Fresh peaches, tangy, sweetened yogurt, and crunchy amaretti cookies come together in this easy peach parfaits recipe – a no-cook summer dessert built for entertaining.
The direction for this recipe shaped up while going back and forth with my client, in this case, PARADE Magazine. It was one of a half-dozen recipe concepts I pitched for a summer farmers’ market cover story. We needed a simple, no-cook dessert in the mix, something appealing for easy summertime entertaining and the magazine’s very broad audience.
My original idea: “Peach Parfait with Whipped Greek Yogurt: Toss peeled and sliced or chopped peaches with sugar and a pinch of cardamom; let stand 15 minutes to get nice and juicy. Whip Greek yogurt, a little heavy cream, and maple syrup. Layer peaches & whipped yogurt in glasses and top with candied pecans (we can include how-to in recipe or call for readymade candied pecans, like you find at Trader Joe’s).”
It was close, but one of my editors had a better idea: “Is there something more fun we can use to add the crunch? My mind goes to crumbled amaretti cookies, because those would go so well flavor-wise. Is there another crushed-up cookie that could work?”
I loved the idea of using amaretti, the crunchy Italian macaroons made from apricot pits, which are gluten-free, too. We also decided to go with sliced rather than chopped peaches so the fruit would “read” as fresh rather than canned in the picture.
Want to see how a recipe pitch comes together from brief to byline? My Recipe Brief walks through exactly how I scope, develop, and present recipes for brand and editorial clients – the same process behind this one.
Peach Parfaits Recipe FAQs
Can I use a different spice than cardamom?
I pair the fruit with cardamom, which has nice citrusy notes, but use cinnamon if that’s what you have on hand or prefer. Kafe hawaij, the Middle Eastern spice blend made with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and clove, is also a winner here.
Can I use different fruit?
This works with any variety of peaches, as well as with apricots, nectarines, or even halved pitted cherries or chopped mango. Whatever you use, you’ll need about 2 cups of fruit.
Craving another minimalist summer dessert? This Coconut Corn Pudding is five ingredients, no oven required →
I don’t have maple syrup. Can I use something else in the whipped yogurt?
I dig maple syrup as the sweetener in the whipped yogurt topping, but honey or date syrup is also nice.
I can’t find amaretti. What other kind of cookies work here?
You can substitute almond biscotti or even crumbled Biscoff cookies for the amaretti.
How can I make this ahead of time?
To make this up to a day in advance, prep the peach mixture and whipped yogurt. Refrigerate them separately and assemble the parfaits just before serving.
This Plum Compote with Cardamom goes with sweet or savory dishes →
Peach Parfaits with Amaretti & Whipped Greek Yogurt
Equipment
- 1 vegetable peeler
- 1 knife
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 6 ramekins
Ingredients
- 1½ pound peaches, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (or ground cinnamon)
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup crumbled amaretti cookies (about 6)
- Mint sprigs (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, cream and maple syrup in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment 2-3 minutes or until stiff.
- Spoon half the peach mixture evenly into each of 6 (6-oz) glasses or ramekins. Top evenly with about half the yogurt mixture. Top evenly with remaining peach mixture and yogurt mixture. Sprinkle evenly with crumbled amaretti. Garnish with mint, if desired.