Peach Shortcake With Cinnamon Peaches and Vanilla Whipped Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: 2 cups (260 g)
• Baking powder: 1 tablespoon
• Baking soda: 1/2 teaspoon
• Kosher salt: 1 teaspoon
• Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons
• Unsalted butter (cold): 6 tablespoons (85 g)
• Cold buttermilk: 1 cup (240 ml)
• Heavy cream (for brushing): 2 tablespoons
• Peaches: 6 medium (about 2 lb / 900 g), pitted and sliced
• Unsalted butter (for peaches): 3 tablespoons
• Light brown sugar (packed): 1/3 cup (70 g)
• Ground cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
• Lemon juice: 2 teaspoons
• Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons (divided)
• Heavy whipping cream: 1 cup (240 ml)
• Powdered sugar: 2 tablespoons

Do This

• 1) Heat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment.
• 2) Make drop biscuit dough; scoop 6 mounds onto the pan, brush with cream.
• 3) Bake biscuits 14–16 minutes until tall and golden.
• 4) While biscuits bake, sauté peaches in butter with brown sugar and cinnamon 8–10 minutes until juicy and glossy.
• 5) Stir in lemon juice and vanilla; simmer 1 minute to make a peachy syrup in the pan.
• 6) Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to soft-to-medium peaks (2–4 minutes).
• 7) Split warm biscuits, spoon on peaches and syrup, finish with vanilla whipped cream. Serve right away.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Big payoff, low fuss: Tender drop biscuits (no rolling pin) but still bakery-style.
• Warm, saucy fruit: Cinnamon-sautéed peaches create their own syrup right in the pan.
• Great texture contrast: Crisp-topped biscuits, buttery-soft peaches, and fluffy whipped cream.
• Make-ahead friendly: Each component can be prepped separately, then assembled fast.

Grocery List

• Produce: 6 medium ripe peaches, 1 lemon
• Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy whipping cream
• Pantry: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract

Full Ingredients

Drop Biscuits (Tender and Buttery)

• All-purpose flour: 2 cups (260 g), spooned and leveled
• Baking powder: 1 tablespoon
• Baking soda: 1/2 teaspoon
• Kosher salt: 1 teaspoon
• Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons
• Unsalted butter: 6 tablespoons (85 g), very cold, cut into small cubes
• Cold buttermilk: 1 cup (240 ml)
• Vanilla extract: 1/2 teaspoon (optional, but lovely)
• Heavy cream: 2 tablespoons, for brushing tops before baking

Warm Cinnamon-Sautéed Peaches + Peach Syrup

• Ripe peaches: 6 medium (about 2 lb / 900 g), pitted and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
• Unsalted butter: 3 tablespoons (42 g)
• Light brown sugar (packed): 1/3 cup (70 g)
• Ground cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
• Kosher salt: 1/8 teaspoon
• Lemon juice: 2 teaspoons
• Vanilla extract: 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Optional thickener (only if your peaches are very juicy): 1 teaspoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water (stir together to make a slurry)

Vanilla Whipped Cream

• Heavy whipping cream: 1 cup (240 ml), cold
• Powdered sugar: 2 tablespoons (15 g)
• Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
• Fine salt: 1 small pinch

For Serving (Optional)

• Extra cinnamon: for a light dusting
• Toasted sliced almonds or chopped pecans: 2–3 tablespoons for crunch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep your oven and pan

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or leave it unlined if you prefer slightly crisper bottoms).

Set out a large mixing bowl for the biscuits and a large skillet for the peaches.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients for the drop biscuits

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and sugar until evenly combined.

This quick whisking step helps the biscuits rise evenly and keeps them from tasting salty in one bite and bland in the next.

Step 3: Cut in cold butter, then add buttermilk

Add the cold cubed butter to the bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until you have a mix of pea-size pieces plus some smaller sandy bits (that mix of sizes makes the biscuits flaky and tender).

Stir the buttermilk and optional 1/2 teaspoon vanilla together, then pour into the bowl. Fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. The dough will look shaggy and sticky; that is perfect. Avoid overmixing.

Step 4: Scoop and bake the biscuits

Using a large spoon or a 1/2-cup measuring cup, scoop the dough into 6 tall mounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Brush the tops with 2 tablespoons heavy cream.

Bake for 14–16 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden and the biscuits feel set. If you like certainty, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read about 200–205°F (93–96°C).

Let biscuits cool on the pan for 5 minutes before splitting.

Step 5: Sauté the peaches to create a syrupy pan sauce

While the biscuits bake, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced peaches, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt.

Cook, stirring gently, for 8–10 minutes, until the peaches are tender but not falling apart and the sugar has melted into a glossy syrup. If the pan looks dry at first, keep cooking; the peaches will release juice after a few minutes.

Step 6: Finish the peaches with lemon and vanilla (and thicken if needed)

Reduce heat to low. Stir in the lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Simmer for 1 minute so the flavors round out and the syrup lightly reduces.

If your peaches are extremely juicy and the syrup is thinner than you want, stir in the cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water). Cook for 30–60 seconds, stirring, until the syrup turns shiny and lightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Step 7: Whip the vanilla cream

In a cold bowl, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt.

Whip with a hand mixer (or whisk vigorously by hand) until soft-to-medium peaks form, about 2–4 minutes with a mixer. You want it fluffy and spoonable, not stiff or grainy.

Step 8: Assemble the peach shortcakes and serve warm

Split each warm biscuit in half horizontally. Place the bottom half on a plate, spoon on a generous portion of warm peaches, and drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the peach syrup from the pan.

Add a big dollop of vanilla whipped cream, then cap with the biscuit top. Finish with an extra spoon of syrup (and a light dusting of cinnamon or nuts if you like). Serve immediately while the peaches are warm and the biscuits are still crisp at the edges.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold for the biscuits: Cold butter and cold buttermilk create steam in the oven, giving you a taller, flakier biscuit.
• Don’t overmix: Stir the biscuit dough just until no dry flour remains. Overmixing makes biscuits tough.
• Choose ripe but firm peaches: Slightly firm peaches hold their shape; very soft peaches can turn jammy (still tasty, just less distinct slices).
• Use the pan syrup on purpose: If you want more syrup, cook peaches 1–2 minutes less; for thicker syrup, simmer 1–2 minutes more (or use the optional slurry).
• Assemble right before serving: Keeps the biscuit from soaking through and staying fluffy.

Variations

• Bourbon-cinnamon peaches: Add 1 tablespoon bourbon after the peaches finish cooking; simmer 30 seconds to cook off the harsh alcohol edge.
• Peach-berry shortcake: Replace 1 cup of sliced peaches with 1 cup fresh raspberries or blackberries; stir berries in during the last 1 minute so they don’t break down too much.
• Ginger twist: Add 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to the peaches and a pinch to the whipped cream for a warm, spicy edge.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Biscuits: Store cooled biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 6–8 minutes (or split and toast lightly). You can also freeze baked biscuits for up to 2 months; thaw and rewarm.

Peaches and syrup: Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Rewarm gently in a skillet over low heat for 3–5 minutes (or microwave in 30-second bursts).

Whipped cream: Best the day it’s made, but it will hold (covered, refrigerated) for up to 2 days. Rewhip briefly by hand if it softens.

Best make-ahead plan: Bake biscuits earlier in the day, refrigerate peaches and syrup, then rewarm peaches and quickly whip cream right before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, based on 1 of 6 servings: 520 calories, Fat: 24 g, Saturated Fat: 15 g, Carbohydrates: 72 g, Sugars: 36 g, Fiber: 4 g, Protein: 7 g, Sodium: 520 mg.