Brown Sugar Caramel Blackberry Peach Crisp with Double the Crumble.

This Brown Sugar Caramel Blackberry Peach Crisp is one I’ll be making all summer long. Sweet peaches and blackberries bake down into the most delicious brown sugar caramel sauce, then get topped with double the buttery oatmeal crumble. The fruit becomes even sweeter, the topping bakes up crisp and golden, and every spoonful is better with melting vanilla ice cream. It’s the dessert everyone always goes back for seconds.

Summer desserts have always been some of my favorites. It’s funny because growing up, we were all about chocolate, even in the middle of summer. Honestly, I still can’t pass up a good chocolate dessert, especially ice cream. But there’s something about a warm fruit crisp on a late summer afternoon, when the sun is still high but the evenings are beginning to cool, that feels so comforting.

Fruit crisps were never reserved for special occasions in our house. If there were peaches on the counter or berries that needed using, I was almost always making a crisp.

If you’ve been following along for a while, you might remember my Blackberry Kahlúa Crisp with Double the Crumble from way back in 2014. Believe it or not, I still make that recipe all the time. The crumble is one of my all-time favorites, and the Kahlúa gives the berries the most unexpected richness.

For years, I’ve wanted to create a version with peaches and blackberries. Instead of using Kahlúa, I leaned into brown sugar and butter, letting them melt together with the fruit as it bakes to create a rich, self-saucing caramel that bubbles up around every peach and blackberry. Honestly, it’s one of the very best parts of this recipe.

And of course, I kept the double crumble. I wouldn’t have it any other way. If you’ve made any of my crisps before, you already know I believe there’s no such thing as too much buttery oatmeal topping. It bakes up perfectly crisp and golden while soaking up just enough of that caramel sauce underneath.

Serve it warm with big scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and plenty of those buttery brown sugar caramel juices spooned over top. It’s summer dessert at its very best.

The Details

Ingredients

• fresh peaches
• salted butter, cubed
• vanilla extract
• brown sugar
• lemon zest
• fresh or frozen blackberries

For the Crumble

• old-fashioned rolled oats
• all-purpose flour
• brown sugar
• baking soda
• cinnamon
• salted butter
• vanilla bean ice cream, for serving

From the Kitchen

A 9×13-inch baking dish or a 12-inch pie dish both work beautifully for baking. You’ll also need a mixing bowl for the crumble, a paring knife for slicing the peaches, a zester for the lemon, and a few measuring cups and spoons. Then all that’s left is a big spoon for serving and plenty of vanilla ice cream.

The Steps

Step 1: Bake the Peaches

This recipe starts a little differently than most crisps, and I think that’s what makes it so special.

Instead of tossing everything together, bake the peaches first with the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. As they roast, they soften and release their juices, which melt together with the butter and brown sugar to create the most delicious caramel sauce before the berries even go in.

My Tip: Always leave the peach skins on. They soften beautifully as they bake, add gorgeous color and flavor, and they’re packed with nutrients too!

Step 2: Make the Double Crumble

While the peaches bake, make the crumble.

Mix everything together with your fingertips until you have big buttery clumps. Don’t overwork the mixture—those large pieces bake up into the crisp, golden, cookie-like topping everyone always fights over.

I always make extra crumble because, in my opinion, it’s the very best part.

Tieghan’s Tip: If the butter starts to soften too much, pop the bowl into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking. Cold crumble bakes up even crispier.

Step 3: Add the Blackberries

Once the peaches are bubbling, gently stir in the blackberries and lemon zest.

The berries don’t need much time in the oven. They soften just enough while still holding their shape, and the lemon brightens all those sweet summer flavors.

My Tip: Use whatever berries look best at the market. Raspberries, blueberries, or even fresh cherries are all delicious here too.

Step 4: Cover Everything with Crumble

Now pile on every last bit of the crumble.

I like to completely cover the fruit so every spoonful gets plenty of crisp topping. As it bakes, the brown sugar caramel bubbles up around the edges while the crumble turns deeply golden, buttery, and crisp.

This is when the whole kitchen starts to smell like late summer.

My Tip: If your baking dish is very full, place it on a sheet pan before baking. The bubbling caramel can occasionally spill over.

Step 5: Serve Warm

Let the crisp cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

It thickens just enough while staying perfectly saucy. Spoon it into bowls while it’s still warm, then top each serving with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. As the ice cream melts into the warm fruit and buttery crumble, it creates the most incredible sauce.

And don’t leave any of that brown sugar caramel behind. Spoon every last bit over the top—it’s easily my favorite part.