Our Best Peach Desserts

April 06, 2011
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Make summertime entertaining even more perfect with these top-rated peach dessert recipes including pies, cobblers, and homemade ice cream.
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Spiced Peach Galette

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Spiced Peach Galette Recipe

You can make a flavor swap by substituting the cardamom in the spiced peach filling for 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg.

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Grilled Peach Cobbler

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Grilled Peach Cobbler Recipe

Serve hot off the grill or at room temperature. Crown it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra sweet touch.

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Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust

Photo: Tina Rupp
Creamy Peach Tart with Smoky Almond Crust Recipe
An almost-instant crust, made with vanilla wafer cookies and smoked almonds, is the secret to this simple and unusual tart.
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Vermouth-Poached Stone Fruit

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Vermouth-Poached Stone Fruit Recipe

Peaches, plums, and oranges get a new flavor composition when poached with simmering herb-infused Vermouth. 

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Brown Sugar Peach and Thyme Tart

Photo: Eva Kolenko; Styling: Kelly Allen
Brown Sugar Peach and Thyme Tart Recipe

Even if your peaches are only so-so, don't pass up the chance to make this tart. A quick sizzle with butter and sugar transforms them into a tender, flavorful, juicy topping.

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Chilled Peaches in Orange Flower Water

Photo: Erin Kunkel Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
Chilled Peaches in Orange Flower Water Recipe

At farmers' markets, you can find peaches whose flesh is nearly red, their skin fragile and lightly furred, their flavor intensely perfumed and deep. This recipe, which couldn't be simpler, exemplifies the most important tenet of all French cooking--when you have fabulous ingredients, get out of the way and let them speak for themselves. Chilling the peaches makes them easier to slice nicely and gives a refreshing edge to their flavor.

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Kaiserschmarrn with Peaches

Photo: Tina Rupp
Kaiserschmarrn with Peaches Recipe
Kaiserschmarrn is a popular Austrian dessert that can also be eaten for breakfast. It's a light pancake, cut up while it's frying and topped with fruit and confectioners' sugar.

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Peach Divinity Icebox Pie

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Peach Divinity Icebox Pie Recipe
You know it's Summer when the peaches are plentiful! This peach pie is the perfect way to celebrate the warm weather with friends and family.

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Pecan-Peach Cobbler

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Pecan-Peach Cobbler Recipe
Showcase two of the South’s most beloved products—peaches and pecans—in this old-fashioned peach cobbler.
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Mixed Stone Fruit Pie

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns
Mixed Stone Fruit Pie Recipe
Complete with a homemade graham-cracker-crumb crust, this dish really is the ultimate summer pie.

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Ginger-Peach Shortbread Cobbler

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns
Ginger-Peach Shortbread Cobbler Recipe
Guests will rave over this impressive peach cobbler.

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Two-Step Fresh Peach Pound Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Stylist: Buffy Hargett
Two-Step Fresh Peach Pound Cake Recipe
Turn out a high-rise cake with a moist, tender crumb by layering the ingredients in the bowl in the order specified. Don't have a stand mixer with a 4-qt. bowl and paddle attachment? Prep the batter in the traditional way.
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Peach Streusel Pie

David Prince
Peach Streusel Pie Recipe
A crisp streusel topping studded with walnuts and pecans perfectly accents sweet summertime peaches.

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Deep Dish Peach Pie

Deep Dish Peach Pie Recipe
Nothing says summertime like a homemade peach pie. The filling mixture is thickened with both tapioca and cornstarch, and a sprinkling of sugar over the crust adds a bit more sweetness.

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Peaches and Cream Mini Cupcakes

Photo: Oxmoor House
Peaches and Cream Mini Cupcakes Recipe
Petite and almost too cute to eat, these miniature cupcakes are infused with the sweet flavor of summer's juiciest fruit.
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Caramelized Peaches with Ice Cream

Photo: Lisa Cohen
Caramelized Peaches with Ice Cream Recipe
Roasting fresh fruits brings out even more of the fruit’s natural sweetness and is an easy way to make a quick dessert.

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Peach-Berry Crumble

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Peach-Berry Crumble Recipe
We love this recipe because it's easy enough for busy, weeknight cooking; pop the crumble in the oven when you serve dinner and it'll be ready in about 40 minutes.

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Slow Cooker Cardamom Rice Pudding with Fresh Peaches

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Slow Cooker Cardamom Rice Pudding with Fresh Peaches Recipe

We love the slight tartness of ripe, juicy peaches with this fuss-free, no-stir pudding, but a blend of plump summer berries would be equally delicious.

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Ginger-Peach Ice-Cream Cones

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Ginger-Peach Ice-Cream Cones Recipe

Made with fresh ginger, lemon juice, cream cheese, and peaches, Ginger-Peach Ice-Cream is the perfect combination of savory and sweet.

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Peach Cobbler Ice Cream

Photo: Squire Fox; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl
Peach Cobbler Ice Cream Recipe
Here's a delicious ice-cream recipe that has all the flavors of traditional peach cobbler and doesn't require an ice-cream maker: Just stir the ingredients together, and freeze. Fold the whipped topping in with as few strokes as possible while making sure everything is well blended.

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Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Photo: Rick Lew; Styling: Sara Foster
Fresh Peach Ice Cream Recipe
Capture the flavor of summer in this refreshing homemade ice cream that’s perfect for casual summer entertaining.
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Georgia Peach Trifle

Georgia Peach Trifle Recipe
Use a packaged pound cake and instant vanilla pudding mix for this layered make-ahead dessert.

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Brandied Peach Shortcakes

Brandied Peach Shortcakes Recipe
In this peachy version of strawberry shortcake, you grill the peaches and spoon them onto squares of citrus-flavored shortcake, and then top with sweetened Greek yogurt.

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Peach Upside-Down Cake

Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps
Peach Upside-Down Cake Recipe
You don't want to miss out on your chance to make this Peach Upside-Down Cake. It's fun to look at, but even more fun to eat! It will be the star of your next potluck or summer celebration.
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Easy Peach Cobbler

Easy Peach Cobbler
Online reviewers claim that this is their favorite peach cobbler recipe and that it tastes like the peach cobblers their mothers and grandmothers used to make.

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Sautéed Peaches over Pound Cake

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Karen Shinto
Sautéed Peaches over Pound Cake Recipe
Ripe peaches don't need much more than a little spiced sugar and butter to turn them into a grand topping for cake and ice cream.

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Quick Pickled Peaches

Quick Pickled Peaches Recipe
These gorgeously spiced, tangy-sweet peaches make a fantastic addition to a summer relish tray, or serve them on pound cake or alongside grilled pork or chicken. Look for peaches that are still a little firm; they will soften some in the warm liquid. If you start with very ripe peaches, they may oversoften by the time they are finished pickling.
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Peach-Nectarine Tart

Photo: Charles Walton IV; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey
Peach-Nectarine Tart Recipe
You don’t need a tart pan for this double-fruit dessert because the crust is simply folded up over the peaches and nectarines before baking.

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Peach-and-Toasted Pecan Ice Cream

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Amy Burke
Peach-and-Toasted Pecan Ice Cream Recipe
Let the rave reviews begin when you churn out a freezer of this homemade ice cream that’s basically a cross between peach ice cream and butter pecan.

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No-Bake Peach Pie

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl
No-Bake Peach Pie Recipe
This luscious dessert comes together easily and is the perfect ending to summer supper with friends. Use the softest and juiciest peaches you have, even slightly overripe fruit. For added peach oomph, chop some of the topping and stir it into the filling.
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Peach Limeade Granita

Oxmoor House
Peach Limeade Granita Recipe
What's great about this granita is that you can eat it in its frozen form, or switch things up and serve it as a beverage. Just prepare the limeade as listed in the directions and serve over ice.

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Peach and Basil Shortcake

Photo: Romulo Yanes; Food Styling: Simon Andrews; Prop Styling: Helen Crowther
Peach and Basil Shortcake Recipe
Top a shortcake with two summertime favorites, fresh peaches and basil, for an amazing dessert flavor combination.

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Easy Peach Crisp

Photo: Johnny Autry; Styling: Cindy Barr
Easy Peach Crisp Recipe
Top fresh sauteed peaches with a mixture of granola and frozen yogurt for an easy peach dessert.
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So-Easy Peach Cobbler

Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Buffy Hargett
So-Easy Peach Cobbler Recipe
These invidual cups of peach cobbler are easy to make and perfect for summer entertaining.

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Boozy Peach Shortcakes with Sweet Cream

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham
Boozy Peach Shortcakes with Sweet Cream Recipe
Peach schnapps gives these delectable shortcakes a boozy kick.

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Rustic Spiced Peach Tart with Almond Pastry

Oxmoor House
Rustic Spiced Peach Tart with Almond Pastry Recipe
When peaches are ripe and juicy, this divine tart from Christy Rost, cookbook author and host of the public television series A Home for Christy Rost, goes together quickly and looks fabulous in a cast iron skillet—perfect for your next picnic or casual gathering.
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Strawberries, Peaches, and Basil with Orange Vinaigrette