I knooooowwww it’s October and everything’s supposed to be all about pumpkin, BUT in case you have any fresh peaches stashed away, THIS is what you need to do with them! This apple peach walnut crisp is the perfect transition dessert from summer to fall. It’s got lots of warm flavors and makes the perfect, light ending to any cozy meal. And you only need one bowl. Need I say more?
One of the things we absolutely love to, and must always, do in the fall is go apple picking. I annually pick more apples than I can stand to eat by myself, which always makes for the best baking, I find. Well, it just so happened that right as the first Gingergolds were coming into season, we still had a couple of beautiful fresh peaches that I had threatened anyone against eating, for I had a plan in mind. And when I tell you the plan came together even better than I anticipated… You’re in for a real treat, friends.
Beyond the intoxicating smell of fresh baked cinnamon apple something swirling through the house, you’ll find this dessert a joy to make. It’s quick enough for any weeknight sweet treat but elegant enough to serve to dinner party guests. Anything I can throw together in a big bowl and bake and serve up in the same dish is a winner in my book.
When I came across this Betty Crocker recipe, I just had to make it, with a few adaptations of course. To lighten it up a bit, I substituted coconut palm sugar for most of the granulated sugar called for in the original recipe. Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index, impacting blood sugar levels at lower rates than regular sugar. It also contains antioxidants, a prebiotic called inulin that helps support digestive health, and nutrients like iron and zinc. I also used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose and added a bit of ground ginger to complement the apples I chose.
The mild, sweet flavors of the peaches and apples meld so nicely with the warm spices and crumbly topping. The walnuts give it that extra crunch, but can be omitted to make these nut-free or subsitituted if you prefer a different flavor (pecans would be delicious and resoundingly approved by my Georgia family, I’m sure).
You will not be disappointed in how this turns out! It’s so quick and easy and amazingly flavorful, you’ll wish you had fresh-picked apples and peaches all year!
- 2 medium Gingergold apples
- 2 medium peaches
- ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
- ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup white whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ⅓ cup walnuts, chopped
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and butter six 8-ounce ramekins. Set aside atop a baking sheet.
- Peel and core/pit the apples and peaches, and slice them up into similarly-sized slices.
- Add the fruit to a large bowl with the coconut sugar and toss until evenly coated. Spoon the fruit into the prepared ramekins, making sure you have a good mix of apples and peaches in each.
- In the same bowl, add the oats, flour, sugars, and spices for the topping and whisk to combine. Use a pastry cutter (or two knives) to cut the butter cubes into the flour mixture until it's crumbly and forms pea-size chunks, then stir in the chopped walnuts. Divide the topping evenly among the prepared ramekins.
- Bake the ramekins on the baking sheet for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown and the fruit underneath is bubbly and soft. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving warm.
[…] of fun putting them in all kinds of things lately (though I think my fave is still the apple peach walnut crisp I made last […]