There’s nothing quite like a bowl of warm peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream melting over the top in late July. When fresh peaches are at their juicy, fragrant peak, the best thing to do is bake!
This collection pulls together my favorite peach desserts for the season, from the easiest dump cake to a galette worth serving guests.
Bisquick Peach Cobbler
Buttery, sweet, and ready in about an hour, this Bisquick cobbler is the easiest way to put fresh, frozen, or canned peaches to good use.
Southern Peach Cobbler with Jiffy Mix
Jiffy corn muffin mix gives this Southern cobbler a slightly crunchy, cornbread-style topping that bakes up golden over sweet, juicy peaches.
Peach Crisp
Sliced peaches baked under a buttery oat streusel topping. Twenty minutes of prep and a warm scoop of vanilla ice cream is all you need.
Peach Galette
A rustic, free-form peach pie that skips the pie plate entirely. Store-bought pie crust works beautifully, so this one comes together fast.
Cinnamon Streusel Peach Cake
Built on a boxed cake mix with two layers of cinnamon-sugar streusel folded through, this peach cake works for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Grilled Peaches
Halved peaches caramelize on the grill in under 10 minutes. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the easiest no-oven summer dessert in the collection.
Blueberry Peach Cobbler
Tart blueberries and sweet peaches bubble together under a flaky buttermilk biscuit topping. A great use for whatever fresh fruit is on the counter.
Peach Dump Cake
Three layers, no mixer required: canned peaches, dry cake mix, and butter. Bake until golden and bubbly, then serve warm with ice cream.
More Sweet Ways to Use Ripe Peaches
Whether you’re baking through a bushel from the farm stand or just have a few ripe peaches sitting on the counter, there’s a dessert here for every level of effort.
Bookmark this collection for the rest of peach season, and let me know in the comments which recipe you tried first.
Peaches aren’t just for dessert
FAQs
How do you know when peaches are ripe?
The best test is your nose: a ripe peach smells sweet and fragrant near the stem end. From there, give it a gentle squeeze in the palm of your hand (not your fingertips, which can bruise the fruit). It should yield slightly without feeling mushy.
Color matters too, but look at the background color rather than the red blush. A truly ripe peach has a warm golden or creamy yellow base, not green.
Grocery store peaches are often picked a few days early, so if yours aren’t quite there yet, set them on the counter at room temperature for a day or two and they’ll finish ripening just fine.
Can I use frozen or canned peaches in these recipes?
Absolutely, and most of these desserts work year-round because of it.
For frozen peaches, thaw them completely and drain off the liquid before using, otherwise the filling will turn out runny.
For canned peaches, drain them well and choose peaches packed in juice rather than heavy syrup if you can.
Fresh, ripe peaches in season will always give you the best flavor and texture, especially for desserts like the galette or crisp where you can see the fruit. But for cobblers, dump cakes, and anything with a thick topping, frozen or canned work beautifully and no one will know the difference.
Do I need to peel peaches before baking?
It’s a matter of personal preference, but I usually don’t bother. The skins soften as they bake and practically disappear in cobblers, crisps, and dump cakes.
Peeling does make a visible difference in recipes where the fruit shows on top, like the galette, so it’s worth the extra step there if you want a cleaner look.
If you do want to peel them, the quickest method is to score a small X on the bottom of each peach, drop them in boiling water for 30 to 45 seconds, then transfer them to an ice bath. The skins should slip right off.
