Peach shortcake is a quick and easy dessert featuring fresh peaches and tender, buttery shortcakes. Ready in just 30 minutes, this classic summer treat is perfect for any gathering.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Peach Shortcake Recipe
Servings: 6shortcakes
Calories: 467kcal
Ingredients
Shortcake Dough
2cupsall purpose flour,spooned and leveled (plus more for work surface and kneading)
⅓cupgranulated sugar,you will need more for a light sprinkling on top of the cakes before baking
2tablespoonsbaking powder
½teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
⅔cupcold low fat buttermilk,well shaken
½cupbutter flavored shortening,I used the shortening sticks, easier to measure
2largeegg,room temperature and well beaten (divided)
1tablespoonwater
Peach Topping
5medium sizedfresh peaches,peeled, pitted and sliced
3tablespoonsgranulated sugar
2tablespoonsfresh squeezed lemon juice,you can substitute bottled lemon juice
Whipped topping,thawed (optional garnish)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a small baking sheet (a 9x13 - quarter sheet pan works well) with parchment paper.
Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, and ground nutmeg to a medium or large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Slice the butter-flavored shortening into cubes. Add the shortening cubes to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, or a fork, to work the shortening into the flour. Keep working until the shortening is like large grains of sand, or crumbs. (If you prefer, you can also use a food processor to do the work.)
Make a “well” or indentation in the flour and shortening. Add the buttermilk and beaten egg. Stir to completely combine. The dough will be sticky.
Generously flour your work surface. Scoop your dough on top of the floured surface. Sprinkle a generous amount of flour on top of the dough.
Fold the flour into the sticky dough. Continue folding just until the dough is no longer sticky, but be careful not to work the dough too much. This could give you a tough shortcake.
Once the dough is no longer sticky, roll it out to 1-inch thickness using a rolling pin. Cut out 6 shortcake rounds using a round 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter.
Place the rounds on the prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
Beat together the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of each shortcake with the egg wash.
Sprinkle about ⅛ teaspoon of granulated sugar on top of the shortcake rounds. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the tops and bottoms are a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the shortcakes to completely cool.
While the shortcakes are cooling, add the sliced peaches to a medium-sized (2-3 quart) bowl. Sprinkle the peaches with the granulated sugar and lemon juice. Stir until the peaches are completely coated.
Once the shortcakes are cooled, slice open a shortcake. Top the bottom of the shortcake with the sliced peaches. Add a dollop of thawed whipped topping, place the other half of the shortcake on top, and enjoy.
Notes
Baking spray can be used on your baking pan, but parchment helps the shortcakes bake more evenly.
For the shortcake dough, it's crucial to keep the butter-flavored shortening, egg, and buttermilk cold. This helps create a flaky texture. You can even chill your mixing bowl and utensils in the fridge before starting.
Use a light touch with the rolling pin. When rolling out the dough, apply light pressure to avoid compressing it too much. This helps maintain a light and airy texture in the shortcakes.
Allow the shortcakes to cool completely before slicing and assembling. This prevents the shortcakes from becoming soggy from the peach juices.