Vegan and gluten-free peach crisp proves you do not need butter or flour for a jammy, golden-topped dessert. Ripe peaches bake with tapioca, lemon, and vanilla under a cinnamon-almond crunch.
There’s nothing that says ‘summer’ quite like a warm, bubbling peach crisp straight from the oven. Imagine sweet, juicy peaches, softened to perfection, nestled under a blanket of crunchy, golden-brown almond topping. This recipe is my absolute go-to for using up those gorgeous seasonal peaches. It’s naturally sweetened with palm sugar, completely vegan, and gluten-free, making it a dessert that everyone can enjoy. Serve it warm with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream for a truly unforgettable treat!
Ingredients
• For the Peach Fruit Filling
• 3 lbs / 1.4 kg (3.09 lb) peaches, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1½-inch / 4-cm chunks
• 1 tbsp / 8g tapioca flour
• 2 to 4 tbsp / 25-50g palm sugar, to taste
• 1 tsp / 5 ml fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp / 5 ml vanilla extract
• Coconut oil for greasing baking dish
• For the Crisp Topping
• ¾ cup / 100g (3.5 oz) almonds, toasted and chopped
• ½ cup / 50g (1.76 oz) almond flour
• 6 tbsp / 75g palm sugar
• ¼ tsp / 1g (0.04 oz) ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp / 0.5g (0.02 oz) ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp / 0.5g (0.02 oz) salt
• 5 tbsp / 75 ml coconut oil, melted
Instructions
1. Preparation
2. Prepare your station: Set an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 400°F / 200°C. Lightly grease an 8-inch / 20-cm square baking dish with coconut oil. For super easy cleanup, place the dish on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Make the filling: In a large bowl, gently toss together the peach chunks, tapioca flour, palm sugar (use more or less depending on the sweetness of your peaches), lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Spread this glorious mixture evenly in your prepared baking dish.
4. Bake the fruit first: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You’re looking for the fruit to get hot and release its delicious juices, creating the perfect saucy base.
5. Create the crisp topping: While the fruit bakes, combine the toasted almonds, almond flour, palm sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a food processor. Pulse about 9 times, until the nuts are finely chopped. Drizzle in the melted coconut oil and pulse 5 more times, just until the mixture looks like crumbly, wet sand.
6. Assemble and bake again: Transfer the topping to a separate bowl and use your fingers to pinch it into small, pea-sized crumbles. Once the fruit is done with its first bake, remove it from the oven, discard the foil, and give it a gentle stir. Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the hot fruit.
7. Bake to golden perfection: Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for about 15 minutes, rotating it halfway through. The crisp is ready when the topping is a deep golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling beautifully around the edges. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving—this allows the filling to set up perfectly.
Nutritional Information
• Serves: 6-8. Serving Size: 1 slice. Calories: 350 kcal. Carbohydrates: 45g. (1.59 oz) Protein: 6g. (0.21 oz) Fat: 18g. (0.63 oz) Saturated Fat: 8g. (0.28 oz) Sodium: 50mg. Fiber: 7g. (0.25 oz) Sugar: 30g. (1.06 oz) ( is an estimate and may vary based on used.)
Pro Tips
• Don’t overmix the topping. Pulse the food processor just enough to combine the . Overmixing can create a paste rather than the light, crumbly texture you want for a perfect crisp.
• Make it ahead. The crisp topping can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The fruit filling can be assembled in the baking dish and kept at room temperature for up to 4 hours before baking.
• Perfect pairings. Serve this crisp warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla bean ice cream, a dollop of coconut cream, or a drizzle of dairy-free yogurt for a tangy contrast.
• No need to peel. If you’re using ripe, thin-skinned peaches, you can skip the peeling step. The skins soften beautifully during baking and add a lovely color and extra fiber.
FAQ
Q: Can I use a different vegan sweetener instead of palm sugar
A: Yes, you can easily substitute the palm sugar. Maple syrup or coconut sugar are excellent 1:1 replacements that will maintain the recipe’s vegan and naturally sweetened profile. If using a liquid sweetener like maple syrup in the topping, you may need slightly less melted coconut oil to achieve the right crumbly texture.
Q: How can I make this peach crisp nut-free
A: To make this recipe nut-free, substitute the toasted almonds and almond flour with an equal amount of rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats if needed) and a seed-based flour like sunflower seed flour. You can also use toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds for the chopped nut component to retain that delicious crunch.
Q: What is the best way to store leftover vegan peach crisp
A: Store any leftover peach crisp covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, reheat it in a 350°F / 175°C oven for 10-15 minutes until the topping is crisp and the filling is warm and bubbly again.
Q: Can I use other fruits besides peaches in this vegan crisp
A: Absolutely! This vegan and gluten-free crisp recipe is very versatile. Try it with a mix of berries, plums, apples, or pears. Adjust the sugar based on the sweetness of your fruit and the baking time as needed—softer fruits like berries will cook faster than firm apples.
Pro Tips
- Tapioca flour is the thickener that turns peach juice into glossy syrup — do not swap it for wheat flour if you need the crisp gluten-free.
- Toast the almonds before chopping them; their warmth carries the whole topping.
- Taste the peaches before deciding on the palm sugar — perfectly ripe fruit needs less.
- Let it cool twenty minutes before serving so the filling sets instead of running.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen peaches for peach crisp?
Yes — thaw them partially and drain the excess liquid, or toss them in frozen and add a few extra minutes of baking.
Is this crisp really vegan and gluten-free?
Yes — the topping is almonds and almond flour, and the dish is greased with coconut oil. No butter, no wheat anywhere.
Can I substitute the palm sugar?
Any sugar you like works — coconut sugar and brown sugar are the closest in flavor.
How do I store peach crisp?
Cover and keep it two to three days; a short reheat in the oven brings the topping back to crisp.
Recipe card below.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Vegan and Gluten-Free Peach Crisp
Ingredients
Method
- Preparation
- Prepare your station: Set an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 400°F / 200°C. Lightly grease an 8-inch / 20-cm square baking dish with coconut oil. For super easy cleanup, place the dish on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, gently toss together the peach chunks, tapioca flour, palm sugar (use more or less depending on the sweetness of your peaches), lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Spread this glorious mixture evenly in your prepared baking dish.
- Bake the fruit first: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. You're looking for the fruit to get hot and release its delicious juices, creating the perfect saucy base.
- Create the crisp topping: While the fruit bakes, combine the toasted almonds, almond flour, palm sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a food processor. Pulse about 9 times, until the nuts are finely chopped.
- Drizzle in the melted coconut oil and pulse 5 more times, just until the mixture looks like crumbly, wet sand.
- Assemble and bake again: Transfer the topping to a separate bowl and use your fingers to pinch it into small, pea-sized crumbles.
- Once the fruit is done with its first bake, remove it from the oven, discard the foil, and give it a gentle stir.
- Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the hot fruit.
- Bake to golden perfection: Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for about 15 minutes, rotating it halfway through. The crisp is ready when the topping is a deep golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling beautifully around the edges.
- Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving—this allows the filling to set up perfectly.
- Don't overmix the topping. Pulse the food processor just enough to combine the . Overmixing can create a paste rather than the light, crumbly texture you want for a perfect crisp.
