Brown Butter Peach Crumble

Brown butter and peaches are a perfect match, which is why I make this brown butter peach crumble every summer. Juicy, tart and sweet fresh peaches are tossed with just a touch of sugar and lemon to bring out their flavor and baked under a thick layer of the most delicious brown butter and brown sugar crumble. Served warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, there’s nothing better. Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

• For the peach filling:
  • 6-8 large fresh yellow peaches or nectarines (about 2 pounds, or 1 kg)
  • 40 grams white or brown sugar (add more, to taste, if your peaches are very tart)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional)
• For the crumble topping:
  • 100 grams unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons water
  • 80 grams brown sugar
  • 170 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius, or 350 Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the peach filling: slice the peaches into medium-sized wedges and place them into a bowl (or directly in your baking dish). Add the sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice, and mix to combine. If you are worried about extra liquid from the fruit – depending on how ripe and juicy your peaches are – add two teaspoons of cornstarch. Pour the peaches into a medium-sized, oven-safe baking dish about 10 x 8 inches (25 x 20 cm). Set aside while you prepare the crumble.
3. Brown the butter: place the butter in a light-colored skillet or saucepan and cook on low heat until melted. Keep cooking, stirring frequently, as it bubbles, foams, and turns golden with brown flecks (this process takes about 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of your pan). Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof bowl.
4. Let the brown butter cool. Add the water and brown sugar and stir to combine. Add the rest of the crumble ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon) and mix until a crumbly cookie dough forms. If the mixture is very dry (sandy and fine-crumbed instead of generous clumps), add butter, a tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached the desired texture.
5. Spread the crumble evenly over the peaches.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the peaches are bubbling underneath.
7. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. I like to top whipped cream or ice cream with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Notes:

• Baking with other fruit: this recipe for brown butter peach crumble will work with any stone fruit – nectarines, plums, apricots, etc. Different fruits will vary in sweetness, so taste and adjust the filling as needed. I have not tested this with canned peaches.
• Peeling peaches: I never bother peeling the peaches, as the skins add color and flavor, and their texture is hardly noticeable after baking. However, you can peel them beforehand if desired.
• Individual baking dishes: You can absolutely make this crumble in individual ramekins or any smaller oven safe dish. Chop the peaches into small cubes to fit your baking dish, and start checking the crumble after about 20 minutes in the oven. You can also cut this recipe in half for a smaller batch.
• Prepping ahead: I don’t recommend cutting or prepping the peaches ahead of time, but you can make the crumble in advance, and store it in the fridge, tightly covered, for a few days before baking your crumble.
• Updates: This recipe was updated July 2026 to add water to the browned butter to replace the moisture lost during the browning process. The recipe still works beautifully without the water, but I like the slightly thicker crumble that this update makes.