Gluten Free Peach Shortcake is the summer version of Strawberry Shortcake. Soft and fluffy gluten-free cream cheese biscuits topped with fresh whipped cream and fresh juicy peaches. This summer dessert will definitely be the star of the show during peach season.
If you love delicious gluten-free peach desserts as much as I do (it's my personal favorite time of year), make sure to check out my Gluten Free Coffee Cake. If you prefer a cake for your shortcakes, I recommend checking out my Gluten Free Strawberry Cake and swapping the strawberries with fresh peaches.
Jump to:
- Recipe Ingredient Notes
- How to make Gluten Free Cream Cheese Biscuits
- How to prepare fresh Peaches for Peach Shortcake
- How to assemble Gluten Free Peach Shortcake
- FAQ about Peach Shortcake
- Note about Salt in my Recipes
- Baking in grams
- Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
- Substitutions and Modifications
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Gluten Free Flour: The best gluten-free flour blend to make cream cheese biscuits for peach shortcake is Cup4Cup. The addition of cornstarch creates a lighter crumb and therefore allows the biscuits to rise. If you are in Europe, please use Schär Mix Pâtisserie. If you do not have access to Cup4Cup, you can tweak a blend like Bob’s Red Mill with this Homemade Biscuit Flour blend. I can not guarantee it will be as nice and flaky as Cup4Cup.
Homemade Biscuit Flour Blend
– 250 g of your gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum such as Bob’s Red Mill (I do not recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure in this recipe )
– 75 g of cornstarch
– 1 teaspoon of dry non-fat milk powder (whole milk powder works as well)
Combine all ingredients and mix together with a whisk. The non-fat milk powder will provide browning but is also an emulsifier.
Butter: For the best results, make sure the butter is cold and comes straight from the fridge. This will help the Cream Cheese Biscuits to get flaky layers.
Cream Cheese: Cream Cheese not only gives the biscuits a little tang but also keeps them moist and gives them the perfect texture. I use full-fat blocks/bricks of cream cheese. My brand of choice if Philadelphia which is gluten-free according to the Kraft-Heinz website. I always recommend checking the packaging or the manufacturer’s website to ensure the products used are celiac safe.
Buttermilk: I have tested this recipe for Gluten Free Cream Cheese Biscuits with buttermilk and “homemade buttermilk” (which is basically milk with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice). The cream cheese biscuits made with buttermilk did rise a lot taller and had a better flavor than the ones made with “homemade buttermilk”.
Peaches: I recommend using ripe peaches to make gluten-free peach shortcake. If the peaches are very sweet, there is no need to sweeten them with brown sugar.
Heavy Cream: The whipped cream frosting is made with heavy cream (also often labeled as heavy whipping cream).
How to make Gluten Free Cream Cheese Biscuits
Before you start make sure butter, cream cheese, and buttermilk are as cold as possible. If you like you can cut or grate the butter ahead of time and stick it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
Step 1: Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set it aside.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut the cold butter and cheesecake into small chunks and with your hands or a pastry blender, work it into the dry ingredients until they resemble the size of peas.
Step 3: Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and with a flexible spatula stir everything together until the flour has been completely absorbed. The mixture will look shaggy.
Step 4: Transfer the gluten free cream cheese biscuit dough onto a parchment-lined sheet tray. With your hands, push it together in a rectangular/square shape, around ¾ – 1″ thick. If your dough is sticky, feel free to sprinkle it with some additional flour (1 tablespoon or so)
Step 5: Fold the dough in half and carefully pat it down into a square. Rotate the dough 90° between each fold. Repeat this two more times – a total of THREE folds. If your dough has become sticky because of a warm kitchen or warm hands, feel free to place it in the fridge between folds for 5-10 minutes. These folds are the key to flaky biscuits with buttery layers.
Step 6: Pat out the dough in a rectangular around ¾” – 1″ thick. Do not go thinner than ¾” or you will end up with flat, sad biscuits. Place the uncut biscuit dough in your fridge for at least 10 minutes. This gives the butter and cream cheese in the dough to chill down again and will ensure light and flaky gluten-free biscuits. Chilling the dough also makes them easier to cut. In the meantime fully preheat your oven to 425F.
Step 7: Once the oven is fully preheated, use a sharp, clean knife and cut the biscuits into 6 equal pieces. Arrange the cut biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and brush with additional buttermilk/kefir. Sprinkle with a little bit of sugar if you like. Bake at 425F for 18-21 minutes or until golden brown. Make sure not to burn them.
Step 8: Remove the cream cheese biscuits from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature before turning them into Peach Shortcake.
How to prepare fresh Peaches for Peach Shortcake
Start with ripe, sweet peaches that are firm. You will need 2-3 medium-sized peaches, depending on how much peach filling you would like. If you don't use all the filling, store the leftovers in your fridge and enjoy them with some yogurt or as a snack. If your peaches are very sweet, please adjust the sugar accordingly (or skip it entirely)
Slice the peaches into thin slices and add them to a medium bowl. Toss with brown sugar (or pure maple syrup), lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
How to assemble Gluten Free Peach Shortcake
There is no right or wrong way to assemble this dessert. Using a sharp knife, cut the cooled cream cheese biscuit in half. Place the bottom half on a plate and top with a generous amount of whipped cream. Top with some peach slices and cover with the other half of the biscuit. Dust with some powdered sugar if you like, and serve the gluten-free shortcakes right away.
Now, if you want the ultimate summer treat, swap the whipped cream for some vanilla ice cream ... Never tried ice cream in a biscuit? Well, there is a first for everything.
FAQ about Peach Shortcake
NO! Using all cream cheese will turn the biscuits into very heavy bricks. Using butter and cream cheese makes them light and fluffy.
Since the biscuits contain 3 kinds of dairy (butter, cream cheese, and buttermilk), I recommend using my original Gluten Free Flaky Biscuit recipe which can easily be turned vegan. My original gluten-free biscuits can easily be made with vegan butter and dairy-free sour cream.
Yes! I recommend freezing them unbaked and CUT biscuits. Arrange them on a sheet tray and freeze for 2hrs. Transfer them to a ziplock bag and bake from frozen as needed. You may need to increase baking time by a few minutes.
Yes, you can replace the gluten free flour with 280 grams of all purpose flour.
Note about Salt in my Recipes
I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.
Baking in grams
I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.
Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures
All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.
If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Be also prepared that the convection oven can cause your baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Be aware that it takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.
Substitutions and Modifications
Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Peach Shortcake
Gluten Free Peach Shortcake is the summer version of Strawberry Shortcake. Soft and fluffy gluten-free cream cheese biscuits topped with fresh whipped cream and juicy, fresh peaches. This summer dessert will definitely be the star of the show during peach season.
Ingredients
For the Gluten Free Cream Cheese Biscuits
- 320 grams Cup4Cup Mulitpurpose flour (*see Note!)
- 25 grams light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (2 grams)
- 60 grams unsalted butter, COLD
- 60 grams full fat cream cheese, COLD
- 180 grams buttermilk, COLD
For the Peaches
- 2-3 fresh peaches
- light brown sugar as needed
- juice from ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Whipped Cream
- 200 grams heavy cream, cold
- powdered sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup as needed
Instructions
How to make Cream Cheese Biscuits
- Combine gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large bowl and mix them together.
- Cut the cold butter and cream cheese into small chunks and with your hands or a pastry cutter, work it into the dry ingredients until they resemble the size of peas.
- Add the cold buttermilk and with a sturdy spatula mix it together. Do not worry about overmixing. It looks very dry in the beginning but the more you mix it, the more it will start to look like a dough.
- Transfer your dough to a parchment-lined sheet tray and with your hands, push it together in a rectangular/square shape - you want this around ¾ - 1" thick. If your dough is sticky, feel free to sprinkle it with some additional flour (1 tablespoon or so)
- Fold the dough in half and carefully pat it down into a square again. Pat it down with your hands in a rectangular/square again and fold it in half. Repeat this one more time - a total of THREE folds. If your dough has become sticky because of a warm kitchen or warm hands, feel free to place it in the fridge between folds for 5-10 minutes.
- Pat out your dough in a rectangular around ¾" - 1" thick. Do not go flatter than ¾" or you will end up with flat, sad biscuits. lace the uncut biscuit dough in your fridge for at least 10 minutes
- In the meantime preheat your oven to 425F.
- Once your oven is fully preheated, use a sharp, clean knife and cut the biscuits into 6 equal pieces. ). Sprinkle with some coarse sugar if you like.
- Arrange your biscuits on a parchment-lined sheet tray and them for 16-21 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once fully baked, remove the gluten-free cream cheese biscuits from the oven and allow them to rest on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before using them to make Gluten Free Peach Shortcakes.
Macerated Peaches
- Add the sliced peaches to a small bowl and toss with granulated sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Allow the peaches to macerate for at least 30 minutes to release their delicious juices.
Homemade Whipped Cream
- Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the cold heavy cream, your choice of sweetener, and vanilla on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Place the whipped cream in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Assemble Peach Shortcakes
- Using a sharp knife, cut the sweet biscuits in half. Place the bottom half on a plate and top with some whipped cream and peaches.
- Cover with the other half of the biscuit, dust with some powdered sugar if you like, and serve the gluten-free shortcakes right away.
Notes
Flour: I have tested this recipe with 4 different gluten-free flour kinds and the only product that worked the best here is Cup4Cup. The addition of cornstarch creates a lighter crumb and therefore allows the biscuits to rise. If you are in Europe, please use Schär Mix Pâtisserie. If you do not have access to Cup4Cup, please use the following mixture. I can not guarantee it will be as nice and flaky as Cup4Cup. Try to avoid a blend with brown rice flour as its first ingredient. It will be too heavy for biscuits.
- 275 g of your gluten-free flour blend (such as Bob's Red Mill or Better Batter)
- 50 g of cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of dry non-fat milk powder
Combine all ingredients and mix together with a whisk. The non-fat milk powder will provide browning but is also an emulsifier.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 400
Calories are a guestimate.
Sandra
We made these gluten free peach shortcakes last night and they were so good. We love Strawberry shortcakes and your biscuit recipe so it was a given we would love this recipe.
Brandi
We made this wonderful coffee cake for vacation. It is absolutely delightful! Thank you Daniela for your amazing recipes. You’ve made gluten free baking easy and delicious!