Confession: Our ideal way to eat ripe summer fruit is usually freshly picked, unadorned, juices dribbling over the sink. But we also wouldn’t say no to a homemade pie, cobbler or crisp, which is why we’re putting every one of these peach desserts on our to-make list this season. Whether you’re in the mood for creamy homemade ice pops or a celebration-worthy cake, you’ll find an excuse to hit the farmers market in these 36 recipes.
36 Peach Desserts to Make All Summer, from Ice Pops to Pandowdy
•
Published Jun 29, 2023
- Time Commitment: 2 hours, 40 minutes (includes freezing time)
- Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
We call this one “summer on a stick,” but there’s a secret trick that makes these pops a year-round treat: You can make them year-round with frozen fruit. Roasting it in the oven before pureeing it concentrates the sugars and makes it taste summer-ripe.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, <500 calories
Pie is a classic, but all that kneading, rolling, cutting and baking makes us want to ditch the idea for store-bought ice cream instead. With this easy-peasy cobbler, everything comes together in a single skillet. (You can use the method with other summer fruits, too.)
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
If your grill is already on for dinner, why not make dessert while you’re at it? Ripe summer peaches need next to nothing in the flavor department, but we love the way this method brings out their caramelly sweetness.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, make ahead, kid-friendly
This make-ahead wonder can be cooked on a campfire, but you don’t have to be camping to enjoy it—make it on your grill in the backyard, too.
5. Pistachio-Studded Peach Galette
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
If you’re in the mood for ripe, nectary fruit in a pie crust, but you just don’t have the will to crimp it to visual perfection, a freestyle galette is the way to go. If your peaches are ripe enough, you won’t need to add sugar.
- Time Commitment: 8 hours, 20 minutes (includes freezing time)
- Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, gluten free
Move over, ice cream: There’s a new frozen dessert stealing hearts. The Italian treat sounds like it belongs on a fancy dessert menu, but it’s easy to pull off luscious, light-as-air results—no churning required.
7. Roasted Stone Fruit with Wild-Whipped Cream
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, gluten free
If you’re tired of s’mores at every camping trip, swap in this easy and—dare we say it?—elegant dessert. You’ll assemble everything ahead of time and cook the fruit over your campfire.
8. Poached Apricots and Peaches with Toasted Almonds
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, special occasion–worthy, gluten free
You could serve this simple summer treat with whipped cream, ice cream or frozen custard. If you need us, we’ll be eating our sundae on the patio.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
You can’t go wrong with an old-fashioned classic. Don’t forget to accompany this cobbler with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly
Skip the thick layer of frosting to let that fresh fruit shine. The cake is a tender, cornmeal-laced number that’s as good for breakfast as it is for dessert.
- Time Commitment: 3 hours (includes freezing time)
- Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, dairy free
Sorry kids, these boozy ice pops are for adults only. Mix things up by adding different types of fresh fruit, like strawberries or plums.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
If you’re lucky enough to snag a few pints of strawberries before they leave the farmers market, you’ll be glad to know they pair beautifully with peaches. If homemade pie crust stresses you out, this one is basically foolproof.
13. Peach Cookies
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
These cutie cookies look like fruit, but they’re just two Italian peach cookies sandwiched together with peach jam and brushed with peach schnapps. (We’ll take three, please.)
- Time Commitment: 9 hours, 45 minutes (includes freezing time)
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
If you don’t have an ice cream maker (or you don’t feel like digging yours out of the closet), don’t worry. This creamy peach dessert requires zero churning, yet tastes like the real deal.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Fresh peaches and blackberries are topped with a moist, buttery biscuit topping and baked to perfection. (For what it’s worth, we think sour cherries or another type of berry would be equally delicious.)
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Summer is all about keeping it simple, and these sweet, jammy peaches fit the bill. If you want to top them with ice cream (we do), make sure you serve them warm for the full effect.
18. Summer Fruit and Honey Whipped Ricotta Crostata
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, <10 ingredients
Wait, what the heck is a crostata? Oh, it’s just the Italian version of a galette. This one is made with store-bought phyllo instead of pie crust, so it’s even easier to whip up last-minute.
19. Blackberry Peach Buckwheat Pandowdy
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: gluten free, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Speaking of desserts we’d never heard of, did you know that a pandowdy is like a deep dish fruit dessert topped with pastry crust? It’s usually made with apples, but when the peaches are ripe, why not make the best of them?
20. Almond Peach Bread Pudding
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Whether you happen to have a bunch of bread to use up or you don’t feel like making a fancy-pants pie or cake, we think this peach dessert is as ingenious as it is enticing. Serve the leftovers for breakfast, naturally.
- Time Commitment: 3 hours (includes cooling time)
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, gluten free
The meringue-based pavlova is impossibly light and melts in your mouth, while the tart fruit and whipped cream mingle together on top. We’ll preheat our oven as soon as we stop drooling.
22. Brown Sugar Peach Shortcake
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Eat your heart out, strawberries. The sour cream biscuits are impossibly tender and topped with a sprinkling of brown sugar for caramelly sweetness.
- Time Commitment: 7 hours (includes cooling)
- Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion–worthy, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Sorry, apple. We found a new favorite slice. A touch of ginger adds a little je ne sais quoi that will have everyone begging for a second helping.
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, gluten free, vegan
The oat-almond crumb topping is naturally gluten free, and if you make it with coconut oil, it’s vegan-friendly too. (Pick up a pint of plant-based ice cream to keep it that way.)
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Why is it the best? It might be the juicy, baked fruit or the fact that you don’t need to peel the peaches. But we have a hunch that it’s the cookie-dough-meets-biscuit topping that really seals the deal.
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
If you use the best fruit you can find, you might find yourself standing by the oven digging straight in with a spoon. You’ve been warned, friends.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, dairy free, gluten free
If you have a blender and an ice cream maker, you’re just five ingredients away from the most refreshing peach dessert ever. Plop a scoop into a glass of Champagne if you’re feeling indulgent.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan
You were invited to a last-minute barbecue and you’re in charge of dessert. Lucky for you, this crisp bakes up in a single skillet and tastes like a summer dream.
29. Peach Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
We love a rustic cake recipe, and not just because it’s charming in the looks department. This one also happens to come together without the need for a stand or hand mixer.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
Despite the many flavors going on here (cinnamon! cream cheese frosting! almonds!), the peaches magically manage to come through. But if you wanted to skip the frosting, vanilla ice cream would work too.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
Say hi to your new go-to potluck dessert. Once peach season is over (sadly, it always ends), swap in apples for the stone fruit.
- Time Commitment: 10 hours, 5 minutes (includes cooling time)
- Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
Creamy New York–style cheesecake meets classic Southern dessert in this decadent mashup. If you’re not hungry yet, you will be when you get a whiff of it from your oven.
33. Creamy Peach and Honey Ice Pops
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
These frozen treats require just six ingredients and are practically good for. Now you have no excuses to not break out that ice pop mold.
34. White Wine Poached Peaches and Cream Galette
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: special occasion–worthy, crowd-pleaser
Gently cooking the peaches in wine and elderflower cordial makes them extra-tender and brings out alllll the sweet-sour notes of the fruit. A dollop of sweetened crème fraîche would take this over the top.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy
What upside-down cakes lack in frosting, they make up for in fruity flavor. This one practically decorates itself with a jewel-like layer of peaches coated in caramelized sugar and butter on the bottom of the pan.
36. Peach Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Icing
- Time Commitment: 5 hours (includes cooling time)
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion–worthy, beginner-friendly
Forget the cinnamon peach filling and tender cake. We’re here for that brown butter icing, and we’re going to eat it by the spoonful.
Katherine Gillen is PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City restaurants. She used to sling sugary desserts in a pastry kitchen, but now she’s an avid home cook and fanatic baker.
