This is an easy, high altitude tested recipe for peach shortcake, baked in a cast iron skillet like a peach cobbler. Sweet, juicy peaches are topped with fluffy drop biscuits, cinnamon sugar and whipped cream for the perfect simple summer dessert.
You might also love these recipes for blueberry cornmeal cobbler, rhubarb crumble and custard, and maple apple cobbler.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to Make. Shortcake is a classic summer dessert, usually made with some variation of biscuits or cake with fruit (often peaches or strawberries) and whipped cream. While I based the biscuit topping on my original baking powder biscuits recipe, today’s version is much easier. Instead of rolling out the dough and cutting biscuits, you’ll simply be mixing a quick dough in a bowl, then spooning it on top of the peaches before baking.
Versatile Recipe. Use fresh, frozen or canned peaches, whichever is most convenient for you, although nothing beats the flavor of a ripe Palisade peach in the summer. And if you don’t have peaches, you can make this recipe with plums or nectarines instead.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude. Today’s recipe will work at any altitude, though.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
- Flour. You’ll need all purpose flour to give strength and structure to the biscuits, as well as to add a little thickener to the peach juices.
- Corn Starch. Tenderizes the biscuit dough for light and fluffy biscuits.
- Sugar. Light brown sugar sweetens the peaches, while a little granulated sugar adds sweetness to the biscuits.
- Baking Powder. Leavening agent, so the biscuits spread and puff as they bake.
- Spices. You’ll need salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cardamom, as well as vanilla extract.
- Butter. Adds flavor and richness.
- Milk. Moistens the biscuit dough to bring it all together.
- Peaches. I prefer fresh, ripe peaches for the best flavor and texture in this peach shortcake recipe.
Instructions
Getting Ready
- Preheat the oven to 425 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- You’ll need a 12-inch cast iron skillet, but if you don’t have one, a 9×13 inch baking dish can also be used.
Biscuits
- In a bowl, combine the flour, corn starch, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Cut the cold butter into chunks, then add it to the flour. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are no bigger than peas.
- Add 1 cup + 2 tbsp of the milk, and stir into a sticky, shaggy dough.
- Set the bowl of biscuit dough in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
- Reserve the remaining 2 tbsp milk and the cinnamon sugar for later.
Peaches
- Brush the melted butter into the bottom and sides of your skillet or baking dish.
- Peel the peaches, if preferred, then remove the pits and cut the peaches into 1/2 inch pieces. Add the chopped peaches to the skillet.
- Add the brown sugar (I used 2/3 cup for a less sweet dessert, but you can use up to 1 cup for a sweeter dessert), flour, vanilla, ginger, allspice and cardamom, and toss to combine.
Bake
- Take the chilled biscuit dough out of the refrigerator, and use an ice cream scoop with a release lever (or a spoon) to scoop the dough on top of the peaches.
- Brush the biscuits with the remaining 2 tbsp milk.
- Bake the peach shortcake for about 20-25 minutes, until the peaches are thick and bubbly, and the biscuits are baked through.
- Sprinkle the top of the biscuits with the cinnamon sugar. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover shortcake loosely covered at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-40 seconds at 50% power.
You can use frozen peaches, which will need to be thawed completely first. If using canned peaches, be sure to drain the excess syrup.
If you want to cut this recipe in half, you can use an 8 or 9 inch skillet, or a 9 inch square baking dish.
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Skillet Peach Cobbler Shortcake
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet (or a 9×13 inch baking dish)
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 10 tbsp cold unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk, divided
- 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar (2 tbsp granulated sugar + 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon)
Peaches
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 ½ lbs ripe peaches (about 8-9 peaches)
- â…” – 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- â…› tsp ground cardamom, optional
Instructions
Getting Ready
- Preheat the oven to 425 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- You'll need a 12-inch cast iron skillet, but if you don't have one, a 9×13 inch baking dish can also be used.
Biscuits
- In a bowl, combine the flour, corn starch, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Cut the cold butter into chunks, then add it to the flour. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are no bigger than peas.
- Add 1 cup + 2 tbsp of the milk, and stir into a sticky, shaggy dough.
- Set the bowl of biscuit dough in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
- Reserve the remaining 2 tbsp milk and the cinnamon sugar for later.
Peaches
- Brush the melted butter into the bottom and sides of your skillet or baking dish.
- Peel the peaches, if preferred, then remove the pits and cut the peaches into 1/2 inch pieces. Add the chopped peaches to the skillet.
- Add the brown sugar (I used 2/3 cup for a less sweet dessert, but you can use up to 1 cup for a sweeter dessert), flour, vanilla, ginger, allspice and cardamom, and toss to combine.
Bake
- Take the chilled biscuit dough out of the refrigerator, and use an ice cream scoop with a release lever (or a spoon) to scoop the dough on top of the peaches.
- Brush the biscuits with the remaining 2 tbsp milk.
- Bake the peach shortcake for about 20-25 minutes, until the peaches are thick and bubbly, and the biscuits are baked through.
- Sprinkle the top of the biscuits with the cinnamon sugar. Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
I love this recipe, as i love all of your recipes!! As someone who really enjoys the natural sweetness and taste of peaches, I’d say, if you absolutely LOVE cardamom, this is for you! No shade, I just don’t prefer this much flavoring over natural flavors. I think next time I’ll just put a spinkle of cardamom… other than that, this is sooooo delicious. Thank you!
So glad you loved it! With only 1/8 tsp cardamom, I thought the flavor was actually pretty subtle, but yes, leave it out if it’s not a spice you enjoy. đŸ™‚
It’s Palisade peach time, so I wanted to make a dessert with some of them. You had me at no peeling the peaches. But seriously, the was my first time using my cast iron skillet (only 10 inch though), first time making shortcake, first time using cardamom. This was a big test to see if the peels were weird in any way, and they were NOT even noticed. Bonus! Swapped in Splenda Brown Sugar blend and it was great. I used a couple of 8oz crocks for the overfill, and they also turned out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe that I will use every year when the good local Palisades are available.
I’m so glad you loved it! There’s nothing like Palisade peaches.