Bourbon Pecan Peach Recipe

There's nothing quite like warm, juicy peaches topped with a crunchy, buttery pecan crumble. When I first made this Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp last July, Emily and I had just come back from the farmers market with way too many peaches (happens every time). I wanted something fancier than our usual crisp, so I splashed in some bourbon I had in the pantry. Best decision ever!

This bourbon pecan peach crisp combines sweet ripe peaches with brown sugar, a hint of orange, and just enough bourbon to make things interesting. The topping? Buttery oats and chopped pecans that get all crispy and golden in the oven. Plus, it bakes in a skillet, which makes me feel like a proper Southern cook (even though I'm not).

Looking for more easy fruit desserts? Try my Pumpkin Custard Pie when fall rolls around!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Bourbon Peach Crisp Recipe
• Ingredients For This Easy Peach Crisp Recipe
• How To Make Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp From Scratch
• Storage And Reheating Tips
• Tips For The Best Peach Crisp With Bourbon And Pecans
• Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• Final Thoughts On This Summer Peach Dessert
• Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp

Why You'll Love This Bourbon Peach Crisp Recipe

• Ready in just over an hour - Most of that is hands-off baking time while your kitchen smells amazing
• Works with fresh OR frozen peaches - No need to wait for peak season (though fresh peaches are DA BOMB)
• That bourbon twist - Adds a warm, caramel-like depth you won't get from regular peach crisp
• The pecan crumble topping - Buttery, crunchy, and loaded with oats and nuts
• Perfect for feeding a crowd - Makes 8 generous servings in one pan
• Tastes even better with vanilla ice cream - The cold-meets-warm combo is chef's kiss

Ingredients For This Easy Peach Crisp Recipe

For the Peach Filling:

• 2 and ½ pounds fresh ripe peaches - pitted and cut into ¼-inch slices
• 2 and ½ Tablespoons bourbon - don't skip this!
• 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch - this thickens the juices

For the Crisp Topping:

• ½ cup unsalted butter - cut into cubes, room temperature
• ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup pecans - finely chopped
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom - optional but nice
• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• Ice cream for serving - trust me on this

How To Make Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp From Scratch

Preparing The Peach Filling

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Get this going first so it's ready when you need it.

2. Grab your 9x13-inch baking dish or a 12-inch skillet. I use my cast iron skillet because it looks pretty and goes straight from oven to table.

3. Add the sliced peaches to your pan. I usually cut mine into ¼-inch slices, but don't stress about perfection here.

4. Pour in the bourbon, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Add the orange zest, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

5. Use your hands or a big spoon to toss everything together. Make sure those fresh peaches are well coated with all the good stuff.

6. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the peach mixture and toss again. This step is really important! The cornstarch soaks up all those peach juices and creates that thick, syrupy filling we're after. I learned this the hard way when I forgot it once and ended up with peach soup (still tasted good though).

7. Set the peach mixture aside while you make the topping. The peaches will start releasing some juice, which is exactly what we want.

Making The Pecan Crisp Topping

8. Cut your butter into small cubes. Room temperature butter works best because it mixes into the dry ingredients more easily.

9. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, chopped pecans, both sugars, cinnamon, cardamom (if using), and flour. Just stir it all up with a fork.

10. Drop those butter cubes into the bowl with your dry ingredients.

11. Here's where it gets fun. Using two forks or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry mixture. You're basically working the butter in until everything looks like coarse crumbs or wet sand. This usually takes me about 3-4 minutes. The mixture should clump together when you squeeze it in your hand.

Baking Your Peach Crisp With Bourbon

12. Take your peach filling and give it one more quick toss. Then sprinkle that buttery topping evenly over the peaches. Don't press it down! Just let it sit on top in a nice even layer.

13. Carefully place the pan in your preheated oven.

14. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You'll know it's done when the peaches are bubbling around the edges and the topping has turned golden brown. Your house will smell incredible right about now.

15. This is the hardest part - let it cool for about 15 minutes before serving. I know it's tough to wait, but this cooling time lets the juices thicken up properly. Otherwise you'll have a runny mess (been there, done that).

16. Serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. Seriously, don't skip the ice cream.

Storage And Reheating Tips

Store any leftover bourbon pecan peach crisp covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. I usually just cover the pan with foil.

To reheat, pop individual servings in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, or reheat the whole pan in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes.

Can you freeze it? Yep! Freeze the baked crisp for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as directed above. The topping might lose a tiny bit of crunch, but it's still really good.

Tips For The Best Peach Crisp With Bourbon And Pecans

Use ripe peaches when you can. The riper they are, the sweeter and juicier your crisp will be. I do the sniff test at the store - if they smell peachy, they're good to go.

Don't have bourbon? Apple juice, peach juice, or extra orange juice work fine. You won't get that same warm flavor, but it'll still taste great. (Though honestly, the bourbon really does make this special.)

Frozen peaches work in a pinch. Just thaw them first and drain off the excess liquid. You might need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

Make the topping ahead. I sometimes mix up the crisp topping the night before and keep it in the fridge. When I'm ready to bake, I just assemble everything and pop it in the oven.

Try different nuts. Walnuts or almonds would be good instead of pecans. Emily actually prefers it with walnuts (her potato-opinion, as I call it).

Add a pinch of nutmeg. This is completely optional, but a tiny bit of nutmeg in the filling adds another layer of warmth.

Watch that cornstarch. Make sure you toss it in really well with the peaches. Clumps of cornstarch = not fun.

The skillet matters. If you use a cast iron skillet, it might cook a bit faster because cast iron holds heat really well. Just keep an eye on it after 35 minutes.

Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp FAQs

Recipes You May Like

• Gluten Free Apple Pie - Another fantastic fruit dessert with a buttery topping
• Pumpkin Custard Pie - If you love warm spiced desserts like this one
• Fudgy S'mores Brownies - For when you want something rich and chocolatey instead

Final Thoughts On This Summer Peach Dessert

This Bourbon Pecan Peach Crisp has become one of my go-to summer desserts. It's fancy enough for company but easy enough for a random Tuesday night. The bourbon adds this amazing warmth without being boozy at all (it cooks off in the oven), and those pecans in the topping? Game changer.

I love that you can make it in a skillet and serve it straight from the pan. Less dishes = more time to actually enjoy dessert! And when you serve it warm with cold vanilla ice cream melting into all those peachy, bourbon-y juices... that's what summer tastes like to me.

Give this easy peach crisp recipe a try next time you have ripe peaches sitting on your counter. Take a pic and save it to Pinterest so you can find it again when peach season rolls around!