If caramel peach pie and strawberry shortcake had a baby, it would be this amazing peach caramel shortcake. It's fresh, delicious, and very hard to put down!
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This recipe for peach caramel shortcake was developed when I wanted to combine my caramel peach pie recipe and my strawberry shortcake recipe. Ta-da! My peach caramel shortcake recipe was born.
The shortcakes hold up well in the oven without crumbling. They're the perfect mix of chewy and crispy that goes so well with sweet juicy peaches and fresh whipped cream. Nobody will even know it's gluten-free.
The in-season peaches are sweetened with brown sugar, vanilla extract, and orange juice. The brown sugar gives that caramel flavor that makes this recipe so delicious.
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Ingredients in Peach Caramel Shortcake
- Fresh Peaches: ripe and in-season peaches are necessary to make this recipe.
- Brown Sugar: this makes the caramel flavor shine in the peaches and caramel reduction.
- Fresh Orange Juice: I use orange juice instead of lemon juice in this recipe.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Necessary!
- Granulated Sugar: just a bit for the whipped cream.
- Salt: I always use Redmond's Real Salt.
- Baking Powder
- Butter: cold, unsalted, cubed
- Gluten-Free Flour: I used King Arthur's Gluten-Free Flour in this recipe. It's on sale right now!!
- Vanilla Extract: this brings out the peach flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Peach Caramel Shortcake
Shortcake
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, combine gluten-free flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Pulse the flour mixture a few times.
Pour the heavy cream into the mix master while pulsing. Stop when all the cream is combined.
Slowly add the cubes of cold butter while pulsing the food processor. Stop when the dough forms a rough ball.
Roll the ball onto a floured surface and work into a ½-inch thick circle. Use a 3-inch circular cookie cutter to cut out the cakes.
Line the cakes on the prepared baking sheet with the edges all touching each other. No need to space them out.
Brush the tops of each cake with a tiny bit of heavy cream. Use about one teaspoon of heavy cream for all the cakes combined.
Chill the prepared baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes. Then, bake for 20 minutes.
The tops should be golden brown when done.
Peach Topping
Combine the diced peaches, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and fresh orange juice in a large bowl. Stir.
Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps the brown sugar break down.
Caramel Sauce
Take the peaches out of the refrigerator and scoop out all the liquid from the bottom of the bowl.
Pour the liquid into a saucepan and heat on medium heat while stirring constantly.
Bring the mixture to a roaring boil and pour in 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Continue stirring for two more minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat and let the caramel cool. It should coat the back of a spoon.
Assembly
Whip the 1 cup of heavy cream using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Stop when the cream forms soft peaks.
Place a shortcake on the plate and top with the peaches and whipped cream. Top with another shortcake and top with the peaches and whipped cream.
Drizzle the caramel sauce on top.
Hint: Bake the shortcakes close together (the edges touching) so they rise a bit.
Substitutions for Caramel Peach Shortcake
- Heavy cream - you may substitute the heavy cream in the shortbread dough and the caramel with almond milk. Almond milk will not be a good substitute for the whipped cream on top, though.
Variations
- Vanilla Extract - add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the whipped cream.
- Dairy-Free Whipped Cream - use dairy-free whipped cream instead of heavy whipped cream.
Equipment I Use + Love
- Round Cookie Cutter - I use this set all the time.
- Rolling Pin - great to use for this recipe. You can also use a wine bottle.
- Cookie Sheet - needed for baking the cookies.
- Precut parchment paper - a must-have for any home cook or home baker.
- Glass mixing bowls - are a great alternative to plastic mixing bowls that can be toxic.
- Spatula - I love this spatula because it's very sturdy.
- Electric Mixer - this one is such a pretty blue color!
How do I store caramel peach shortcake?
Store all components of the caramel peach shortcake separately. Store the shortcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. Store the peaches in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store the whipped cream and caramel in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
How to Make Whipped Cream
Whip the 1 cup of heavy cream using an electric mixer. Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Stop when soft peaks form. If you like your whipped cream thicker, don't stop mixing until stiff peaks form.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use a jar with a lid. Shake for about 15 minutes until the whipped cream is stiff.
Yes, you can use canned peaches for this recipe. Although, if you can find fresh peaches, I would recommend using them. Fresh peaches are better in this recipe.
A peach is ripe if it is slightly soft. It's the same way you can tell if an avocado is ripe.
Top tip
Use a round cookie cutter to make sure all the shortcakes are the same. I use this set HERE.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok or by subscribing to my newsletter.
Amazing Peach Caramel Shortcake (gluten-free)
Equipment
Ingredients
Shortcake
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1 ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 cups gluten-free flour
Peach Topping
- 2 cups ripe peaches diced
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
Caramel Sauce
- Sauce from the bottom of the peach bowl
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
Shortcake
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, combine gluten-free flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Pulse a few times to combine.
- With the processor running, slowly pour in the heavy cream until just combined.
- Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture forms a rough, shaggy dough (don't overwork).
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and gently pat into a ½-inch thick circle. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out shortcakes.
- Place shortcakes on the prepared baking sheet with edges touching.
- Brush tops lightly with heavy cream (about 1 teaspoon total).
- Chill in freezer for 15 minutes, then bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
Peach Topping
- Combine diced peaches, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and orange juice in a large bowl. Stir and cover.
- Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes to allow juices to develop.
Caramel Sauce
- Remove the peaches from the refrigerator and drain the accumulated juices into a measuring cup. You should have about ¼ to ½ cup of liquid.
- Pour the peach juices into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Continue boiling for 3-5 minutes until the liquid reduces by about half and begins to thicken slightly.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. The mixture will bubble vigorously.
- Continue cooking while stirring constantly for 2-3 more minutes until the caramel coats the back of a spoon and has a golden amber color.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. The caramel will continue to thicken as it cools.
- If the caramel becomes too thick, stir in an additional teaspoon of heavy cream to reach desired consistency.
Whipped Cream
- Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the 1 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Set aside.
Assembly
- Place a shortcake on each plate and top with the macerated peaches and a dollop of whipped cream.
- If making double-layer servings, add another shortcake and top with more peaches and whipped cream.
- Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top and serve immediately.
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