Preheat your oven to 375°F with the rack positioned in the middle of the oven. This takes about 10–15 minutes. You should hear a beep or notification when the oven is ready.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt for 1–2 minutes until fully combined and no lumps remain. The mixture should look like fine sand.

Pour 1/4 cup canola oil and 2 tablespoons water into the dry ingredients. Stir with a spoon or fork for 2–3 minutes until the mixture looks like wet, clumpy sand with no dry spots. Do not overmix.

Fold in 1/3 cup coarsely chopped almonds with a few gentle stirs, about 30 seconds. Set the topping aside in the bowl. Checkpoint: Your topping should look crumbly, moist, and slightly chunky—not a paste.

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, about 8–10 minutes. You should see large rolling bubbles breaking the surface.

Working in 2 or 3 batches, carefully place 3 or 4 ripe peaches into the boiling water and let them sit for exactly 1 minute. The skin will begin to loosen slightly.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from the boiling water and immediately transfer them to a bowl of cold water. Let them sit for 2–3 minutes until cool enough to handle.

Once cool, gently rub the peach skin with your fingers—it should slip off easily. If any stubborn spots remain, use a small paring knife to help. Cut each peach in half, remove the pit, and cut each half into 4 or 5 wedges about 1/2 inch thick. You should have about 11 peaches total.

In a medium bowl, combine the peach wedges with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/3 cup sugar. Gently toss with a rubber spatula for about 1 minute until the peaches are evenly coated. The mixture should look wet and saucy.

Pour the peach filling into an 8-inch square baking pan, spreading it into an even layer. Tap the pan gently on the counter once to settle the fruit.

Sprinkle the reserved topping evenly over the peach filling in an even layer, breaking up any large clumps with your fingers. The topping should cover the fruit but not be packed down. Leave the topping loosely crumbly.

Place the baking pan on the middle rack of the preheated 375°F oven. Bake for 30–35 minutes. The topping should turn a deep golden brown—darker than regular toast—and you should see the peach filling bubbling up around the edges of the topping.

Checkpoint: The topping should be crispy and golden, and the filling should bubble gently at the edges. If the filling isn't bubbling, bake for another 2–3 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a heat-safe surface or wire rack. Let it cool for 5–10 minutes. The crisp will be very hot, and the filling will be bubbling—do not touch or taste immediately.

Serve the peach crisp warm or at room temperature. Top each serving with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired. Ice cream will melt into the warm fruit for extra richness.