This No-Bake Peach Tart is the dessert I reach for the second peaches start showing up soft and fragrant at the market.
A buttery graham cracker crust, a silky sweetened cream cheese filling, and a fan of glossy fresh peach slices on top.
No oven required, which makes it perfect for hot summer afternoons when you refuse to turn on the stove.
If you have made a Peach Tart Recipe before with a baked crust, you already know how much peaches shine in tart form.
This version just skips the baking step entirely and leans on the fridge to do all the work.
| Quick Recipe Summary | |
|---|---|
| Prep Time | 25 minutes |
| Chill Time | 3 hours |
| Total Time | 3 hours 25 minutes |
| Servings | 8 slices |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
Why You’ll Love This No-Bake Peach Tart
This tart comes together with basic pantry staples and about 25 minutes of hands-on time.
The filling is cool, creamy, and just sweet enough to let the fresh peaches take center stage.
It is one of those desserts that looks like it took hours of effort, when really the fridge did most of the work.
You can prep it a day ahead, which makes it one of my go-to options whenever I am hosting.
It also happens to be a lighter alternative to my Mini Peach Tart Recipe, since there is no pastry dough to roll out or bake.
- No oven needed, so your kitchen stays cool all summer long
- Comes together with simple, easy to find ingredients
- Make ahead friendly, perfect for parties and potlucks
- Creamy filling balances the natural sweetness of fresh peaches
- Naturally adaptable for gluten free or lower sugar diets
Ingredients
You will need three simple components for this tart. A crumbly crust, a whipped cream cheese filling, and a glossy peach topping.
Below is everything you need, organized by which part of the tart it belongs to.
This is similar in spirit to the components in my Peach Galette Recipe, just assembled cold instead of baked.
- For the crust: 1 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 full sheets), 1/3 cup granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- For the filling: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
- For the topping: 4 to 5 ripe peaches, thinly sliced, 1/2 cup peach preserves, 1 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Kitchen Equipment Needed
You do not need anything fancy for this recipe, but a few specific tools will make the process much smoother.
A tart pan with a removable bottom in particular makes unmolding the finished tart so much easier, the same way it does for my Strawberry Peach Tart Recipe.
- 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom
- Food processor or a zip top bag and rolling pin for crushing the graham crackers
- Electric hand mixer or a stand mixer
- Mixing bowls, various sizes
- Offset spatula for spreading the filling
- Pastry brush for glazing the peaches
- Sharp paring knife for slicing the peaches
Recommended Products for This Recipe
These are a few products I personally use and recommend whenever I make this tart.
They are not required, but each one solves a small pain point that comes up while making a no-bake dessert like this one, the same way the right tools help with my No Bake Cheesecake Recipe.
1. Tart Pan with Removable Bottom
This is the single most useful tool for this recipe. The removable bottom lets you push the tart up and out cleanly, so you get neat slices instead of a crust that tears apart in the pan.
2. Electric Hand Mixer
Whipping the cream cheese filling by hand is a workout, and it is easy to end up with lumps.
A hand mixer gets the filling perfectly smooth and airy in under two minutes.
3. Peach Preserves
A good quality peach preserve gives the topping that glossy, bakery style shine without any extra effort. It also deepens the peach flavor in every bite.
4. Offset Spatula
Spreading the cream cheese filling evenly is much easier with an offset spatula than with the back of a spoon.
It gives you that smooth, bakery style finish before the peaches even go on.
Step-by-Step Instructions: How to Make No-Bake Peach Tart
Follow these steps closely and you will end up with clean layers and a crust that holds together when sliced. I use this same layering method for my Peach Tarte Tatin Recipe, just without the caramelizing step.
1. Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers into fine crumbs. If you do not have a food processor, place the crackers in a zip top bag and crush them with a rolling pin until no large pieces remain.
- Pour the crumbs into a mixing bowl and stir in the granulated sugar and the pinch of salt until evenly combined.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the crumb mixture and stir with a fork until every bit of the crumbs looks moistened, similar to wet sand.
- Pour the mixture into your 9-inch tart pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat glass to press the crumbs firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
- Place the crust in the freezer for 15 minutes, or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, to help it firm up before filling.
2. Whip the Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the cream cheese. Beat again until fully combined and no streaks of powdered sugar remain.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. This usually takes 2 to 3 minutes, so keep an eye on it rather than walking away.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a rubber spatula. Fold just until no white streaks remain, since overmixing will deflate the whipped cream and make the filling dense.
3. Assemble the Filling Layer
- Remove the chilled crust from the freezer or refrigerator.
- Spoon the cream cheese filling into the center of the crust.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the filling evenly, smoothing the top so it reaches all the way to the edges of the crust.
- Cover the tart loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the filling feels firm to the touch.
4. Prepare and Arrange the Peaches
- While the filling chills, slice the peaches thinly, about 1/8 inch thick, using a sharp paring knife.
- Toss the peach slices gently with the fresh lemon juice in a bowl. This slows down browning while you arrange them.
- Once the filling has fully set, remove the tart from the refrigerator.
- Arrange the peach slices over the filling in a circular, overlapping pattern, starting from the outer edge and working your way toward the center.
5. Glaze and Chill Before Serving
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the peach preserves and water. Microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring in between, until the preserves are loose and pourable, about 30 to 45 seconds total.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the warm glaze evenly over the arranged peach slices, making sure every slice gets a light coating.
- Return the tart to the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the glaze set before slicing.
- Carefully push up the removable bottom of the tart pan to release the tart, then transfer it to a serving plate, slice, and serve.
Tips for The Best No-Bake Peach Tart
A few small details make a big difference in how this tart turns out.
These are the same techniques I rely on for my Blackberry Peach Galette Recipe whenever fruit needs to hold its shape and look neat on top.
- Use peaches that are ripe but still firm. Overripe peaches turn mushy and release too much juice onto the filling.
- Chill the crust before filling it so it holds together when you slice the tart later.
- Do not skip folding in the whipped cream gently. Stirring too hard will deflate it and leave you with a dense, heavy filling.
- Toss sliced peaches in lemon juice right away if you are not serving the tart immediately, to keep them looking fresh and bright.
- Warm the preserves just until pourable. Overheating can make the glaze too thin to cling to the peaches.
Serving Suggestions
This tart is rich enough to stand on its own, but a few extras make it feel even more special.
A dollop of fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side never hurts either.
- A scoop of vanilla bean ice cream alongside each slice
- A drizzle of extra warmed peach preserves right before serving
- Fresh mint leaves scattered on top for color and a hint of brightness
- A cup of iced tea or a glass of Peach Crisp flavored lemonade on the side for a full peach themed spread
- A light dusting of powdered sugar just before slicing
Variations of No-Bake Peach Tart
Once you have the basic method down, this tart is easy to customize.
Some of these swaps borrow ideas from my Peach Tart With Puff Pastry Recipe, just adapted for a no-bake format.
- Mixed berry version: Swap half the peaches for fresh raspberries or blueberries for a colorful topping.
- Gluten free crust: Use gluten free graham crackers in place of regular ones, in the same quantity.
- Nutty crust: Add 1/4 cup finely chopped toasted almonds or pecans to the crust mixture for extra crunch.
- Mascarpone filling: Replace half the cream cheese with mascarpone for an even silkier, slightly less tangy filling.
- Spiced version: Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the crust mixture for a warm, spiced note.
Storage and Reheating
Since this is a no-bake, chilled dessert, storage is simple and there is no reheating involved.
Keep it refrigerated at all times, since the filling is cream cheese based and needs to stay cold.
- Store leftovers covered loosely with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Keep the tart in its pan or on a covered plate to protect the peach topping from drying out.
- This tart does not freeze well once assembled, since the peaches and glaze will turn watery upon thawing.
- You can freeze the plain crust and filling layer separately for up to 1 month, then add fresh peaches and glaze after thawing in the refrigerator overnight.
Nutritional Facts
Approximate values per slice, based on 8 slices per tart.
- Calories: 320
- Total Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Sugar: 19g
- Protein: 4g
- Fiber: 1g
Health Benefits of Key Ingredients
While this is very much a treat, a few of the ingredients bring some genuine nutritional value along with the flavor.
Fresh peaches in particular are the standout ingredient here, much like in my No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Cups, where fresh fruit does most of the nutritional heavy lifting.
- Peaches: A good source of vitamin C and vitamin A, along with fiber that supports digestion.
- Cream cheese: Provides calcium along with a bit of protein in every serving.
- Graham crackers: Made from whole wheat flour, which contributes a small amount of fiber compared to a plain butter crust.
- Heavy cream: Contains vitamin A and helps the body absorb fat soluble vitamins from the rest of the dessert.
FAQs About No-Bake Peach Tart
1. Can I use canned or frozen peaches instead of fresh?
Fresh peaches work best for this recipe because they hold their shape and look neat when arranged on top.
Canned or thawed frozen peaches release too much liquid and will make the topping watery, so fresh is really the way to go here.
2. Why is my filling runny instead of firm?
This usually happens when the whipped cream was not whipped to stiff peaks before folding, or the tart was not chilled long enough.
Make sure the filling chills for at least 2 hours before you add the peaches on top.
3. Can I make this tart ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the crust and filling layer up to a day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Add the sliced peaches and glaze within a few hours of serving so they stay fresh and bright.
4. What can I use instead of a tart pan?
A springform pan or a regular pie dish both work as substitutes if you do not have a tart pan with a removable bottom.
Just keep in mind that a pie dish will make it harder to remove clean slices compared to a pan with a removable base.
5. How do I keep the peaches from browning?
Tossing the sliced peaches in a little fresh lemon juice before arranging them slows down browning significantly.
Brushing on the warm preserve glaze afterward also helps seal in the color and keeps the peaches looking fresh for hours.
No-Bake Peach Tart
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 10 full sheets, 180g
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar 67g
- salt pinch
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85g, melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese 226g, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar 60g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks
- 4 to 5 ripe peaches thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup peach preserves 170g
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Equipment
- 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom
- Food processor optional, can use zip top bag and rolling pin
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls various sizes
- Offset spatula for spreading filling
- Pastry brush for glazing peaches
- Sharp paring knife for slicing peaches
Method
- Make the crust by pulsing graham crackers into fine crumbs, then stir in sugar and salt. Mix with melted butter until moistened, press into a 9-inch tart pan, and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Beat softened cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks and fold gently into the cream cheese mixture.
- Spoon the filling into the chilled crust, spread evenly with an offset spatula, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
- Thinly slice the peaches and toss with lemon juice. Arrange the slices in a circular overlapping pattern over the set filling, starting from the outer edge and working inward.
- Warm peach preserves with water until pourable, then brush over the peach slices. Chill for 30 minutes, then unmold and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use peaches that are ripe but still firm to prevent them from turning mushy and releasing excess juice onto the filling.
- Chill the crust before adding the filling so it holds together when sliced later.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture gently — overmixing will deflate it and make the filling dense.
- Toss sliced peaches in lemon juice right away if not serving immediately to keep them looking fresh and bright.
- Warm the preserves just until pourable; overheating makes the glaze too thin to cling to the peaches.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free graham crackers in the same quantity.
- Add 1/4 cup finely chopped toasted almonds or pecans to the crust for extra crunch and flavor.
- Store leftovers covered loosely in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This tart does not freeze well once assembled.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Conclusion
This No-Bake Peach Tart is proof that you do not need an oven to make something that feels special.
It is cool, creamy, and lets ripe summer peaches do exactly what they do best.
I would love to hear how yours turns out, so leave a comment below once you give it a try.
And if you make it, feel free to share a photo, I always enjoy seeing your versions of this one.
Recommended:
- Blueberry Peach Galette Recipe
- Peach Pie Recipe
- Peach Crumb Bars Recipe
- No Bake Greek Yogurt Fruit Tart
- Strawberry Peach Galette Recipe
