Peach Crisp

I suspect that crisps, like cobblers, were born of necessity. Some time ago, a thrifty and creative baker probably had some fruit that had gotten soft and rather than toss it out to the birds in her backyard, she decided to whip it up into a tasty dessert. I admire such resourcefulness, being a thrifty gal myself.

Crisps are easy to make and quick to bake, requiring basic pantry staples and whatever fruit is in season.This crisp is made from farm-fresh white peaches that were just beginning to get mushy in the heat of my kitchen, but you could substitute (or add) apples, apricots, or pears. You could also use frozen, rather than fresh fruit, if you let it thaw first and bake it for 40 minutes rather than 30.

This recipe bakes in an 8×8 glass dish, but you could increase the quantities to bake it in a larger dish if you need to serve a crowd. A classic accompaniment would be vanilla ice cream, but I might serve it with a berry ice cream for an interesting twist.

Ingredients

• About 2 1/2 cups sliced peaches
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place peaches in the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish; add sugar and stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg.

Add butter and rub it into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add pecans and toss to combine, then sprinkle the topping over the peaches.

Bake for 30 minutes, until top is just golden brown.

Cool completely, or serve warm.