Whether you are out camping or have a hankering for peach crisp at home, this Dutch oven peach crisp with almonds is easy to whip up indoors or out with plenty of the crunchy crisp topping everyone loves. Find more of my cast iron campfire Dutch oven recipes.
I am a sucker for fruit desserts. As much as I love chocolate, I’ll take a slice of apple pie or berry cobbler over a chocolate cake. So when summer fruits are in season, my family and I easily go through a couple pounds of strawberries, blueberries, peaches and nectarines a week. And don’t forget the melons, too.
Summer time also means camping time or just general spending more time outdoors. We go to the beach, the park, the pool, you name it and enjoy more hiking, biking, swimming and general frolicking. And being outdoors more, means cooking outdoors. And that’s where I really shine, easy recipes to cook outdoors, like this campfire Dutch oven peach crisp with almonds.
What is the difference between a crisp and a cobbler?
Only in America do we have so many fruit desserts that come in so many varieties and are called by such strange names. I will do my best to help you muddle through this wonderful world of fruit desserts!
Crisp: This is what I am sharing today. Baked in a casserole dish with fruit on the bottom and a crispy topping over it. Similar to a crumble, except that the topping contains oats and nuts. (Check out my recipe fro strawberry rhubarb crisp.)
Betty: Made with layers of fruit and buttered bread pieces (or crumbs) and baked together. Check out this recipe for blueberry brown betty.
Buckle: A cake like batter baked in a pan with fruit placed on top. As the cake bakes, the fruit sinks down and bakes in the center. (Check out this recipe for brown butter blueberry buckle.)
Cobbler: Baked in a casserole dish with fruit on the bottom and sweet biscuit dough pieces on top. (Check out my recipe for peach blueberry cobbler)
Crumble: Fruit baked on the bottom with a crumbly streusel topping made from sugar, flour and butter. (Check out this recipe for loquat crumble.)
Grunt: Similar to a cobbler, but made in a skillet on the stove top. Also called a slump. (Check out this great recipe for mixed berry grunt.)
Pandowdy: Fruit baked on the bottom with rolled pastry on top. Once out of the oven, the pastry is then broken into pieces to absorb the sweet fruit juices. (Check out this recipe for blueberry peach pandowdy)
Pie: Pastry crust on the bottom with fruit in the middle and sometimes more pastry on top. (Check out my recipe for homemade peach blueberry pie!)
Why you must try this recipe
Of course of all the fruit desserts listed above, one of the easiest to throw together is also one of my favorite summer desserts: the fruit crisp. And one of my favorite fruits to use is the peach! You can use practically any fresh fruit that is in season, so you can make an apple rhubarb crisp, a quince crisp and even a grape crisp.
But I especially love using peaches. In August, peaches are in abundance and I they are truly the perfect fruit: juicy, sweet and oh so full of flavor. And they are true perfection in this Dutch oven peach crisp.
Crisps are super easy to make. You can also use a variety of different fruits. Just chop the fruit, throw in a little sugar and flour and your base is done. Sprinkle the crisp topping and bake.
I love the sweet warm fruit and give me lots of that delicious and fragrant crisp topping. My daughter and I fight over that so I made sure that there is plenty of it. Eat it alone or top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Yum. Yum. AND double yum!
Ingredients you need
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- Peaches: You can use fresh or frozen peaches for this recipe. If you are using fresh peaches, I prefer to peel them as the skin can separate while baking and you don’t want to fish out peach peels. If you are camping, throw a bag of frozen peach slices in your cooler and it will thaw by the time you need to bake with it. Please do NOT use canned peaches. Canned peaches are poached in a sugary syrup and filled with preservatives. They will turn to mush when baked in a fruit crisp and will be way too sweet, in my honest and humble opinion.
- Lemon: A little lemon juice keeps your fruit from oxidizing and browning. You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice. I also like to add lemon zest to the crisp, so I prefer using a fresh lemon.
- Almond slices: You can also use chopped pistachios, walnuts, pecans or omit if you do not want nuts.
- Butter: I use cold unsalted butter for the crisp topping. For a non-dairy alternative, you can use coconut butter.
- Pantry staples: Granulated sugar, cornstarch, old fashion oatmeal, all purpose flour, light brown sugar and salt.
- Seasonings: Ground cinnamon and ground ginger
Tools to Use
Step-by-step directions
1. In a coal chimney, light up 22 briquettes.
2. Peel and remove seed from peaches. Cut in slices and place in a large mixing bowl. Mix in lemon juice, granulated sugar, lemon zest and cornstarch with the peaches and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, using your fingers to pinch and rub the dry ingredients in with the butter until coarse crumbs form.
3. Transfer peach mixture and all of the juices into a 10-inch Dutch oven and spread out evenly.
4. Sprinkle oatmeal topping over the peaches and cover completely.
5. Cover the pot and set 8 coals underneath the Dutch oven and 14 coals on the lid. Bake for 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Remove top from the Dutch oven and let crisp cool for 10 minutes before serving
This peach crisp can easily be baked in your kitchen oven as it can be baked over a campfire. You can bake it in a cast iron skillet or any oven safe baking dish. Again, simply pour in the peach mixture, sprinkle over the topping and bake at 350ºF for about 45 minutes.
Recipe tips and FAQs
One reason I love a peach crisp so much, besides all of that peachy goodness, is that it can be enjoyed hot, warm or cold. Cakes require cooling before you add frosting and you would never dream of reheating it before you eat it.
But a crisp is really delicious warm, especially topped with some vanilla ice cream. So if you are making this crisp at home for a party and want to make it ahead of time, you totally can make it the day before and reheat it again.
To reheat any fruit crisp, take it out of the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. Then reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes. Presto, warm fruit is ready to enjoy!
The answer is based on personal preference. I personally, like to have the peaches peeled when I use them in baked goods. Many times the peel separates from the fruit and you are fishing out peach peels from your peach crisp.
Some people swear by NOT peeling their peaches when making a crisp or any other baked peach dessert. I leave it up to you and your own personal preferences.
If you do use fresh peaches, and you are peeling the peaches, I recommend using a serrated peeler because it grabs the edges of the peach skin beautifully. Ripe peaches are also easier to peel so look for firm yet ripe peaches to use in this peach crisp.
Once you get a corner pulled up, it easily separates from the rest of the fruit. Some people blanch their peaches in hot water, like you do for tomatoes, to help remove the peel. Choose whichever method works better for you.
And when you are camping, you can easily place a frozen bag of peach slices in the cooler. It works both as an ice pack in the cooler, and as it thaws, they are easy and ready to throw together in a crisp.
But do NOT use canned peaches, please, for this Dutch oven peach crisp. Canned peaches are poached in a sugary syrup and filled with preservatives. They will turn to mush when baked in a fruit crisp and will be way too sweet, in my honest and humble opinion.
Camping Cookbook
And if you didn’t know, I have a new cookbook out that is perfect for whenever you cook outdoors, whether you’re camping, at the beach, park or lake house: The Camp & Cabin Cookbook (Countryman Press 2018). I have 100 recipes that are all prepared outdoors and over fire using multiple techniques, including the beloved Dutch oven. Learn more about my camp cookbook!
Campfire Dutch Oven Peach Crisp with Almonds
Whether you are out camping or have a hankering for peach crisp at home, this Campfire Dutch Oven Peach Crisp with Almonds is easy to whip up with plenty of the crunchy crisp topping everyone loves.
Ingredients
- 7 large peaches, approximately 3-pounds
- 2 TBS lemon juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Grated zest from 1 lemon
- 2 TBS cornstarch
- 1 cup old-fashion oatmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup almond slices
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- In a chimney, light up 22 briquettes.
- Peel and remove seed from peaches. Cut in slices and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in lemon juice, granulated sugar, lemon zest and cornstarch with the peaches and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, using your fingers to pinch and rub the dry ingredients in with the butter untill coarse crumbs form.
- Transfer peach mixture and all of the juices into a 10-inch Dutch oven and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle oatmeal topping over the peaches and cover completely.
- Cover the pot and set 8 coals underneath the Dutch oven and 14 coals on the lid.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling.
- Remove top from the Dutch oven and let crisp cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
To prepare at home, bake peach crisp in a shallow 2-3 quart baking dish and bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
Serve alone, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
You can also use walnuts or pecans instead of almonds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
2 scoopsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 69mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 4gSugar: 33gProtein: 4g
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Just beautiful. Dessert or breakfast!
Oooooh yes! Crisp for breakfast is perfect!!
I’m going stone fruit tasting today – just saying!!!! We love crisps in our house.
Lucky you! That sounds like my kind of fun!