Ripe, juicy peaches sit atop a sweet, graham cracker base and are topped with whipped cream for this essential No-Bake Peach Dessert. Summer wouldn’t be summer without this Peach Torte!

If a family ever had a secret recipe, this would be my family’s secret recipe. I’ve never had this dessert anywhere else, and I’ve never seen a recipe for this dessert anywhere else.

That’s a little bit of a travesty, because it’s SO GOOD. So good, in fact, that it won a contest and was featured in the Seattle Times. Or Eastside Review. Or Bellevue Chronicle. I can’t remember the name of the newspaper, obviously. Right now I’m just making up newspaper names.

(If you want to read that whole story of how this got into the newspaper and also see a picture of my horse lips, which do relate, go ahead and scroll down. I’ve included it under the recipe).

What makes this so good? Well, there are two things:

1. Super juicy, ripe peaches. You want to save all the juice from the peaches as you are cutting them, or just cut them over the top of the graham cracker crumbs that are the “crust.” Unlike most crusts, you actually want this to get wet and soggy. It really brings out the flavor of the graham crackers.
2. The graham crackers and the buttery, sugary mixture that goes on top of them. I tell you, when this stuff mixes, it is pure heaven.

How to Ripen Peaches 

Most of the time, the peaches you get at the store are hard as a rock. Those will not work in this recipe. I think I’ve made it clear that the peaches MUST be ripe and juicy.

Fortunately, it is easy to turn rock-like peaches into heavenly soft, bursting-with-juice peaches.

Option 1: Set the peaches in your window sill for a few days until they become soft and give way when you gently squeeze them.

Option 2: Place them in a brown paper bag with an apple or banana. The apple or banana will release ethylene gas which will quickly ripen the peaches.

Ingredients for Peach Torte

Nothing too fancy here! All you need are:

12 ripe, juicy peaches

12 graham cracker sheets

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk or cream

1 tub (8 0z.) whipped topping

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but SO GOOD if you like nuts!)

How to Make Peach Torte (or No-Bake Peach Dessert)

I have step-by-step pictures for you. You’re welcome 🙂

First, you need to crush your graham crackers and pour them into a 9×13 pan.

I like to just pulverize my graham crackers in a food processor or blender. But you can also put them in a plastic Ziploc bag and roll over them with a rolling pin.

Next, you want to use a small mixing bowl and add your powdered sugar, melted butter, and milk or cream. Just mix that up and then pour it over the top of your graham crackers.

(Truthfully, the mixture you see here is a little thick. I only added 3 tablespoons of milk, when I should have used a full 1/4 cup).

Don’t try to spread this stuff. It won’t work. Just let it sit where it lands. If you want to add chopped walnuts, now is the time to do that. Just sprinkle them over the graham crackers and butter/sugar mixture.

Now you need to add your peaches. Just peel them and then slice them. The easiest way to peel peaches is to blanch them in boiling water first. I have a step-by-step tutorial for you here on how to do that.

Just spread those peaches out evenly over the top of the graham crackers.

Now all that’s left is to spread whipped topping over the top.

You can stop here, or your can garnish the top with extra graham cracker crumbs and/or chopped walnuts.

When ready to serve, just take a large serving spoon and scoop from the bottom. It will probably fall apart as you’re transferring it to a plate or bowl, but that’s o.k. It still tastes the same!

Refrigerate and eat within two days. (That should not be a problem!)

Enjoy our secret family recipe for our most famous dessert!

Continue to Content

Peach Torte (No-Bake Peach Dessert)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Fresh, juicy peaches rest on top of a layer of graham cracker goodness and are topped with whipped cream. The must-have dessert for summer!

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Ingredients

• 12 graham cracker sheets, crushed
• 12 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup milk or cream
• 1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Instructions

Pour the crushed graham crackers into a 9x13 pan and spread evenly over the bottom.

Mix the melted butter, powdered sugar, and milk or cream and pour over the graham crackers. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired.

Slice the peaches and put in the pan, making sure to add all the juices.

Spread whipped topping over the top.

Garnish with extra crushed graham cracker or chopped nuts if desired.

Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Notes

Be sure to check out my tutorial for how to easily peel peaches!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 301Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 134mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 3gSugar: 37gProtein: 3g

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When I was in high school, without my mother’s knowledge, I submitted her recipe for Peach Torte to a cooking contest our local newspaper was having. Boy, was she surprised when they called to tell her she had won a contest she had never entered! I informed her that I was the one at fault, and you’re welcome. Because now we were going to be famous! The newspaper was sending a photographer to our house to take a picture and everything!

On the appointed day, my mother was at work, so I was left in charge of meeting the newspaper man and facilitating the shoot.

I made sure to look my best. I wore my favorite shirt and had my hair and makeup done nicely.

When the photographer showed up, I was shocked and dismayed that he only wanted a picture of the dessert–not me. I don’t know what I was thinking. I probably had visions of grandeur, imagining those pictures of people standing next to their giant pumpkins, thinking I would join their ranks as I proudly demonstrated our family’s favorite dessert. But no. Only the Peach Torte made it into the newspaper.

It’s probably just as well. You see, I had horse lips. When I looked in the mirror, I did not have horse lips. But every time a picture was taken of me, horse lips would miraculously appear. I could not understand this phenomenon. It took me many years to discover the cause of this mystery. Many painful years of horrible school pictures.

Every year I would practice my smile. In fact, I would start practicing during the summer before school ever started. One year I timed myself in front of the mirror for 2 1/2 hours practicing my smile. I had to really get the “feel” of my perfect smile, because as you know, you cannot see yourself while your picture is being taken. I had to smile over and over again and memorize the placement of my facial muscles so I could replicate that feeling in front of the camera. But every year, I got it wrong.

Never was this so apparent as the year I was 16. My lips were highly glossed with “Kissing Potion” (which did not work, by the way), my hair was appropriately tall, and I was wearing my favorite green sweater. It had to be a great picture. But I was horrified at what I saw. Horse lips! Horse lips again, despite all my efforts!

After years of intense study, I figured out what caused the horse lips phenomenon. It was simple. My bottom lip was so big that it cast a shadow underneath itself. After making this discovery, I went back and looked at all my other pictures. Big shadows on my chin every time. No wonder my pictures never turned out! No wonder it looked like my bottom lip was the size of a hot dog!

So I dodged a bullet on that day when only the Peach Torte received the glory that I felt was rightfully mine. All the readers of the newspaper were unknowingly thankful they were spared my horse lips, too. I’m sorry you are not so lucky 🙂