Deep Dish Fresh Peach Pie

This deep dish peach pie piles sliced fresh peaches into a baking dish, tosses them with cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and just enough flour to thicken the juices, then covers everything with a single flaky crust. It’s a top-crust-only pie, which means all the focus is on the fruit.

The two-temperature bake is what makes this work. Starting high sets the crust fast and gives it color, then dropping the heat lets the peaches bubble and soften without burning the pastry. Those three vents in the top are doing real work, releasing steam so the crust stays crisp instead of soggy.

Lemon juice on the peaches brightens the sweetness and keeps the slices from browning while you prep the rest.

Chef Tips

• Use ripe, firm peaches. Overripe peaches turn to mush during baking. You want slices that hold their shape but are sweet and fragrant.
• Sprinkle sugar on the crust before baking. It creates a sparkly, slightly crunchy top that looks and tastes like a bakery pie.
• Don’t skip the flour in the filling. Three tablespoons thickens the peach juices into a syrupy sauce instead of a watery pool at the bottom of the dish.
• Let it cool 15 minutes before serving. The filling is volcanic straight from the oven and needs time to set slightly.

Variations

• Peach and blueberry pie: Toss in a cup of fresh blueberries with the peaches for a colorful, tangy contrast.
• Streusel-topped: Skip the pastry crust and top with a butter, brown sugar, and oat crumble for a cobbler-style finish.