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?
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Peach Crisp
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
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
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
Nutrition
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I appreciate your feedback! Please consider rating the recipe along with your comment—it helps me and fellow readers. Feel free to share any substitutions, results, or tips. Kind, constructive comments only. Your email won’t be published.
This looks so delicious! I will definitely be making this sometimes this week! Especially with the fall weather coming, it’s nice to have a warm breakfast and this seems like a healthy substitution for a warm peach cobbler. Thank you for sharing!
Hi, Christina and thanks for your comment. I think you will enjoy this and the nice thing is that you can substitute other fruit in place of peaches, as well. I’m thinking apples would be good this time of year, too. I love the idea of having it for breakfast, too.
hi, just so you know, oats aren’t traditionally gluten-free. they are only gluten-free for people who are only intolerant not coeliacs. thank you.
Thanks for the reminder, Madeline. It shouldn’t have been under “gluten-free” without a note. I knew this but forgot when I posted to mention it. I updated the recipe.
Will tinned peaches work as well? If so, how many?
Hi Tia, I have never made this dish with canned peaches, but it might work. You wouldn’t have to bake them as long since they’re usually somewhat soft to start with. Let me know if you try it how it goes.
Has anyone made this and frozen it for later use? Thinking of making it in advance for Thanksgiving.
Hey Jeanine, I haven’t tried freezing it nor heard from anyone that has. I did find this though so it sounds like it’ll work… “Baked crisp freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes or until heated through.”
I love this recipe & have made it several times, even with other fruits. To make it even healthier, I substitute the sugar & maple syrup in the crisp for blended dates & bananas. This acts as a sweetener & it tastes great! 🙂
Hey Suzanna, thanks for the feedback! So glad you’re enjoying the recipe and I love your substitutions. I’m going to try this next time I make it.
Yum! Does it matter if the peaches are hard or just about rotten?
It shouldn’t matter except the hard peaches may take a little more time in the oven to soften.
Has anyone made this with pears?
I haven’t yet. It’ll probably work, although pears are softer and have more moisture. Worth a try to see. 🙂
Made this last night and had it for breakfast today. Delicious! I’ve found that dates, date syrup, and date sugar don’t make my blood sugar spike like other sweeteners. Thanks for the recipe. It’s definitely a “keeper”.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe and that’s good to hear about dates. 👍