Peach and raspberry oat crumble brings together soft, fragrant peaches, sharp berries and a golden topping with plenty of texture. It is a straightforward pudding to make when you want something warm and fruity without rolling pastry or getting out a mixer. The peaches soften into generous pieces, while the raspberries break down around them to make a vivid sauce. Rolled oats give the crumble a pleasantly rough finish, with small buttery clusters that stay crisp above the bubbling fruit.
This recipe puts the fruit at the centre and uses a little sugar to round out its flavour. Serve it warm with plain yoghurt, custard or a spoonful of cream, depending on what you fancy. There is no need to dress it up further: the contrast between the juicy filling and the crumbly top does most of the work.
What you will need
Serves: 6. Preparation: about 20 minutes. Baking: 35–40 minutes, followed by 10–15 minutes resting. Use an ovenproof dish roughly 20 cm square, or a similar dish with enough room for the fruit and topping without filling it to the rim.
For the peach and raspberry filling
- 750 g ripe peaches, weighed before removing the stones
- 200 g raspberries
- 25 g light brown soft sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 level teaspoons cornflour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the oat crumble topping
- 100 g plain flour
- 90 g rolled porridge oats
- 75 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 50 g light brown soft sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A small pinch of salt
You will also need a mixing bowl, a knife, a chopping board and a baking tray to sit beneath the dish. Ordinary rolled oats work well here. Very fine instant oats give a less distinct texture, while coarse oat groats will not soften sufficiently during the baking time.
How to make the crumble
- Heat the oven. Set it to 190°C, or 170°C fan, gas mark 5. Put a baking tray on the middle shelf to catch any fruit juices that might bubble over. Check that your crumble dish fits comfortably on it.
- Prepare the peaches. Wash them, cut around the stones and slice the flesh into wedges about 1–2 cm thick. Leave the skins on unless you particularly dislike their texture. Put the wedges into the ovenproof dish, discarding the stones and trimming away any bruised areas.
- Mix the filling. Stir the filling sugar and cornflour together in a small bowl. Scatter this over the peaches, add the lemon juice and vanilla, then toss gently. Fold in the raspberries last so that some remain whole. Spread the fruit into an even layer.
- Rub in the butter. Put the flour into a mixing bowl and add the cold butter. Rub it between your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs with a few slightly larger buttery pieces. Stop before the mixture becomes smooth or starts clumping into a dough.
- Finish the topping. Stir in the oats, topping sugar, cinnamon and salt. Squeeze a few small handfuls gently to form loose clusters, then break them apart. This gives you a mixture of fine crumbs and larger crunchy pieces.
- Assemble and bake. Scatter the topping evenly over the fruit without pressing it down. Place the dish on the baking tray and bake for 35–40 minutes. It is ready when the top is golden and the filling bubbles visibly around the edges. Pierce a peach wedge near the edge to check that it is tender.
- Rest before serving. Leave the crumble for 10–15 minutes. The filling will still be warm, but its juices will settle slightly and become easier to spoon. Divide between bowls, making sure everyone gets both fruit and topping.
Choosing peaches that bake well
Look for peaches that smell fragrant and yield slightly when pressed gently. They should feel ripe without collapsing in your hand. Firm fruit can work, but slice it a little more thinly and check carefully for tenderness before taking the crumble out of the oven. Very soft peaches are better cut into larger pieces so they retain some shape.
There is usually no need to peel peaches for a crumble. Their skins soften in the oven and help hold the wedges together. If you prefer peeled fruit, use a vegetable peeler where possible, taking care with slippery ripe peaches. The filling should be juicy, so avoid draining away the peach juices released while you prepare the topping.
Getting a crisp top and a juicy filling
A good crumble needs space for moisture to escape. Use a fairly broad dish so the topping forms an even layer rather than a deep mound. Pressing it down makes a dense lid, so scatter it loosely and leave the little gaps between the crumbs.
The cornflour lightly thickens the fruit juices rather than turning them into a firm set filling. Mixing it with the sugar first helps prevent lumps. Look for bubbling juice as well as a golden surface: a browned top alone does not tell you whether the fruit underneath has cooked through.
If the topping colours before the peaches soften, loosely cover the dish with foil and continue baking, checking every five minutes. If the finished crumble seems particularly juicy, give it the full resting time before serving. Some sauce in the bottom of the dish is part of its appeal.
Simple variations
- Use nectarines: replace the peaches with the same weight of ripe nectarines and prepare them in the same way.
- Add a little ginger: replace the cinnamon with ¼ teaspoon ground ginger for a warmer flavour that still lets the peaches shine.
- Include chopped almonds: replace 25 g of the oats with 25 g roughly chopped almonds for extra crunch. Keep the other topping quantities unchanged.
- Use frozen raspberries: add them straight from the freezer. Allow extra baking time if needed, checking that the filling is bubbling and the peaches are tender.
Serving, making ahead and storing
Plain yoghurt makes a cool, tangy accompaniment, while custard gives a softer, more traditional finish. Spoon either alongside the crumble just before eating to preserve the contrast in texture.
To prepare ahead, make the topping and refrigerate it in a covered container for up to a day. Keep the peaches whole until you are ready to assemble the filling. Scatter the chilled topping over the prepared fruit and bake as directed.
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate, covered, within two hours. Eat within two days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until steaming hot throughout, or use an ovenproof dish in the oven at 180°C, or 160°C fan, until thoroughly hot. The oven helps restore some crispness; microwave reheating gives a softer topping. Reheat only the amount you plan to eat.
