This nostalgic old-fashioned peach delight is a creamy dreamy dessert layered with fresh juicy peaches, a fluffy cream cheese filling with the flavor of cheesecake, and a buttery pecan crust. A heavenly peaches ‘n’ cream dessert that’s easy to make and irresistible too, peach yum yum is always a crowd-pleasing hit at family gatherings, holidays, and potlucks.
We’ve made strawberry yum yum and a delicious blueberry yum yum dessert. Now I give you the most delicious peach delight dessert you’ll ever enjoy.
When I tested this recipe and made it for family dinner, I was completely taken aback at how much it actually weighed when I picked it up to carry it to the table. So much so, that I decided to weigh it.
Y’all… This here’s a 10-pounder. 10 pounds of creamy, dreamy, deliciously fluffy peaches ‘n’ cream dessert. This easy peach delight recipe is definitely a dessert that’s perfect for larger events, like Sunday dinners, summer parties, holiday get togethers, and family gatherings.
What Is Peach Delight?
Peach delight is a layered peach dessert that’s comprised of 3 layers…
- First up is a buttery pecan crust.
- Second, a fluffy cream cheese filling.
- Lastly, the peach topping.
Ingredients and Subsitutions Notes
You’ll need a few ingredients to make this 3-part layered peach dessert… I’m going to lay it all out in the order that’s most efficient to make this dreamy dessert.
For the Crust
First a note… While I prefer this buttery baked crust (I love the buttery texture and the crunch of pecans), you can also make this a completely no bake peach dessert by using a simple graham cracker crust.
If you want to make my favorite buttery pecan crust, here’s what you’ll need…
- Salted Butter – I recommend using real butter, not margarine, as margarine will change the texture of the finished dessert.
- All-Purpose Flour – If you want to make this gluten-free, you most definitely can. I use my favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour whenever I want to make this.
- Sea Salt
- Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
- Chopped Pecans
For the Peach Topping
- Fresh Peaches – Yes, you can use frozen peaches or canned peaches, though you’ll need to thaw and drain the frozen, and also drain the canned. But I highly recommend fresh peaches, and here’s why. Frozen peaches will have a crunch to them, no matter what you do. Fresh peaches cook up nicely without going mushy, and they just give a colorful and beautiful overall look, as well as wonderful flavor to the finished dessert.
- Cornstarch
- Water
- Cane Sugar – You can also use granulated sugar.
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- Cream Cheese – I recommend full-fat, or original, cream cheese.
- Powdered Sugar – Or confectioners sugar.
- Cool Whip – Yes, you can use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. You can also use Dream Whip if you want.
How to Make Peach Delight
Making peach delight is easy, but let’s divide it up into stages.
How to Make the Buttery Crust
Before you get started, be sure to pre-heat the oven to 350° F.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter, flour, salt, and sugar, forming a dough.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Press the crust into an un-greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Bake at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or ’til the crust turns a nice golden brown. Then remove the crust from the oven, and allow it to cool completely.
How to Make the Peach Topping Layer
The reason you’ll make this first is because it requires a little cook time, plus cooling time. So in terms of efficiency, it makes sense to do this first.
- Make peach purée by adding about 2 cups fresh peaches to the blender and blend (set the rest of the peaches aside for now). You just need 1 cup purée.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water.
- Add the cornstarch mixture, 1 cup peach purée, and sugar to a large saucepan and whisk together. Bring this peach mixture to a boil over low to medium heat, and boil for 3-5 minutes, or ’til the mixture thickens, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and allow it to cool completely. Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rest of the peaches.
Once everything’s cooled…
How to Make the Cream Cheese Layer
- Beat the cream cheese alone for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar and whipped cream to the beaten cream cheese. Whisk everything together ’til smooth and creamy.
Layer Everything Together
- Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the top of the crust.
- Spread the peach topping over the top of the cream cheese layer.
- Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before serving.
Then slice (or scoop) and serve! And enjoy every single wonderful bite.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s
You’ll definitely want to cover it and store it in the refrigerator. This is not a counter-friendly dessert because of the whipped filling and peach topping. Both will spoil if not placed in the fridge.
You can make it a day or so ahead of time, but I’d only make it 2 days in advance at most. By the 3rd day, it’s getting a little worse for wear. Still tastes good, but the peaches may not look so appetizing.
Though I answered this in the ingredient notes, I thought it helpful to answer this here too. Yes, you can use frozen peaches or canned peaches, though you’ll need to thaw and drain the frozen, and also drain the canned. But I highly recommend fresh peaches, and here’s why. Frozen peaches will have a crunchiness to them, no matter what you do. Fresh peaches cook up nicely without going mushy, and they just give a colorful and beautiful overall look, as well as wonderful flavor to the finished dessert.
Yes, you sure can use homemade whipped cream. You can also use Dream Whip if you want.
Yes. You’ll just need to sub gluten-free ingredients for those containing gluten, and the same for dairy-free. I make it gluten-free anytime I make it. And they make delicious dairy-free whipped topping that’s usually right alongside Cool Whip in the freezer section at most grocery stores. They also make vegan cream cheese and vegetarian butters; while I haven’t tried these in this dessert, both are dairy-free options.
More Peach Recipes
- Family-favorite peach cobbler
- Peaches and cream oatmeal
- Peach waffles
- Mandarin peach freezer pops
- Peach mango smoothie
If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!
Old-Fashioned Peach Delight
Ingredients
Crust –
- 3/4 cup salted butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Peach Layer –
- 6 cups peaches peeled and sliced
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
Filling –
- 16 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 cups Cool Whip
Instructions
Crust –
- Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the melted butter, flour, salt, and sugar, forming a dough.
- Stir in the chopped pecans.
- Press the crust into an un-greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Bake at 350° F for about 20 minutes, or 'til the crust turns a nice golden brown.
- Remove the crust from the oven, and allow it to cool completely.
Peach Layer –
- Make peach purée by adding about 2 cups fresh peaches to the blender and blend (set the rest of the peaches aside for now). You need 1 cup purée.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water.
- Add the cornstarch mixture, 1 cup peach purée, and sugar to a large saucepan and whisk together.
- Bring this peach mixture to a boil over low to medium heat, and boil for 3-5 minutes, or 'til the mixture thickens, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and allow it to cool completely.
- Once the mixture has cooled, stir in the rest of the peaches.
Filling –
- Beat the cream cheese alone for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar and whipped cream to the beaten cream cheese.
- Whisk everything together 'til smooth and creamy.
How to Layer –
- Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the top of the crust.
- Spread the peach topping over the top of the cream cheese layer.
- Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before serving.
