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When it comes to dessert, I think that combining fruit with a crispy, buttery topping and serving with vanilla ice cream is one of the most satisfying ways to enjoy the season’s best produce. But let’s be real, there’s always room for improvement. Enter: Salted Caramel Peach Crisp. The salty-sweet, slightly bitter caramel plays off the peaches so well. This dish is the perfect marriage of sweet, juicy peaches and a rich, salty caramel sauce, all crowned with a crisp topping that’s just begging to be devoured.

A Little History of Fruit Crisps

Before we dive into this mouthwatering recipe, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane. Fruit crisps are the less fussy cousins of pies and cobblers. They have roots in British cuisine, where fruit crumbles became popular during World War II due to rationing. With butter, sugar, and flour often in short supply, crisps (or crumbles, as they’re known across the pond) provided a way to stretch these ingredients while still delivering a comforting, sweet treat.

The traditional crisp topping is a simple mixture of flour, sugar, butter, and oats, which bakes into a crunchy, golden-brown blanket over a bubbling fruit filling. It’s a dessert that doesn’t require perfection—just a little time, some ripe fruit, and a desire for something warm and satisfying.

The Star Ingredients

For this recipe, we’re focusing on juicy and sweet peaches—after I got my hands on some of the best peaches I’ve ever had, I knew this salted caramel peach crisp that Smitten Kitchen posted a few weeks ago was in my future. Here’s how this all unfolded: I can rarely leave well enough alone, and I’m always trying to amp up a recipe. I just happened to watch Claire Saffitz make the ultimate peach streusel slab pie on YouTube right after I acquired my peaches, so I knew I wanted to incorporate some of the elements of her recipe. I macerated the peaches with sugar and peach liqueur and added ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the fruit to add some warm spices.

The salted caramel is a wonderful addition to a standard peach crisp. I tried following Smitten Kitchen’s ingredient quantities and instructions (which instructs you to make the caramel in the same pan you’re baking the crisp in), but I just could not get the caramel to turn out by making it in the same pan. The first batch was too light and loose, and I crystallized the second batch. I decided I had to rely on the method from Milk Street in this Salted Peanut and Caramel Tart—a recipe I’ll be sharing in the future. It has never failed me.

I used toasted sugar because I had some left over after making it to try out in a blondie recipe I’m developing. I was listening to Stella Parks on a podcast and wanted to give it a shot. It’s not necessary, but it does add a roasted, very slightly bitter note to the recipe that helps cut the sweetness a bit. I toasted mine for 2-1/2 hours and you can make a huge batch and keep it on hand to substitute for granulated sugar in any recipe (except caramel—I tried this during testing and it did not turn out right).

The crisp topping is everything you want in a dessert: buttery, crunchy, and slightly nutty, thanks to the addition of chopped pecans. It’s the perfect contrast to the tender peaches and gooey caramel below.

Equipment Needed

Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Crisp

Here’s the deal: This Salted Caramel Peach Crisp isn’t necessarily quick or easy (you are making caramel after all—don’t be scared!), but there are a few tricks to ensure it’s perfect every time.

Peach Prep: Don’t skip macerating and draining the peaches. The last thing you want is a watery crisp, so make sure to let those peaches sit and release their juices before mixing them with the other ingredients.
Caramel Know-How: When making the caramel, resist the urge to stir once the sugar is dissolved. Let it do its thing and watch for that deep amber color—it’s your sign that you’re on the right track. And yes, the bubbling when you add the cream is normal, so don’t panic!
Topping Tips: Refrigerate the crisp topping before baking. This helps it maintain its structure in the oven, resulting in a perfectly crispy finish that contrasts beautifully with the tender fruit.
Serve It Right: Serve this dessert warm with a generous drizzle of the leftover caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Picture this: You pull the Salted Caramel Peach Crisp out of the oven, and the first thing that hits you is the smell. It’s like walking into a bakery where everything is made with love and just a little bit of indulgence. The warm spices from the peaches waft through the air, mingling with the nutty aroma of toasted oats and pecans.

Now, take a bite. The first thing you notice is the crunch of the crisp topping, giving way to the tender, caramel-soaked peaches underneath. It’s sweet but not cloying, with the sea salt in the caramel keeping everything in perfect balance. The peaches are juicy and flavorful, their natural sweetness enhanced by the caramel, and the crisp topping adds a satisfying texture that makes each bite more addictive than the last.

And let’s not forget the cool, creamy vanilla ice cream melting into the warm dessert, creating that perfect, non-negotiable hot-cold contrast.

This Salted Caramel Peach Crisp is more than just a dessert; it’s a celebration of summer’s sweetest fruit, wrapped up in a cozy, comforting package. Whether you’re making it for a crowd or just because it’s Wednesday and you deserve something special, it’s sure to hit the spot.

Happy cooking!