Our Best Sweet-and-Juicy Peach Recipes
Exquisitely ripe fresh peaches are a favorite at Midwest roadside stands, farmers markets and supermarkets—perfect for creating luscious peachy dishes. You can substitute frozen peaches in most of these recipes when fresh ones aren't in season.
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Peach Upside-Down Cake
The family behind Illinois' Rendleman Orchards has amassed some great peach recipes in 135 years of growing peaches. This cake is no exception. Peach slices and brown sugar form a moist base for the tender, square cake–and when flipped over, that base becomes the topping. We like the cake warm with ice cream.
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Peach Cordial Mini Bundt Cakes
The memory of a childhood orchard trip inspired Melinsa Murphey of Olathe, Kansas, to create this recipe. The cakes are moist and sweet and quite generously proportioned, so you may want to serve a half-cake to each person (or bake them in muffin cups instead).
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Pannekoeken
This Dutch specialty, a puff pancake, bakes into a bowl shape that cradles a pile of sliced fresh peaches. The recipe comes from the Hidden Lake Bed and Breakfast in Jonesboro, Illinois, where the pannekoeken gets a dollop of sour cream and a generous sprinkling of powdered sugar. "It's simple, presents elegantly and always generates a round of oohs and aahs from our guests," says B&B co-owner Mary Jo Smith. "We typically serve it with maple sausage."
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Peach Cake Roll
Based on a recipe from Michigan Peach Sponsors, this cake roll is a flavor chameleon. Swirl in any ice cream you like, and top the cake with any complementary fruit.
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Peach Pinwheel Dumplings
The biscuits absorb some of the cooking liquid, but this is still a very juicy dessert. The syrupy liquid tastes divine with vanilla ice cream. The recipe comes from Rendleman Orchards in Alto Pass, Illinois.
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Peach Ice Cream
A combination of pureed and chopped peaches gives this ice cream nice color and fruit flecks. Be sure to use half-and-half or light cream; if you substitute whole milk, the mixture will be icier.
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Peach Breakfast Parfaits
"This very simple fruit dish goes over big," says Mary Jo Smith, describing this breakfast at Hidden Lake Bed and Breakfast in Jonesboro, Illinois. She serves it in sundae glasses with a swirl of yogurt on top. For a variation, add raspberries to the peaches.
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Peach Kuchen
Like any good cook, Mary Jo Smith of Hidden Lake Bed and Breakfast adjusts her recipes as she prepares them over time. She has fine-tuned the custard layer for Peach Kuchen and added spices to the peaches. If you're in a hurry, Mary Jo recommends substituting a single refrigerated unbaked piecrust for the Kuchen Crust.
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Peach Pancakes and Chai Syrup
Pureed canned peaches and whipping cream make a rich, flavorful pancake. Top with maple syrup instead of the chai syrup if you prefer. Add chopped peaches for even more fruit flavor.
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Flamm's Peach Cobbler and Yogurt Pie
Flamm's Peach Cobbler is a combination of recipes that's baked for the Flamm Fruits and Cream stand at the orchard's Cobden, Illinois, market (left). It's heavenly served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
For a no-bake summer favorite, try Creamy Peach Yogurt Pie. The recipe comes from the Flamm family's Good Food from the Orchard Cookbook, which is sold at their market.
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Peach Chutney
This recipe from the Peach Barn Cafe in Alto Pass, Illinois, makes just 2 1/4 cups, but if you have an abundance of peaches, you can make multiple batches of this recipe and can them.
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Peachy Apricot Slush
At just 40 calories a serving, this fresh drink is a good alternative to high-calorie fruit drinks or sodas. Mix apricot nectar, peaches, ice, and lemon or lime juice, then add carbonated water.
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Peachalope Jam
Lemon, nutmeg and walnuts add layered flavor and texture to this unusual jam. This recipe comes from the Glass Rooster Cannery cooking school and farm store in Sunbury, Ohio.
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Vanilla Roasted Fruit
Oven-roasted nectarines or peaches create their own vanilla syrup as they're baked in vanilla-flavored sugar with water. They're heavenly with ice cream and syrup drizzled over the top.
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Peach of a Crumble
Cranberries make this peach crumble special--no surprise, since the recipe comes from Canoe Bay resort near Chetek, Wisconsin. Wisconsin produces more cranberries than any other state in the nation. Serve with your choice of store-bought ice cream if you don't have time to make the Hint-of-Ginger Ice Cream accompaniment.
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German-Style Peach Kuchen
German immigrants to the Red River Valley brought their cooking traditions with them, including recipes for this peachy dessert. We especially like this with cinnamon whipped cream.
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Summer Fruit Daiquiris
Choose from peaches or strawberries and rum or orange juice for this chiller. Then rev up your blender. Our recipe includes variations with and without alcohol.
For another refreshing blender peach drink, try Peach Sunrisers. The drink gets its rosy color from cranberry juice concentrate.
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Peach Crisp Parfait
Layer dessert parfaits with the best of the season: juicy, fresh peaches and ice cream topped with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream.
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Flamm's Peach Ice Cream
Flamm Orchards is a major peach producer in southern Illinois. The Flamm family likes to churn peach ice cream on the Fourth of July. The whole group gets involved in ice cream prep, then eating.
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Summer's Best Peach Pie
Just-picked fruit from your farmers market will taste great in this pie, but you can use frozen peach slices if needed.
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Pretty Peaches 'n' Pound Cake
Juicy, fresh peaches star in this dessert, based on store-bought pound cake. "It's easy and there's nothing to it," says the Rochester, Minnesota, reader who contributed the recipe. "It takes only about 5 minutes to prepare."
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Peach Streusel Pie
A buttery topping, with a hint of cinnamon, crowns this spectacular dessert.
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Peach Pecan Vinaigrette with Spring Green Salad
Sarah Slater of Casa Nueva looks forward to fresh peaches appearing at her farmers market in Athens, Ohio. This is just one way she uses the juicy fruit.
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More great Midwest Living Desserts
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