Peach Delight is a delightful summery layered dessert featuring fresh peaches, with a graham cracker crumb crust and a layer of cream cheese filling.
This refreshing summer dessert is perfect for potlucks or family gatherings. Made in a 9x13-inch dish, it's great for sharing with a crowd.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Amish Peach Delight
- Ingredients
- How to Make Layered Peach Delight With Cream Cheese
- Can I Use Cornstarch Instead of Clear Jel?
- Heavy Whipping Cream or Cool Whip?
- Our Family's Favorite Summer Peach Dessert
- Dessert for Amish/Mennonite Family Gatherings
- More Amish Dessert Recipes
- 📖 Recipe Card
Why You'll Love This Amish Peach Delight
- Fresh peaches make this a perfect summer dessert.
- The creamy layers and buttery graham cracker crust are always a crowd favorite.
- It's easy to make ahead for family gatherings, potlucks, or church dinners.
- This old-fashioned Amish dessert is a delicious way to enjoy fresh peaches.
Ingredients
Top Peach Layer:
- Water provides the liquid base for the peach layer.
- Sugar adds sweetness, balancing the tartness of the peaches.
- Salt enhances the flavors of all the ingredients.
- Cook-type clear jel acts as a thickening agent for the peach topping. It is a modified corn starch used as a thickening agent, particularly popular in canning and pie-making.
- Peach jello provides peach flavor and helps to set the top layer.
- Fresh sliced or chunked peaches provide real fruit flavor, texture, and visual appeal to the dessert. The star of this dish!
Crust:
- Crushed graham crackers form the base of the dessert, adding texture and flavor.
- Brown sugar adds sweetness and a hint of caramel flavor to the crust.
- Melted butter binds the crust ingredients together and adds richness and moisture.
Middle Layer:
- Cream cheese provides creaminess, tanginess, and richness to the dessert.
- Powdered sugar sweetens the middle layer and helps to stabilize it.
- Heavy whipping cream (or Cool Whip) adds richness, creaminess, and a light, airy texture.
How to Make Layered Peach Delight With Cream Cheese
It takes a little time to make this old-fashioned peach delight because you need to make three layers. However, each layer does not take long to make. So it comes together fairly quickly.
Peach Sauce (Top Layer):
- Prepare the Peach Sauce:
- In a saucepan, mix water, sugar, and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- In a small bowl, mix Clear Jel with a bit of cold water to create a slurry.
- Slowly pour the Clear Jel slurry into the boiling water mixture, stirring constantly.
- Continue stirring until the mixture is slightly thickened. Be cautious and don't let it boil too rapidly as it may splatter.
- Add Jello:
- Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the peach jello to the hot mixture and stir until completely dissolved.
- Set the mixture aside to cool.
- Prepare the Peaches:
Cracker Crumbs (Bottom Layer):
- Make the Crust:
- While the jello mixture is cooling, crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a ziplock bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers with brown sugar and melted butter. Mix well.
- Spread the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan.
- Press the crumbs firmly to create an even crust.
Cream Cheese (Middle Layer):
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Layer:
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix well.
- Add the heavy cream and beat until the mixture is thick and creamy.
- (Alternatively, you can use thawed Cool Whip instead of heavy cream. If using Cool Whip, stir it into the beaten cream cheese and sugar mixture until combined.)
Assemble the Layers For Peach Delight:
- Assemble:
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the graham cracker crust.
- Pour the cooled peach jello mixture with peaches over the top of the cream cheese layer.
- Chill:
- Refrigerate the assembled dessert for several hours or overnight to allow the jello to set.
- Serve:
- Keep the dessert refrigerated until ready to serve.
- Cut into squares and enjoy!
Can I Use Cornstarch Instead of Clear Jel?
I prefer using clear jel because it creates a clear, glossy fruit filling, while cornstarch can make the topping look cloudy. However, if you don't have clear jel, cornstarch can be used as a substitute.
Keep in mind that cornstarch thickens more as it cools, so don't make the filling too thick while cooking. (Clear Jel thickens completely when it boils.)
(You can usually find clear jel at Amish/Mennonite bulk food stores. But I am adding an affiliate link where you can buy it online in case you don't have any bulk food stores close by. Make sure to get cook-type and not instant.)
Heavy Whipping Cream or Cool Whip?
I love whipped cream! I use it in most recipes instead of Cool Whip, and I always keep heavy whipping cream in my refrigerator. Homemade pancakes or waffles topped with berries and lightly sweetened whipped cream are some of my favorite breakfast foods, so I gotta have whipping cream in the fridge. 😉
However, there are pros and cons to using whipped cream in desserts, so you can choose whether to use whipped cream or Cool Whip.
- Using Heavy Whipping Cream:
- Results in a richer, more natural flavor and denser texture.
- Provides more control over the sweetness and consistency of the middle layer.
- Requires more attention to achieve the perfect whipped consistency.
- Using Cool Whip:
- Offers convenience and a consistent result.
- Delivers a lighter, sweeter, and slightly artificial flavor.
- Ideal for quick assembly and guaranteed stable results.
If you prefer a richer, more natural taste and don't mind the extra effort, go with heavy whipping cream. If convenience and consistency are more important, Cool Whip is a suitable alternative. Either option will work well for this dessert, but the choice will impact the overall flavor and texture of the middle layer.
Our Family's Favorite Summer Peach Dessert
What kind of food do you think about when I say, "A taste of summer"?
I think about fresh summer peaches, watermelon, and sweet corn on the cob. I absolutely love all of these summer foods.
Every summer, I make Amish peach delight. It's another family favorite, along with my old-fashioned cherry delight and layered lemon lush delight.
We started a Friday evening tradition in our home of eating popcorn and dessert while watching movies together. And to be quite honest, my family of six can devour almost this whole peach dessert in one evening. We all love fresh peach delight!
And I actually made this dessert twice in the past week, because we had a bunch of fresh peaches, and my kids wanted more of this fresh peach dessert.
Dessert for Amish/Mennonite Family Gatherings
Years ago, my Amish family started a tradition of camping together every summer.
We used to tent camp on the home farm. My dad cleared out a nice spot in the woods and we'd spend a night or two camping out together. Some of us pulled out a sleeping bag and just slept under the stars.
We cooked over a fire, played games, and had some good quality time with each other. It was lots of fun!
My family has grown a lot over the years, and we're getting older so we don't enjoy tent camping as much as we once did. But the tradition of camping together lives on.
I live about a thousand miles from most of my family, so we don't always get to go with them. But a few weeks ago we traveled to Pennsylvania to camp with my family. We rented a campground with cabins and camped in style.
There were over eighty of us there for the weekend, so it's quite a crowd of people to feed. But each family is responsible for helping with one meal, so it's really not a big deal.
Amish peach delight is a dessert that is often served for at least one of the meals. Of course, it takes several pans of this cream cheese peach delight to feed eighty people. But it is a summery and crowd-pleasing peach dessert that is easy to transport.
This is a very yummy no-bake peach dessert recipe with raw peaches. Looking for more peach dessert recipes? Try these...
I hope you enjoy this delightful Amish peach delight! If you try this recipe, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe Card
Peach Delight Recipe
Ingredients
Top Peach Layer:
- 1 ½ c. water
- ¾ - 1 c. sugar
- ⅛ tsp. salt
- 4 Tbs. cook-type clear jel mixed with approx. ½ c. cold water
- 1 (3 oz.) pkg. peach jello, about ⅓ c.
- 6 -7 fresh sliced peaches
For the Crust:
- 2 c. crushed graham crackers, about 12 whole graham crackers
- 2 Tbs. brown sugar
- 8 Tbs. melted butter (1 stick)
For the middle layer:
- 8 oz. softened cream cheese
- ½ c. powdered sugar
- 1 ½ - 2 c. heavy whipping cream (or an 8 oz. container of Cool Whip)
Instructions
For the peach glaze:
- In a saucepan, mix water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil.1 ½ c. water, ¾ - 1 c. sugar, ⅛ tsp. salt
- Mix the clear jel with about ½ c. water to create a slurry. Slowly add this to the boiling water/sugar mixture, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.4 Tbs. cook-type clear jel mixed with approx. ½ c. cold water
- Remove from the heat, add the jello, and stir until it is dissolved. Set aside to cool.1 (3 oz.) pkg. peach jello, about ⅓ c.
- Peel and slice six peaches and add these to your cooled sauce.6 -7 fresh sliced peaches
For the crust:
- Crush the graham crackers, add the brown sugar and melted butter. Press this crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13" dish.2 c. crushed graham crackers, about 12 whole graham crackers, 2 Tbs. brown sugar, 8 Tbs. melted butter (1 stick)
For the middle layer:
- Beat softened cream cheese. Add the powdered sugar and mix well, scraping the bottom of the bowl.8 oz. softened cream cheese, ½ c. powdered sugar, 1 ½ - 2 c. heavy whipping cream (or an 8 oz. container of Cool Whip)
- Add heaving whipping cream and whip until it is thick and creamy. (Or stir in a container of thawed Cool Whip.)
To assemble the dessert:
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the top of the cracker crust.
- Spread the cooled jello sauce with peaches over the top of the cream cheese layer.
- Chill for several hours to allow the jello to set. Keep refrigerated.
Anna
A favorite summer dessert!
Mini
Is clear jel the same as unflavored gelatin?
Anna
No, clear jel is more like cornstarch. But it has a better flavor and is clear. You can find it at most Amish or Mennonite bulk food stores. But you can also get it online.
Sherrie C.
Can frozen peaches be used?
Anna
I have never made this with frozen peaches. Peaches get a little more mushy after being frozen. I'm sure you could use them, but may have to add more clear jel to get it thick enough.
Debbie moody
Do you whip the heavy cream
Anna
Yes, you add the heavy cream to the beaten cream cheese and whip until it is thick. Or you can use Cool whip if desired.