Peach Shortcakes with Cinnamon Crumble

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

This peach shortcake recipe is a classic dessert made even better! They’re mini butter cakes with whipped cream, macerated peaches, and a cinnamon crumble on top for a nice crunch! Every bite is creamy, sweet, and downright irresistible!

For more peach recipes, make my peach cobbler with cake mix and peach cobbler pound cake!

peach shortcakes on a pie plate with macerated peaches, whipped cream, and fresh basil for garnish.

This peach shortcake is the ultimate summer dessert! It’s buttery little cakes stacked high with juicy peaches, a cloud of whipped cream, and a crunchy cinnamon crumble on top!

The cakes are soft, tender, and rich and they soak up all that sweet peach syrup from the macerated peaches like a dream! Every bite is this combo of buttery cake, fresh peach slices, fluffy whipped cream, and cinnamon crumble crunch that tastes like happiness on a spoon.

The best part? They’re gorgeous on a plate but secretly so easy to put together. You can impress your guests without breaking a sweat. Honestly, once you make them this way, you’ll never go back to biscuit shortcakes again.

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (and even additional fresh fruit if you want) for the most delicious dessert ever.

Why These Are The Best Peach Shortcakes!
Key Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
How To Make Peach Shortcakes
Pro Baking Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Peach Recipes
Peach Shortcakes Recipe

Why These Are The Best Peach Shortcakes!

Easy to make – no having to deal with cold butter or a shaggy dough or kneading. Just simple, easy buttery short cake that bakes in the oven and melts right in your mouth!
Excellent way to use up those sweet summer peaches!
Southern classic made even better! With the addition of a cinnamon crumble which add a nice crunch and a touch of warm spices, you’ll never go back to shortcake biscuits again!

Key Ingredients

a peach shortcake on a pie plate with a bite taken out of the cake so that you can see the inside.

(full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card)

Fresh Peaches – use the best peaches you can find! I’m talking ripe peaches that are firm but have some give. Avoid mushy peaches, those are good for eating but not for macerating. They get too soft and the texture gets weird and floppy.

Buttermilk gives the shortcakes a little tang and tenderizes the flour, giving you a tender, soft crumb.

Olive Oil is gonna pack in the moisture! You can use any neutral oil (vegetable oil/canola oil/avocado oil) if you prefer, but I like olive oil because it has a subtle earthy, nutty flavor.

Eggs bind everything together. Make sure to use room temperature eggs for best results.

Vanilla extract, almond extract, and butter extract add extra flavor and play up the flavors of the peaches.

Heavy cream is for the whipped cream topping.

Substitutions and Variations

You can use strawberries if you prefer! Also, other stone fruit like plums, white peaches, or nectarines are all exceptionally good with this recipe!
If you prefer a most traditional shortcake akin to flaky biscuits, use my old fashioned buttermilk biscuits recipe instead!
Gluten free option: use your favorite 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour.
Add a splash of bourbon to the peaches while they’re macerating for a boozy take on the recipe!

How To Make Peach Shortcakes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a jumbo muffin tin with nonstick baking spray, then coat with flour (this is to ensure that the shortcakes don’t stick to the pan).

Step 1: Slice peaches and place into a large bowl. Add brown sugar and lemon juice and toss together. Set aside and allow them to macerate.

Step 2: Now make the crumble topping – mix together flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, and kosher salt. Add in melted butter and mix together until crumbles form. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

wet ingredients mixed together in a bowl with a whisk.

Step 3: In a large bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, butter extract and almond extract. Whisk together for 1-2 minutes, until combined and smooth, then add in the all purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisk until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.

Step 4: Pour batter into the jumbo muffin tin, filling for only about 2/3 the way full. Place into the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 25-28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Assemble the Peach Shortcakes

Step 5: Now make the homemade whipped cream. Add heavy cream and powdered sugar to a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer or whisk and beat until medium peaks form.

peach shortcake with macerated peaches on top.

Step 6: Place one of the shortcakes onto a plate. Top with the fresh whipped cream and top with the juicy peaches and cinnamon crumble on top.

Pro Baking Tips

Don’t overmix the whipped cream! Whip until stiff peaks and stop.

An oven thermometer is key to making sure that your baked goods rise properly. Too hot and they’ll burn, too cool and they’ll be stodgy and dense.

Use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients! Toggle over to the “metric” portion of the recipe card for the gram measurements for this recipe. It makes for the most consistent outcomes in baking!

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to peel the peaches?

Nope, you don’t have to! It’s not needed as the peaches will be macerated, but you can if you’d prefer.

Can I use canned or frozen peaches if fresh aren’t in season?

Absolutely! If using canned peaches, drain the syrup and toss in the brown sugar and spices. If using frozen peaches, thaw them and then toss in the brown sugar and spices.

What’s the best way to store leftover shortcakes?

Store everything separately, unassembled, in an airtight container.

Can I use Cool Whip or store-bought whipped topping instead?

Yes, of course! This is a great option when you’re short on time.

Can I freeze the butter cakes for later use?

Yes! Wrap the cakes individually in plastic wrap and place into an airtight, freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator when you’re ready to eat again.