Try this easy No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert during the summer while fresh peaches are flowing at the farmer's market, and enjoy it all year long with canned peach pie filling!
Peaches and Cream can be many things. It can be a simple dish of fresh sliced peaches served with cream poured over or as decadent as sugared and cooked peaches topped with a dollop of whipping cream. The recipe itself can be attributed to several origins, but at its heart, it is simple summer perfection.
Leaning on that simplicity, I offer you a No Bake Peaches and Cream Dessert is layered with a rich cream filling (that doesn't use cream cheese) spread over a buttery graham crust and topped with fresh peach compote just before serving.
Read on for all the loving details to make No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert.
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Featured Ingredients
Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert.
Heavy whipping cream - This thick, pourable cream is found in cartons alongside milk at the grocery store. Do not substitute Cool Whip or canned whipped cream. Keep it cold in the refrigerator until you whip it.
Vanilla pudding mix - The recipe uses unprepared vanilla pudding mix (powder only) to help stabilize the whipped cream so it can stand up to the syrupy peach compote and add extra flavor.
Fresh Peaches - To make the peach compote, you will need fresh peaches, peeled and diced or sliced. I find it easier to peel the skin from firmer peaches, so keep that in mind when purchasing. If they are a little soft, refrigerating them first is also helpful.
I have not made the compote with canned peaches, but I would think they would be too sweet and already too soft to hold up to cooking in sugar.
Sugars - This recipe is really three small recipes, and each has its own sugar: brown for the crust, powdered for the cream layer, and white sugar for the peach compote topping.
See recipe card for quantities.
Tools for the job
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife (paid link) and cutting board
- Electric hand beaters or stand mixer
- Medium sized bowl
- Spatula
- Peeler
- Nonstick skillet
- 10 x 10 dish
- Parchment paper
How to make No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert
This No-Bake Peaches and cream Dessert has three components: a buttery graham cracker crust, light and airy sweet cream filling, and a delightful peach compote topping.
Graham cracker crust
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, packed brown sugar, and melted butter in a bowl with a fork until the crumbs are softened from the butter.
- Line a 10 x 10 casserole dish with parchment or wax paper, leaving two sides with excess to form handles. (See picture below.) Press the butter graham in an even layer on the bottom of the dish with your hands. Press it out evenly into the edges of the dish.
- Refrigerate the dish for 2 hours or freeze for 1 hour before adding the cream filling.
Cream filling
- While the graham crust is firming up, make the cream filling.
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, unprepared vanilla pudding powder, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer or a single bowl to use with hand beaters. (It helps to freeze the bowl and beaters for 20 minutes beforehand.)
- Starting at a low setting at first, gradually turn the power up on the mixer or beaters as the cream starts to thicken. Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks and is no longer glossy, 6-7 minutes.
- Evenly spread the cream mixture over the hardened graham crust and refrigerate until serving at least 2 hours.
Peach compote
- Peel and dice the peaches.
- Warm a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the peaches along with the sugar and lemon juice.
- Stir occasionally as the peaches start to bubble and the liquid foams and slightly reduces, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and remove from the heat to let the compote cool a bit before serving. If you're not serving it right away, refrigerate the compote.
Mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, and brown sugar in a bowl.
Line a 10 x 10 dish with parchment paper and press the crumbs into the pan. Chill.
In a cold bowl, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla pudding mix, and vanilla extract.
Whip the cream filling until stiff peaks form, and it is no longer glossy.
Spread the cream to completely cover the graham cracker crust. Chill.
Cook the peaches with sugar and lemon to make a compote.
Hot Tip!
Crush sheets of graham cracker crumbs in a food processor for the most evenly sized crumbs.
You can also break them up by hand into a ziploc bag and seal the bag pushing all the air out. Crush them in the bag with a rolling pin or the side of a can or bottle.
How to serve No Bake Peaches and Cream Dessert
Remove the bars from the dish by lifting the edges of the parchment.
Slice the bars into 9 equal pieces and serve topped with peach compote.
Optionally add a sprinkle of graham crackers on top.
Substitutions and Variations
- Graham crackers - Try substituting cinnamon graham crackers for the standard flavor.
- Peaches - If peaches are not in season or you want to make this dessert even faster, substitute premade peach pie filling.
- Different fruit - This recipe works with any fruit compote or fruit pie filling such as apple, cherry, blueberry, etc.
- Peaches and Cream Pie Bars - Add ¾ cup crushed pecans and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to the graham cracker crust and use peach pie filling as the topping. Finish the bars with a dollop of whipped cream to serve.
Leftover No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert
- Freeze the dessert for up to 2 months after assembling it to serve at a later time.
- Keep leftover No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
FAQ
Compote is a fruity sauce consisting of fruit cooked in sugar or sugar syrup until softened and served immediately. It's similar to a chunky fresh fruit jam but pourable.
To firm up the crust for this dessert, you can refrigerate it for 2 hours, freeze it for 1 hour, or bake it at 350°F for 10 minutes.
Baking is not necessary, but it's totally ok! However, I find it holds up very well without baking.
More sweet recipes
Here are a few more of my favorite dessert recipes!
No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert
- Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings
Description
Enjoy a taste of summer all year long with this No Bake Peaches & Cream Dessert made with a buttery graham crust, creamy whipped filling, and peach compote topping.
Ingredients
Graham crust
- 1 heaping cup graham cracker crumbs, approx 7-9 full cracker sheets
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs for garnish (OPTIONAL)
Cream filling
- 2 cups cold heaving whipping cream
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons unprepared vanilla pudding mix
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peach compote
- 4 fresh peaches, peeled and diced or sliced
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons bottled lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Graham crust
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter in a bowl with a fork until the crumbs are softened from the butter.
- Line a 10 x 10 casserole dish with parchment or wax paper and press the butter graham in an even layer on the bottom of the dish.
- Refrigerate the dish for 2 hours or freeze for 1 hour.
Cream filling
- While the graham crust is firming up, make the cream filling.
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, unprepared vanilla pudding powder, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer, or a single bowl to use with hand beaters. (It helps to freeze the bowl and beaters for 20 minutes beforehand.)
- Starting at a low setting at first, gradually turn the power up on the mixer or beaters as the cream starts to thicken. Whip the cream until it holds stiff peaks and is no longer glossy, 6-7 minutes.
- Evenly spread the cream mixture over the hardened graham crust and refrigerate until serving at least 2 hours.
Peach compote
- Peel and dice the peaches.
- Warm a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the peaches along with the sugar and lemon juice.
- Stir occasionally as the peaches start to bubble and the liquid foams and slightly reduces, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and remove from the heat to let the compote cool a bit before serving. If you're not serving it right away, refrigerate the compote.
Serving No Bake Peaches and Cream Dessert
- Lift the parchment out of the pan and set on a cutting board.
- Slice the dessert into 9 squares.
- Place one square on a plate and top with peach compote.
- (Optional) sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs to serve.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Hands Off Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: American
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