Peach Brown Sugar Shortcake With Vanilla Whipped Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 shortcakes
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 50 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• Biscuits: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp fine salt, 8 tbsp (113 g) cold unsalted butter, 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp heavy cream (to brush), 1 tbsp turbinado sugar (optional)
• Peaches: 5 medium peaches (about 2 lb / 900 g), 1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp fine salt, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• Vanilla whipped cream: 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream, 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, pinch of salt

Do This

• 1. Heat oven to 425°F (218°C); chill butter and buttermilk.
• 2. Slice peaches; toss with brown sugar, lemon, salt (and cinnamon). Rest 15 minutes.
• 3. Mix dry biscuit ingredients; cut in cold butter; stir in buttermilk + vanilla just until combined.
• 4. Pat dough to 1-inch thick; cut 6 biscuits; place in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or on a lined sheet.
• 5. Brush with cream; sprinkle turbinado sugar; bake 14–16 minutes until deeply golden.
• 6. Whip cream with powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to soft-medium peaks.
• 7. Split warm biscuits; spoon on juicy peaches; finish with vanilla whipped cream and serve.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic shortcake comfort: tender, buttery biscuits with crisp golden edges.
• Big peach flavor: brown sugar draws out a glossy syrup that soaks into the biscuit.
• Not fussy: no special tools required, and the components come together quickly.
• Great for guests: bake the biscuits ahead and assemble right before serving.

Grocery List

• Produce: 5 medium peaches, 1 lemon
• Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy cream
• Pantry: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, powdered sugar, fine salt, vanilla extract, turbinado sugar (optional), ground cinnamon (optional)

Full Ingredients

Brown Sugar Peaches

• 5 medium ripe-but-firm peaches (about 2 lb / 900 g), pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
• 1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Tender Biscuit Shortcakes

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 8 tbsp (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream, for brushing tops
• 1 tbsp (12 g) turbinado sugar, for sprinkling tops (optional)

Vanilla Whipped Cream

• 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
• 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep your oven and pan

Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). If you have a 10-inch cast iron skillet, place it in the oven while it preheats (this helps the biscuit bottoms brown nicely). If you’d rather use a sheet pan, line it with parchment paper.

Make sure your butter and buttermilk are cold. If your kitchen is warm, pop the cubed butter and measured buttermilk in the refrigerator for 10 minutes while you start the peaches.

Step 2: Toss the peaches with brown sugar and rest

In a medium bowl, combine the sliced peaches, 1/3 cup (70 g) brown sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp salt, and cinnamon (if using). Toss gently until the sugar looks damp and starts to cling to the fruit.

Let the peaches sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. They’ll release juices and create a quick, syrupy sauce. Toss once more right before serving.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients for the biscuits

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Step 4: Cut in the cold butter

Add the cold cubed butter to the bowl. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter still visible.

Those larger bits of butter are a good thing: they melt in the oven and help create tender, flaky layers.

Step 5: Add buttermilk and shape the dough

In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk with the 1 tsp vanilla. Pour into the flour-butter mixture and stir with a fork just until the dough looks shaggy and most dry flour is absorbed.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold it in half, pat it back down, then fold once more (2 folds total) to create light layering. Pat to 1 inch thickness again.

Cut 6 biscuits using a 3-inch round cutter (or a sharp-edged drinking glass). Press straight down (do not twist), which helps the biscuits rise evenly. Gather scraps, pat gently, and cut as needed.

Step 6: Bake until tall and deeply golden

Carefully remove the hot cast iron skillet from the oven and place it on a heat-safe surface. Arrange the biscuits in the skillet with a little space between them (they can be fairly close for softer sides, or slightly separated for crispier edges). If using a sheet pan, place biscuits on the parchment-lined pan.

Brush the tops with 2 tbsp heavy cream and sprinkle with 1 tbsp turbinado sugar (optional, but it adds sparkle and crunch).

Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 14–16 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown and the biscuits feel set when lightly tapped. Cool for 5 minutes before assembling.

Step 7: Whip the vanilla cream

While the biscuits cool slightly, make the whipped cream. In a cold mixing bowl, combine 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream, 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt.

Whip until soft-medium peaks form (the cream should hold its shape but still look pillowy and spoonable). Be careful not to whip to the point of looking grainy.

Step 8: Split, layer, and serve

Split each biscuit with a serrated knife. Spoon a generous amount of brown sugar peaches and their syrup over the bottom half. Add a big spoonful of vanilla whipped cream, then cap with the biscuit top.

For extra sauciness, spoon a little more peach syrup over the top right before serving.

Pro Tips

• Cold ingredients make tender biscuits: if the butter softens, the dough gets greasy and the biscuits bake up flatter. Chill the formed biscuits for 10 minutes before baking if needed.
• Don’t overmix: stir in the buttermilk just until the dough comes together; overworking makes biscuits tough.
• Pick the right peaches: choose peaches that smell fragrant and give slightly when pressed, but aren’t mushy. Very soft peaches can turn jammy fast.
• Control the sweetness: if your peaches are very sweet, reduce brown sugar to 1/4 cup (55 g). If they’re tart, keep 1/3 cup.
• Want more syrup? after the peaches rest, you can warm them in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes to melt the sugar into a saucier glaze (cool slightly before serving).

Variations

• Ginger-peach shortcake: add 1/2 tsp ground ginger to the peaches and 1/4 tsp to the biscuit dry ingredients.
• Honey-vanilla peaches: replace 2 tbsp (25 g) of the brown sugar with 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey for a floral sweetness.
• Buttermilk-free option: use 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk mixed with 2 tsp lemon juice; let stand 5 minutes before using.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Best day-of: Shortcake is at its absolute best the day it’s made, especially once assembled.

Biscuits: Store baked biscuits airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 8–10 minutes before serving. You can also freeze baked biscuits for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature, then rewarm.

Peaches: Store the macerated peaches (with syrup) covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving, or warm gently.

Whipped cream: Whip and serve the same day when possible. If needed, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours and whisk briefly to refresh.

Make-ahead plan: Bake biscuits earlier in the day, macerate peaches up to 2 days ahead, and whip cream right before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, for 1 assembled shortcake (1/6 of recipe): 520 calories, 26 g fat, 68 g carbs, 5 g protein, 36 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 420 mg sodium.