Peach Crumble Pie with Crumb Topping (No Soggy Bottom Crust)

No need to worry about a soggy bottom crust when baking my fresh Peach Crumble Pie. It has a buttery crumb topping and fresh peaches that make it the perfect summer dessert. I use my Mom's tried and true tip of adding a thin layer of breadcrumbs on top of the bottom crust so it's flaky and not soggy. This peach pie recipe bakes up beautifully every time.

"This pie recipe is the winner! Made it this past weekend and my whole family loved it! The crust came out perfect and the peaches were nice and tender." ~ Veronika

Recipe review

I had the best of intentions. But time slipped away. Those peaches on my counter were on the brink of becoming overripe. With guests coming for dinner, the juicy and sweetly fragrant peaches were destine for an easy peach pie.

With a big scoop of homemade no churn ice cream, this pie is the delicious combination of cold and creamy and warm fruit dessert. It's the perfect ending for a dinner party, barbecue or picnic. When the cooler fall weather rolls around, my apple crumb pie is a family favorite.

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Why You'll Love This Peach Crumble Pie

• No soggy bottom pie crust ~ Mom's know best. And my Mom's tip of adding a thin layer of plain dried breadcrumbs helps to soak up the fruit liquid keeps the pie crust from being soggy.
• Delicious peach filling ~ The best fruit dessert recipes have just a few ingredients. The flavor of the fresh peaches takes center stage in this recipe.
• Easy crumble topping ~ This is no ordinary peach pie. The buttery cinnamon and brown sugar crumble bakes to a slight crisp and crunchiness.
• Summer favorite ~ Top this classic summer dessert with homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

My Mom's Tip for How to Avoid a Soggy Bottom Pie Crust

Why Peach Pie Crust Gets Soggy

Fresh peaches, especially juicy summer peaches, release a lot of liquid as they bake. The juices tend to soak into the bottom crust before it has time to crisp up as it bakes. The crust is soggy and soft instead of flaky.

My fruit pies always seem to have soggy bottom pie crusts. And no one likes a soggy bottom.

The Simple Bread Crumb Tip That Prevents Soggy Crusts

While thumbing through my Mom's tattered and food stained copy of Woman's Home Companion Cook Book. She always jotted notes and tips throughout her cookbooks.

I knew I'd find the answer on how to prevent a soggy bottom crust in her scribblings as she was a fabulous baker in her day.

And there was my answer!

Adding a thin layer of plain dried breadcrumbs would keep the pie crust from getting soggy.

This old-school baking tip of adding dried breadcrumbs works like magic. They absorb the excess peach juices while the pie bakes. The bottom crust is crisp and flaky and not wet and soggy.

You won't taste the breadcrumbs at all. They dissolve into the peach pie filling.

Why I Still Use This Peach Pie Trick Today

After 20 years as a personal chef, I use this tip every time I bake a fruit pie. It's easy and works every time. There's no need to prebake the crust or thicken the filling too much.

Peach Crumb Pie Ingredients

Gather the following ingredients for my fresh peach pie. Don't skip adding the plain dried breadcrumbs as they are the key to a pie crust that isn't soggy. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of all the ingredients.

• Unbaked 9 inch pie crust
• Plain dried breadcrumbs
• Fresh peaches
• Granulated sugar, all purpose flour
• Cinnamon, vanilla extract, kosher salt
• Light brown sugar
• Salted butter

Substitutions

• Unbaked 9 inch pie crust ~ Use a homemade pie crust or your favorite bought one.
• Plain dried breadcrumbs ~ I use homemade breadcrumbs. But a good store bought brand works too.
• Fresh peaches ~ Nothing compares to the flavor fresh, ripe peaches. When in season, I recommend using them. If fresh peaches aren't available, drained canned peaches or thawed and drained frozen peaches can be used in the fruit pie.
• Light brown sugar ~ Dark brown sugar is an alternative.
• Salted butter ~ I use salted butter for all my baking and cooking.

Variations

• Add fruit: With the peaches, substitute up to 1 cup of blueberries, starwberries or raspberries.
• Add oats: For the crumb topping, substitute ¼ cup rolled oats for the flour.
• Use almond extract: Swap out the vanilla extract and use almond extract. Be sure to use pure almond extract as it has better flavor than imitation almond flavoring.
• Add liquor: Try adding a tablespoon of spiced rum, whiskey, bourbon, Amaretto or peach schnapps to the pie filling.

Hint

A ripe peach will have a slight give when squeezed, a wonderful fruity aroma, and skin that's completely orange and yellow. If your peaches aren't quite ripe, place them in a paper bag on the counter. They should ripen in about 1 to 2 days.

Fresh, Frozen of Canned Peaches for Pie

Fresh Peaches Add the Best Flavor

My first choice for peach crumble pie is fresh peaches. They have the most flavor and hold their shape better when cooked especially when ripe but slightly firm.

Frozen Peaches Work Well Too

Frozen peaches are generally picked and flash frozen at the peak of their ripeness. Therefore, they make a good substitute for fresh peaches. Before adding them to the filling ingredients, thaw and drain off any liquid as it can make the filling too runny.

Can You Use Canned Peaches?

As a last resort, you can use canned peaches. Choose ones that are packed in water and not heavy syrup or fruit juice. Drain the peaches well before adding them to the filling. The peach pie filling will have a softer texture when baked as canned peaches are cooked before canning.

How to Make Crumble Top Peach Pie (Step by Step)

This is a brief overview of how to make a crumble topped peach pie. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete instructions and a quick cooking video.

Step 1: Place the crust in a pie plate, crimp the edges, and sprinkle with dried plain breadcrumbs.

Step 2: For the filling, toss peeled and sliced peaches with sugar, flour, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and kosher salt.

Step 3: For the crumble topping, combine flour, light brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter to form marble sized crumbs for the topping.

Step 4: Evenly spread the peach pie filling in the crust.

Step 5: Top the peaches with the crumb topping

Step 6: Bake the pie. The crust and topping will be golden brown, and the peach filling bubbly when the pie is baked to perfection.

Expert Tips

Use Ripe Peaches

Ripe peaches make for the most flavorful pies. The fruit should have a little give when squeezed and be dark red, orange, and yellow in color.

To Peel or Not to Peel

I prefer to peel the peaches. But the peel can be left on the sliced peaches for a more rustic pie.

Keep the Oven Clean

Place a large sheet of foil on the lowest rack of the oven to catch any dripping fruit juices as the pie bakes.

Let the Pie Rest Overnight

To allow the filling to set, cool the pie to room temperature before serving. But if you can't wait, dig in! The slices of pie won't be as neat, but they will be delicious!

Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Tips

Make Ahead Tips

Peach pie is a great make ahead dessert for cookouts, holiday parties or dinner with friends. Bake the pie up to 1 day in advance. Store lightly covered with plastic wrap for up 24 hours at room temperature.

So the crust stays flaky and the crumb topping crisp, completely cool the pie before covering it.

Storage

After the first day, transfer the covered pie to the refrigerator for up to 2 more days. Since the peaches are juicy, refrigeration helps keep the pie fresher.

Before serving, I like to take the pie out of the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. The pie will have better flavor when closer to room temperature.

Can You Freeze Peach Pie?

Peach pie can be frozen. Cool it completely after baking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Or place the plastic wrapped pie in a resealable freezer bag. The pie can be frozen up to a month.

Thaw the pie overnight in the refrigerator. The crust may be softer after freezing and thawing. It can be reheated to crisp up the crust.

How to Reheat Leftover Peach Pie

To reheat pie, place either whole or slices in a preheated 300 degree F oven on a baking sheet. For a whole pie, heat for 20 to 30 minutes. For slices, heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

FAQs

How do you peel peaches?

I use a small sharp paring knife to peel peaches. You can also bring a pot of water to a boil and score an X on the bottom of the peaches. Boil the peaches for 30 seconds, cool in an ice water bath, then peel when cool.

Do you need to peel the peaches in peach pie?

For a more rustic pie filling, you can leave the peel on the peaches. Just cut into large chunks and discard the pits.

How do you keep the bottom crust of a peach pie from getting soggy?

Add dried plain breadcrumbs. To keep the bottom crust of the pie from getting soggy, add a thin layer of plain dried breadcrumbs to soak up the pie juices before adding the filling.

Should you use a metal, ceramic or glass pie plate when making a pie?

Choose a glass pie plate when making pies. They're inexpensive and heat slowly so the crust bakes evenly. Since glass pie plates are transparent, it's easy to check the doneness of the crust.