Make the best deep-dish peach crumble pie with a buttery crumb topping. This delicious peach pie tastes like a Texas Hill Country summer! Enjoy this pie year-round because this easy recipe has been tested and perfected using frozen sliced peaches.
Texans love their Fredericksburg Peaches, but if you've been following the news, you know this year has been a tough growing season that impacted the crop. Since it was going to be a while till I could get my hands on fresh peaches, I decided to make the perfect peach crumble pie using frozen sliced peaches. I started working on this recipe last summer and finalized it this spring. Y'all this is one is a winner.
The homemade peach pie filling is velvety and perfectly balanced with a blend of sugars, vanilla, cinnamon and lemon juice to cut the tang. I use cornstarch for a clear pie filling. Every time I have baked this pie, there is never any left.
The filling is precooked on the stovetop until a thick, glossy syrup forms, then poured into an unbaked pie shell, generously topped with a buttery crumb topping, and baked until bubbly and golden brown.
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Why You'll Love this Peach Crumble Pie Recipe
- Delicious peach pie filling with a buttery crumb topping that tastes like a Texas Hill Country summer!
- Frozen, sliced peaches work perfectly in this recipe (with no chopping required) thanks to cooking the filling on the stovetop.
- The homemade topping is flavorful and easy to make.
- It makes a generous amount of deep-dish pie filling.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Pie Crust: You will need one deep-dish pie crust.
- Peaches: I tested this recipe using HEB frozen sliced peaches since it was just before peach season, and they worked wonderfully. Feel free to use fresh peaches too.
- Granulated Sugar: This is a dessert after all, but it is not overly sweet.
- Brown Sugar: I love the flavor of brown sugar and peaches. Light brown sugar was used here.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds a subtle amount of warmth and spice to the filling.
- Cornstarch: I opted for using cornstarch because I wanted a clear, glossy filling to show off the peaches, rather than a cloudy one. Also, since I used frozen peaches, cornstarch absorbs twice as much liquid as all-purpose flour.
- Table Salt: A small pinch helps enhance the overall sweetness.
- Butter: A little butter is mixed into the peach pie filling to give it a smooth, cobbler-like richness. Additionally, butter is used in the crumble topping.
- Lemon Juice: The acidity helps balance the sweet peach pie filling. You can use fresh or bottled, fresh definitely tastes best.
- Vanilla Extract: A splash adds a layer of flavor to the filling.
- Crumble Topping: A simple crumb topping is made using all-purpose flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and table salt.
How to Make
Below is a quick, step-by-step visual guide to help you bake this peach pie. For the full, printable recipe card featuring exact ingredient measurements and detailed baking instructions, simply scroll to the bottom of this page!
- Cook: Combine the thawed frozen peaches (remember, they should be thawed first, not frozen solid), brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large pot. Use low heat to dissolve the sugars and encourage the peaches to release more juice.
- Thicken: After adding the slurry, bring the pot to a boil, stirring constantly. You must maintain a full boil for at least 1 minute. This ensures the cornstarch is fully activated, transforming the thin juices into a thick, glossy, velvety syrup that properly coats the peaches.
- Add Flavoring: Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla extract, and lemon juice into the pie filling.
- Prep: Once the butter is melted, carefully pour the filling into an unbaked deep-dish pie crust. Leave about a ⅓-inch space at the top to reduce overflowing. You will likely have leftover peach pie filling.
- Assemble: Evenly sprinkle the buttery crumb topping over the unbaked peach pie. Place pie plate on a baking sheet to catch any juices that overflow.
- Bake: You'll know the pie is done when the crumb topping is beautifully golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling visibly through the crust and around the edges. Allow the pie to cool for 3 to 4 hours on a wire rack so the filling can set.
Variations and Substitutions
Adjusting Sweetness: This pie relies on a standard ratio of 1 cup sugar to 8 cups fruit. If you have very sweet peaches, you can slightly decrease the granulated sugar, but I recommend leaving the brown sugar as is. If your peaches are on the tarter side, you can increase the granulated sugar by 2 to 4 tablespoons. The good thing about a precooked pie filling is that you can taste it and adjust the sweetness to your liking.
Spice Adjustments: If you love a warmer, deep spice flavor, you can add a pinch of ground nutmeg or ginger to the filling along with the cinnamon.
Using Fresh Peaches: Just peel, slice, and follow the same stovetop method to achieve a smooth, velvety filling. Because fresh peaches won't have frozen juices to drain and reserve, simply mix your cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry before adding it to the pot.
How to Use Frozen Peaches in Pie
- Thaw the peaches either in the refrigerator overnight or in the microwave at 1-minute intervals.
- Drain thawed peaches, but be sure to reserve the juices.
- I highly recommend the HEB brand of frozen sliced peaches. They consistently had the best quality.
- Frozen peaches work well in a precooked pie filling that like this one because they soften on the stovetop, meaning there is no need to alter your final baking time.
Baking Tips for Perfect Peach Pie
- Make a Smooth Slurry: Always whisk the cornstarch with your reserved peach juice (or water if using fresh fruit) before adding it to the pot to prevent any clumping.
- Activate the Cornstarch: After you add the cornstarch, bring the filling to a full boil for at least 1 minute to activate the thickening power of the cornstarch.
- Avoid Overfilling the Crust: This recipe makes a generous amount of filling, so leave about a ⅓-inch space at the top of your pie crust. If you add it all, the bubbling juices will overflow the pie crust while baking. I had about 1 to 1 ½ cups of filling leftover.
- Use a Lined Baking Sheet: Place your pie plate on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. This will catch any accidental drips and save you from a messy oven cleanup.
- Ideas for using extra peach filling: Top over Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, Greek yogurt, oatmeal or use as a pancake or waffle topping. Or feel free to just eat it with a spoon for a little treat, it really is that good.
- Allow Time to Set: Let the pie cool completely for 3 to 4 hours before slicing.
Serving and Storage
Serving Instructions: Allow the pie to cool completely for 3 to 4 hours so the juices can thicken before slicing. Serve the pie for a delicious dessert, a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream makes an excellent pairing.
Room Temperature Storage: Cover leftover pie tightly with plastic wrap. The pie can sit at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you live in a humid environment, note the crumble topping will naturally soften as it sits out.
Refrigerator Storage: To extend its shelf life, place the leftover pie in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat slices in the microwave or oven. If you want to crisp the topping back up, reheat in the oven.
📖 Recipe
Peach Crumble Pie
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1 deep dish pie crust
- 8 cups sliced peaches (frozen, thawed with juices reserved)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Crumble Topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-low heat combine peaches, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
- Whisk the cornstarch into ¼ cup of the reserved peach juices until smooth. Add slurry to peach mixture, bring the filling to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for at least 1 minute to activate the cornstarch.
- Remove peach mixture from heat and stir in vanilla extract, butter and lemon juice. Stir until the butter is completely melted.
- Prep the Crumble: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Cut in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs. Set aside.
- Assemble: Place unbaked pie shell onto a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices that overflow. Pour the peach filling into the pie shell, be sure to leave about a ⅓-inch space at the top of the crust to prevent it from overflowing. You will have extra filling left over. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top.
- Bake: Bake pie at 375°F for 45-55 minutes or until the topping is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Allow pie to cool completely (3-4 hours) before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Why do I need to precook the peach pie filling on the stovetop?
Because this pie filling uses cornstarch, it needs to boil for at least 1-minute to fully activate the starch's thickening power. Precooking the filling also naturally shrinks the fruit ahead of baking, so you can have a very full pie.
Should I use cornstarch or flour to thicken peach pie?
While many old-fashioned peach pie recipes rely on all-purpose flour, cornstarch provides twice the thickening power and yields a smooth, clear, and glossy filling. Flour tends to create an opaque, slightly cloudy filling and requires double the amount to achieve the same thickness.
Whether it's the middle of peach season or the dead of winter, this easy deep-dish pie brings a taste of Texas Hill Country summer straight to your table. Happy baking, y'all!
Alaine
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