Brown Butter Peach Shortcake Cups
Tender biscuit cups hold brown butter peaches and a cloud of vanilla cream in this quick summer dessert.
Prep: 15 · Cook: 12 · Total: 27 · Serves: 6 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.9/5 (143 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Inspired by classic peach shortcake, with skillet-browned biscuits for faster assembly and deeper flavor.
Story
This is my favorite kind of summer dessert, the kind that makes ripe fruit do almost all the work. Brown butter gives the peaches a warm, bakery-like note, while toasted biscuit pieces keep every spoonful from getting too soft. The cream is deliberately simple because peaches deserve the spotlight. Serve these in whatever little glasses are closest and call it charming.
By Casey
Ingredients
- 3 ripe peaches, sliced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 4 plain biscuits, split and cut into chunks
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until the milk solids turn golden and smell nutty, about 2 minutes.
- Add peaches, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and salt. Cook until the fruit softens but still holds its shape, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Push peaches to one side of the skillet and add biscuit chunks to the open space.
- Toast biscuit pieces with the granulated sugar, turning often, until warm and lightly crisp, about 3 minutes.
- Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks.
- Layer biscuit pieces, warm peaches, and vanilla cream in six cups, then serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- Brown butter changes quickly, so take the skillet off the heat as soon as it smells nutty.
- Use nectarines if the peaches at the market are not ripe.
- Toast the biscuits right before serving for the best contrast with the fruit.
- A pinch of black pepper makes the peaches taste even more floral.
Cook's Notes
- Watch the butter closely as it browns.
- Keep the peaches slightly firm so the cups have texture.
- Whip the cream just before assembling.