Spiced Peach Pandowdy & Whipped Cream
This Spiced Peach Pandowdy is full of browned butter, juicy peaches, plenty of warm spices, and a splash of whiskey too. The caramelly fruit filling is baked with a flaky whole wheat pie crust and it’s all topped off with some freshly whipped cream!
Although it may not sound (or taste) like it, this Spiced Peach Pandowdy is relatively healthy as far as desserts go. I only used one tablespoon of sugar in the filling because peaches are naturally sweet. The crust contains whole wheat pastry flour with just a touch of sugar sprinkled on top before baking. The whipped cream is made fresh with a tablespoon of pure maple syrup and doesn’t contain all the funky ingredients found in the store-bought kind.
What do I need to make Spiced Peach Pandowdy?
Kalona butter is my new favourite butter. It is so delicious! Better yet, it is organic, the cows are pasture-raised, and the milk is non-homogenized and pasteurized at a lower temperature to avoid denaturation of the proteins. The butter is browned in a cast-iron pan and gives the peach filling is caramelly flavour.
Peaches are the main ingredient and provide the vast majority of the sweetness and flavour. This recipe is best in the summer when peaches are in season. If you’re making it in the fall, try apples instead!
Coconut sugar is unrefined and has a slightly lower glycemic index compared to traditional table sugar. It also has a rich flavour reminiscent of brown sugar. I only added a tablespoon to the peach filling, but you can adjust the amount to taste. I also sprinkled a little on top of the crust before baking.
Whole wheat pastry flour thickens the filling and is the base for the pastry crust. You could use all purpose flour instead, but whole wheat provides a little extra fibre and nutrients while still being delicious.
Whiskey, on its own, is pretty terrible if you ask me, but I love adding it to spiced bake goods. It adds an extra dimension without being too harsh. I added a splash to the peach filling and a little in the whipped cream too.
Cinnamon extract is one of my favourite baking ingredients and I actually use it more than vanilla! It’s hard to find in stores, so I make my own by putting cinnamon sticks in a dark bottle with vodka or ethyl alcohol. After a few weeks, I have a fragrant bottle of cinnamon extract. If you can’t find any and don’t want to make your own, use pure vanilla extract instead which you can find at The Spice House!
Lemon juice contains natural pectin to help thicken the filling.
Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves make the perfect blend of warm spices. They pair well with the cinnamon extract and whiskey.
Celtic sea salt is my favourite type of salt because it contains trace minerals and doesn’t have added ingredients like silicon dioxide found in conventional salts. Although you’d have to eat an unhealthy amount of salt to get much benefit from the minerals, every little bit helps and they certainly won’t hurt!
Heavy cream is drizzled over the pandowdy in the last stage of baking and is also used to make the whipped cream topping. My two recommended brands are Kalona and Organic Valley. For pouring over the pandowdy, either will work. However, to make the whipped cream, I suggest using Organic Valley’s regular cream (not the ultra-pasteurized). Since Kalona’s is not homogenised (which is great!), it is a little harder to make it thick and fluffy and the leftover will need to be rewhipped because the fat and liquid will separate. Either way, the most important thing is that you use pure cream. It should not have any added ingredients like polysorbate 80, carrageenan, or mono and diglycerides. It’s amazing (and kind of scary) what you find when you read the labels!
Pure maple syrup sweetens the whipped cream and adds richness without relying on refined sugar.
How to Make Spiced Peach Pandowdy & Whipped Cream
Peach Filling
Start by preheating the oven to 425°F. Melt the butter in a ten inch cast iron skillet on medium low heat. Cook for about three to five minutes until the butter turns golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the peaches, sugar, flour, whiskey, cinnamon extract, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Add the peach mixture to the skillet of browned butter and mix everything together. Reduce heat to low while making the crust.
Pastry Crust
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, and sea salt. Use a cheese grater to shred the cold butter into the bowl. Use your hands or a pastry blender to work the butter into the flour mixture until it is broken into pea-sized pieces. Gradually add the ice cold water and mix it in by hand or with the pastry blender.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a circle about a quarter inch thick. Remove the skillet from the heat and place the pastry dough on top, tucking the edges under as best you can. If desired, sprinkle the top with additional coconut sugar or cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes or until crust turns slightly golden. Remove from oven and use a sharp knife to slice the crust vertically and horizontally about every three inches. Return to the oven for about 20 more minutes. If the crust starts to get too dark, lightly cover it with aluminum foil.
When the peaches are bubbling and the crust is turning a deeper golden, remove from oven and drizzle the heavy cream over the top. Bake for ten more minutes. Remove from oven and let cool before slicing. Meanwhile, make the whipped cream.
Whiskey Whipped Cream
Pour the whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. It works best to chill the bowl and beater beforehand. Set the mixer on medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks begin to form. Then add the maple syrup and whiskey. Continue beating until the cream is light and fluffy. Dollop the whipped cream on slices of pandowdy and store the leftover in the refrigerator.
I hope you enjoy this Spiced Peach Pandowdy & Whipped Cream! Be sure to leave a rating below and let me know what you think in the comments. Happy baking!
More Recipes to Try
- PUMPKIN PIE & WHISKEY-WHIPPED CREAM
- FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE AND WHIPPED CREAM
- BLACK RASPBERRY GALLETTE
- STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRISP
Spiced Peach Pandowdy & Whipped Cream
Equipment
- 10 inch cast iron skillet
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry blender optional
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment
Ingredients
Filling
- 6 Tbsp Kalona salted butter
- 5 cups fresh peach slices peeled
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 Tbsp whiskey
- 2 tsp cinnamon extract or vanilla
- 2 tsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Spice House cinnamon
- ½ tsp Spice House ginger
- ½ tsp Celtic sea salt
- ¼ tsp Spice House nutmeg
- ¼ tsp Spice House cloves
- ⅓ cup Organic Valley heavy cream*
Crust
- 1¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ tsp Spice House cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Celtic sea salt
- ½ cup Kalona salted butter cold
- ¼ cup ice water
Whipped Cream
- 1⅔ cup Organic Valley heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- ½ Tbsp whiskey
Instructions
Filling
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Melt the butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet on medium low heat. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the butter turns golden brown.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the peaches, sugar, flour, whiskey, cinnamon extract, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Add the peach mixture to the skillet of browned butter and mix everything together.
- Reduce heat to low while making the crust.
Crust
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Use a cheese grater to shred the cold butter into the bowl. Use your hands or a pastry blender to work the butter into the flour mixture until it is broken into pea-sized pieces.
- Add the ice cold water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix it in by hand or with the pastry blender.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a circle about ¼ inch thick.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and place the pastry dough on top, tucking the edges under as best you can. If desired, sprinkle the top with additional coconut sugar.
- Bake for 20 minutes. The crust should be turning slightly golden.
- Remove from oven and use a sharp knife to slice the crust vertically and horizontally every three inches. Return to oven for about 20 more minutes.
- When the peaches are bubbling and the crust is turning more golden, remove from oven and drizzle the heavy cream over the top. Return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Remove from oven at let cool before slicing. Meanwhile, make the whipped cream.
Whiskey Whipped Cream
- Pour the whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. It works best if the bowl and beater are chilled beforehand.
- Set the mixer on medium-high speed and beat until stiff peaks begin to form. Then add the maple syrup and whiskey.
- Continue beating until the cream is light and fluffy. Dollop the whipped cream on slices of pandowdy and store the leftover in the refrigerator.
A lovely and delicious recipe – perfect for this time of the year!