

Beautiful, delicious peaches made into a healthier version of peach crisp, substituted with almond butter and date sugar.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 cups

1/21x2x3x

Equipment

• Vegetable Peeler
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids
• Ceramic Bakeware

Ingredients

• 5-6 large peaches (or 10-12 cups frozen) peeled and sliced
• 3 tbsp chia seeds or cornstarch or tapioca starch
• 1/8 cup date sugar (optional if peaches aren't sweet enough)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp Ceylon cinnamon*

Topping

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free oats if needed)
• 1/4 cup oat flour (make your own by grinding oats in a blender)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 cup date sugar
• 1/4 cup almond butter smooth or crunchy
• 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon*
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg optional

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350° and put the sliced peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle with chia seeds (or cornstarch or tapioca starch), lemon and cinnamon. Add date sugar if your peaches don't seem sweet enough. Depending on how much juice your peaches are giving off, you might need to add a little more or less chia seed.
• Let the peaches stand for about 15 minutes to thicken up and pull some of the juices from the peaches.
• Put into an 8.5x11" baking dish. If your dish is not non-stick, you can spray with a little oil.
• In the same bowl, add the oats, oat flour, maple syrup, date sugar, almond butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until it's a crumbly texture. It should not be too wet or too dry.
• Evenly sprinkle the topping over the peaches.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is starting to brown. If it doesn't seem to be browning, turn on the broiler for a few minutes. Be sure to watch it carefully because it will start to brown quickly.

Notes

*I recommend using Ceylon cinnamon, which has a sweeter, more delicate flavor, because the most common cinnamon, cassia, contains coumarin, a naturally occurring compound that may be toxic to the liver at doses of 1 teaspoon per day for adults and 1/4 teaspoon for children a few times a week. See reference from nutritionfacts.org.

Serving Size: 1 cup

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Peach Crisp

Amount per Serving

Calories

207

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

7.5

g

12

%

Saturated Fat

 

0.8

g

5

%

Cholesterol

 

0

mg

0

%

Sodium

 

4.2

mg

0

%

Carbohydrates

 

32

g

11

%

Fiber

 

6.1

g

25

%

Sugar

 

15.2

g

17

%

Protein

 

6

g

12

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutrition information is a rough estimate. Values will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it’s recommended that you calculate your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

Tried this recipe?Tag @PlantBasedCooking on Intagram!