Healthy Peach Crumble

Healthy Peach Crumble (gluten free, refined sugar free and ready in 35 minutes)

crumble is one of those desserts that somehow always fits the moment perfectly. this peach crumble in particular might be the thing i'm most proud of making this year, which i realise is a strong statement given it's september and i have made a lot of recipes. i said this on my stories immediately after making this peach crumble and i still stand by it lol. it did not even last until the next day in my household!

there is something about the combination of sweet, juicy, bubbling peaches underneath a golden, buttery oat crumble topping. it is just so deeply satisfying and the contrast of the two textures together is addictive. i feel like crumble was made for that late summer season where we are all in autumn mode and want a cozy dessert but we still want something that is refreshing.

i use frozen peaches and i'd recommend for ease doing the same unless you have a lot of fresh peaches lying around. the reason for this isn't that fresh peaches are inferior, it's just that frozen peaches are pre-cut and go straight from the freezer into the tin without any peeling, cutting or pitting. i love any dessert that is delicious and super easy to put together but definitely tastes like a labor of love without the hassle.

peaches are not only divine and the star of the show in this recipe, they are also a rich source of chlorogenic acid and quercetin, two polyphenols that have been studied for their anti-inflammatory effects and their role in blood sugar regulation. chlorogenic acid in particular has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and slow the absorption of glucose after eating. so a win, win!

the arrowroot powder is mixed through the peaches before the crumble goes on top as it is what thickens the juice as the peaches cook and bubble. without it the peaches can be quite watery and the crumble absorbs too much liquid, going soft in patches rather than staying crisp. one teaspoon of arrowroot keeps everything jammy and thick without making it gluey. you can sub the arrowroot powder for corn starch or tapioca powder.

the cinnamon goes in with the peaches too, not the crumble, so every piece of fruit has that warm spice and arrowroot coating for extra cozy flavours. then we move onto the crumble topping, which is oat flour and porridge oats together, and the combination is what gives it the best texture. the cinnamon isn't just there for flavour. its active compound, cinnamaldehyde, inhibits NF-κB, which is a key signalling pathway in the inflammatory response. it has been studied for its positive effects on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity, which is why i love adding cinnamon to everything tbh.

i originally tested this recipe with oat flour alone but i found it makes a crumble that's quite fine and almost sandy. adding the whole porridge oats gives you more variation: some fine, crumbly bits mixed with larger oat clusters that toast up and go slightly golden at the edges. the 40g of coconut sugar is the amount that works beautifully without being overly sweet. if you're using very sweet fresh peaches, you could reduce it to 30g, but since i'm using frozen peaches that i can't taste beforehand, 40g balances any tartness perfectly. it tastes more caramelised than sugary, which is what you want from a crumble topping and pairs deliciously with the buttery oat crumble.

the butter goes in melted, not cold. this is the opposite of how most crumble recipes work, where you rub cold butter into flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. the melted method is simpler and gives you a different result: a topping that clumps more easily when you work it with your hands, and bakes into larger, more textured pieces with a better golden colour. once everything is mixed in the bowl, use your hands to press and squeeze portions into rough clumps before scattering them over the peaches for the most optimal texture. some of those clumps will stay mostly intact as they bake and give you satisfying bigger pieces of crumble to break through. the bits that don't clump turn golden and cakey.

to make this peach crumble dairy free, swap the butter for the same quantity of melted coconut oil. the crumble bakes up slightly softer and there's a subtle coconut note that actually surprisingly works well with peaches. the flavour is a little lighter than butter and slightly less rich. i prefer the butter version and i always opt for grass fed butter, it has a much cozier and richer flavour than the coconut oil version but both are delish!

then we bake at 170°C for 20 to 30 minutes. you're looking for two things happening at once: the crumble golden brown at the edges, particularly the parts touching the sides of the tin or the big chunks, and the peach filling bubbling up around the sides. if only the top looks done but nothing is bubbling, give it another couple of minutes. the bubbling is what tells you the filling has thickened properly from the arrowroot. when both are happening, it's ready!

let it cool for at least 20 minutes before serving. the filling is extremely hot straight from the oven and it also sets slightly as it cools, which makes scooping much cleaner. serve it warm, or wait for it to cool completely, both are mouthwatering lol and the crumble topping stays crisp either way. add a scoop of dairy-free ice cream, a dollop of coconut cream, a big spoonful of vanilla yogurt or absolutely nothing and enjoy. i have eaten this straight from the tin warm with a spoon and i would do it again.

for other fruit forward desserts, my apple fritters are baked, quick and have been going insanely viral since i posted them (i'm talking 25 million views across platforms lol). my mini blueberry olive oil cake is another one that feels very end-of-summer coded, and if you want something completely no bake, my mango yogurt bites are three ingredients and take ten minutes!