Peach Shortcakes with Lemon Vanilla Sugar

If you’ve been around for a while, you know I’m a shortcake lover. Strawberry shortcakes are a classic, banana shortcakes were last year’s favorite, but now it’s time for the summer queen herself: Peach Shortcakes with Lemon Vanilla Sugar. These are a little different from the traditional version because instead of sandwiching the fruit inside, the peaches get layered right on top of the shortcake, almost like a little rustic pastry.

The shortcake base is buttery, tender, and made with a simple buttermilk dough that comes together really easily. It’s somewhere between a biscuit and a shortbread and acts as the perfect base to hold up to the jammy peaches. Then comes the lemon vanilla sugar, which is a new, delightful creation, that melts into the top and gives everything a crunchy, caramelized finish.

Serve it warm with whipped cream and you’ve got the kind of dessert (or breakfast) that makes peach season feel even better.

What makes these peach shortcakes different

Traditional shortcakes usually have the fruit tucked inside, but I started wondering what would happen if the peaches went on top instead. The result is kind of like a layered pastry, but with way less work because the base is still just a simple shortcake dough.

The shortcake itself is somewhere between a biscuit and a shortbread: buttery, tender, and made with a simple buttermilk dough that comes together really easily. The peaches bake right into the top, creating this juicy, jammy layer while the vanilla lemon sugar caramelizes around the edges. It feels a little fancy, but the process is actually really simple.

Ingredients you’ll need

For the shortcakes

• 1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (25g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1/3 cup (85g) salted butter, cold
• 1/2 cup (120g) buttermilk

For the peaches

• 1 large (9 oz) yellow peach
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

For the vanilla lemon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Ingredient substitutions

This recipe is truly delicious as is, but it is very flexible. Here are some substitution suggestions:

• All-purpose flour: Can be swapped for King Arthur’s 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, if needed.
• Butter: You can swap in salted vegan butter, just make sure it’s the stick kind, not the tub, as those tend to have more water and may not give you the same flaky texture.
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have it, just add 1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon of an acid, either white vinegar or lemon juice, to a measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup to the 1 1/4 cup mark with regular milk. Stir and let the mixture rest for a few minutes then you’re good to go!
• Peach: Can be swapped with nectarines, apricots, or plums.

How to make the peach shortcakes

Making shortcakes at home is much easier than people expect – it’s basically a quick biscuit dough, shaped and baked, and in this case, topped with peaches.

1. Make the shortcake dough

In a large bowl whisk together 210 grams of flour, 25 grams of sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

2. Grate in the butter

Use a box grater to grate in 85 grams of salted butter. Toss to coat in the flour, pressing it in with your fingers.

3. Add the buttermilk and mix

Pour in 120 grams of buttermilk and mix this into a shaggy dough.

4. Shape & briefly chill the shortcakes

Move it to a work surface and pat it down into a large circle, about 1/2 inch tall. Dust with flour as needed. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut 5 circles. Move these to a parchment-lined sheet pan and put them in the fridge while you prep the rest of the recipe.

5. Prep the peaches

Thinly slice the peach and add it to a large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

What is vanilla lemon sugar?

Citrus sugars are something that you might have seen before in some of my muffin recipes and this vanilla lemon sugar is a delightful extension of those. It’s just turbinado sugar, lemon zest, and a little vanilla extract, but it delivers way more flavor bang for your buck than you’d expect. The big sugar granules break into the lemon zest and make a really vibrant, flavorful sugar that also caramelizes really nicely on top of the shortcakes. Here’s how to make it:

In a small dish, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar. Scrunch together with your fingers until it’s the texture of wet sand. That’s it!

Assemble, bake, and serve

Pull the shortcakes out of the fridge and use a spoon to make a big indent in the center of each. Layer 4-5 peach slices in the center. Sprinkle the vanilla lemon sugar all over the edges of the shortcakes and the peaches.

Bake at 375°F convection or 400°F standard for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges of the shortcakes are very golden. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream.

Why is this recipe in grams?

Grams are always my preference for baking, and I hope it will be yours, too. The only way to ensure complete accuracy is through measuring by weight, not volume. One cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120 grams to 160 grams, depending on how it was packed. This ends up causing some volatility and mismatched results.

I want to ensure you get the best results with this recipe (and I want to keep this recipe foolproof!) so I highly recommend getting a small affordable kitchen scale if you want to move forward with this particular recipe.

Watch the recipe here

The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.

Looking for similar recipes?

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And that’s everything for these Peach Shortcakes!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

You can also shop this video if you’re looking for the exact pieces I use – I’ve linked everything on my ShopMy! *some links may contain affiliate commissions

And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Peach Shortcakes with Lemon Vanilla Sugar

Take my classic (easy!) shortcake dough and layer some peaches on top, and you have a shortcake that somehow mimics a danish, but is buttery, flaky and much simpler and quicker to make. Perfect for the end of stone fruit season (and I miss it already!).

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 5

Cook mode:Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• ▢
  1 large bowl
• ▢
  1 box grater
• ▢
  1 round cutter
• ▢
  1 parchment paper
• ▢
  1 half sheet pan
• ▢
  1 chef's knife

Ingredients

For the shortcakes

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ 1/3 cup (85g) salted butter, cold
• ▢ 1/2 cup (120g) buttermilk

For the peaches

• ▢ 1 large (9 oz) yellow peach
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brown sugar

For the vanilla lemon sugar

• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Instructions 

1. In a large bowl whisk together 210 grams of flour, 25 grams of sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2. Use a box grater to grate in 85 grams of salted butter. Toss to coat in the flour, pressing it in with my fingers.
3. Pour in 120 grams of buttermilk and mix into a shaggy dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a work surface and pat it down into a large circle, about 1/2 inch thick. Dust with flour as needed. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut 5 circles. Transfer these to a parchment-lined sheet pan and place them in the fridge while you prep the rest of the recipe.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F convection, or 400°F standard.
6. Thinly slice the peach and add it to a large bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.
7. In a small dish, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of turbinado sugar. Scrunch together with your fingers until it’s the texture of wet sand.
8. Pull the shortcakes out of the fridge and use a spoon to make a big indent in the center of each. Layer 4-5 peach slices in the center. Sprinkle the vanilla lemon sugar all over the edges of the shortcakes and the peaches.
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges of the shortcakes are very golden.
10. Serve warm.

Serving: 1 shortcakeCalories: 329kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 5gFat: 13g