Balsamic Peach & Basil Crumble

Today I've got a simple balsamic peach and basil crumble recipe for you -- just in case you ever find yourself with a bunch of very ripe peaches to put to use. That was me this week. I think because I bake a lot it attracts my family to gift me tons of goodies, in the form of immense jars of peanut butter, saddle sacks of medjool dates, bushels of peaches, and so on. I can't complain about getting freebies (especially tasty ones!), but it can sometimes be hard to put everything to use in a timely fashion and not let things go to waste.

So... if you've got fresh peaches on your hands and want something to do with them, this crumble is a great way to go. It's super quick, non-fussy, and the result is delicious and definitely more-ish.

The combination of the tartness of the lime and the balsamic vinegar with sweet, ripe, juicy peaches and maple syrup, fragrant basil, a soft chewy crumble, and crunchy toasted nuts... well it's hard to go wrong with that. The result is a sweet, tart, and very refreshing dessert.

And there's lots of room to play around here with the recipe too, for example:

• You can swap the nuts around (so can use cashew or flour in place of almond flour, for example). Likewise you can use other nuts in place of the pistachio topping -- almonds or pecans would be great, for example.
• If you're looking for a grain-free alternative to the topping, you can use the topping from this apple crumble recipe instead. The apple crumble recipe (but with peaches instead of with apples) can also be used as an alternative for those avoiding balsamic vinegar.
• If you're looking for a nut-free and/or oil-free alternative, you can use the topping from this balsamic plum oat crumble instead (you'll need to multiply the topping by 5 for the amount of filling in this recipe).
• You can add some coconut sugar to the filling to make it sweeter, as this recipe is naturally on the tart side (especially if your peaches aren't super sweet).
• You can do a mix of peaches and nectarines, and even some plums, and other stone fruit.
• Not feeling the basil? Skip it. Though it adds an interesting touch.

So lots of options. This type of recipe is a great way to make use of local seasonal ingredients too.

This peach crumble can be eaten warm or cold. I like it warm with a side of vanilla ice cream (so cozy!), but my favorite was the chilled version of it. Once chilled overnight it makes a wonderful breakfast or a cooling dessert -- and we needed some cooling because of course I chose to bake this on the hottest day of the year :). Of course I was inspired to turn on the oven during a heat wave. Even so, this was totally worth it!

Balsamic Peach and Basil Crumble

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A tart, flavorful, and refreshing gluten-free vegan balsamic peach crumble with a hint of basil, almonds, and pistachios.

• Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8-10 servings
• Category: Pies and Tarts
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Dessert

Ingredients

Peach Filling:

• 2 lbs ripe peaches, de-stoned and rough chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp tapioca starch*
• ½ tsp ground ginger (spice)
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• optional: 3-4 tablespoon coconut sugar**

Topping:

• 1 cup almond flour
• ¾ cup gluten-free quick oats***
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp melted dairy-free butter (I used EB) or coconut oil with a pinch of salt
• ¼ cup chopped pistachios (or almonds)

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Instructions

1.Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

2. Toss all filling ingredients together into a large mixing bowl to combine. Then transfer the mixture into a 10" pie plate (or a deeper 9" plate) and level it out so that the filling is distributed evenly in the pan. Set aside.

4. To prepare the topping, place the almond flour, oats, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the maple syrup and non-dairy butter/coconut oil and stir once again to create a wet sticky crumble.

5. Use a small cookie scoop to distribute small amounts of the mixture all over the filling. Then sprinkle with the chopped pistachios. Note, it will look like too little topping until it's done baking, so try to distribute it in very small amounts so that it can be spread out evenly.

6. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 40 mins. Cool off slightly on a wire rack and enjoy warm (goes well with a side of vanilla ice cream) or allow the crumble to cool completely then chill in the fridge overnight for a cold and refreshing treat.

Notes

*Can also use potato starch or arrowroot instead. If you omit the starch the filling will be more runny.

**This crumble is naturally tart and refreshing, but if you prefer a sweeter filling or if your peaches are not very sweet, I recommend adding some coconut sugar to the filling mix.

***For a grain-free / oat-free version of this tart, use the topping from this apple crumble recipe instead.