There are certain foods that instantly tell you what season it is. In the fall, it’s apples and cinnamon. Around the holidays, it’s cookies and casseroles. But in the middle of summer, nothing says July quite like fresh peaches.

Every year I wait for peach season to arrive. Not the peaches that have traveled halfway across the country and spent weeks sitting in storage. I mean the good peaches. The ones that smell sweet before you even cut into them. The ones that drip juice down your arm if you’re not paying attention. The ones that make you understand why people get excited about peach season in the first place.

When peaches are at their best, they don’t need much help. You can eat them standing over the kitchen sink and be perfectly happy. Still, every now and then it’s nice to turn them into something special, especially when you’ve got a few extra peaches sitting on the counter and a handful of blueberries waiting in the refrigerator.

That’s where this crisp comes in.

One of the things I love most about fruit crisps is that they feel relaxed. A pie demands precision. A crisp simply asks you to toss everything together and trust the process. There are no fancy techniques, no complicated crusts, and no pressure to make everything look perfect. In fact, the more rustic it looks, the better.

That makes it my kind of dessert.

This is the sort of recipe that feels right at home after a summer dinner. It’s equally welcome at a family cookout, a church potluck, or sitting on the kitchen counter waiting for someone to sneak a second helping later in the evening. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and you’ve got a dessert that tastes like summer itself.

Fresh Peach & Blueberry Crisp

Ingredients

For the Fruit Filling

• 5 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Crisp Topping

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cold butter, cubed

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced peaches, blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Stir gently until the fruit is evenly coated.

Pour the fruit mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch baking dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.

Allow the crisp to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

The Best Part of Summer

One of the reasons I love seasonal recipes so much is that they remind us to enjoy things while they’re here. Peach season doesn’t last forever. Before long we’ll be talking about apples, pumpkins, and holiday baking. But right now, summer is still in charge.

The peaches are ripe. The blueberries are sweet. The evenings are long. And there is something comforting about gathering around the table with a dessert that celebrates the season exactly as it is.

I’ve learned over the years that some of the best summer memories aren’t tied to big vacations or elaborate plans. They’re tied to simple things like fresh fruit from the farmers market, family dinners that last a little longer than expected, and recipes that get passed around because everyone wants to know how you made them.

This peach and blueberry crisp is one of those recipes.

It’s simple, unfussy, and exactly the kind of dessert July was made for.