Peach Cheesecake with Almond Crust

This peach cheesecake is made with fresh peaches, it's gluten-free with an easy-to-make almond crust, and you don't even have to turn on the oven! It's rich, creamy, dreamy and beautiful.

For this recipe it's important that you read through the instructions before you begin.

This No-Bake Peach Cheesecake is perfect for a casual summer dinner party. It's made a day ahead of time, so all you have to do is slice when you're ready to serve.

Both the gluten-free almond crust and the filling do not require the oven or a food processor, and it's made with just a handful of basic ingredients.

And it's a show-stopper, to boot!

The Ingredients

• fresh peaches - Choose peaches with a deep red-gold color without green. They should be firm with a little bit of give when pressed gently with your thumb. If they're too firm, let them sit on the counter at room temperature for a couple of days.
• almond meal - You can use regular almond meal, or blanched almond meal, which is often referred to as almond flour. The difference is mostly color -- blanched means the skins have been removed, so the regular one is a bit darker and it's usually a bit coarser. Either will work well. Be sure they are not marked "super fine." The coarser the better for the peach cheesecake crust.
• sliced almonds - The almonds are part of the crust and will be toasted.
• granulated sugar
• Kosher salt - I bake (and cook) with Kosher salt because I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)
• unsalted butter - - I always bake (and cook) with unsalted butter to better control exactly how much salt is in the recipe.
• cream cheese - For this recipe, use full-fat blocks of cream cheese, like Philadelphia brand. Do not use whipped cream cheese. The firmer the better.
• sweetened condensed milk - Sweetened condensed milk adds to the creamy texture of this cake.
• lemon juice - The acidity in lemon juice helps the cheesecake set in the refrigerator, and the lemon flavor is not detectable.
• almond extract
• apricot jam - The apricot jam is to glaze the peach slices on top of the cake.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

Substitutions and Variations

If I don't list an ingredient with a substitution, it means I think it's best not to substitute it.

• Fresh peaches. Since this is a peach cheesecake, and that's likely why you're here, you probably don't want to substitute the peaches. However, on the off chance you do, nectarines and apricots would be great as well.
• Almond extract. If you want less almond flavor, use vanilla extract instead.
• Apricot jam. This is for presentation only as it makes the cake "shine." Feel free to skip it, as it will still be quite pretty without it.
• The almond crust. This is a gluten-free crust that's easy to make and like the filling, it requires no baking. If that's not your thing, peach cheesecake is also fantastic with this cookie crust, or a more traditional graham cracker crust.
• Crustless version. If you want to skip the crust all together, and make this no-bake dessert even easier, spoon the filling into a dozen approximately 4-ounce ramekins and add peach slices to the top, or mix all of the peaches in. (You can make them as large or small as you like, depending on what dishes you use -- 4-ounce is just a suggestion, so the number of portions will vary.)

Recipe Tips

• Do not change the lemon juice measurement. Your cake will not taste lemony, but it's the acid in the juice that works with the other ingredients to help no-bake cheesecakes solidify in the refrigerator.
• It's very important that the cream cheese be softened before you make the filling -- otherwise it will be lumpy. It's a good idea to set it out at room temperature a few hours before you're ready to make the recipe.
• Toasting the almonds for the crust brings their oils to their surface and makes them more flavorful. It's preferable, but not crucial.
• I like the completely smooth texture of a peeled peach for the filling, but if you want to leave the skin on, that's okay, too.
• The thinner they are the easier it'll be to slice.
• This no-bake peach cheesecake is on the softer side. To help you cut nice, clean slices, place the cake in the freezer for 30 minutes before slicing it.

Can you use frozen or canned peaches?

• Yes, when fresh peaches aren't in season, you can substitute with frozen or canned peaches.
• Be sure to thaw frozen peaches and drain them completely. Canned peaches should also be very well drained.
• For both, once drained, place the slices on a couple of layers of paper towels, and use another to gently press down on top of them. The peaches for the inside of the cheesecake should be as dry as possible -- it's not as important for those that will decorate the top.
• Both canned and frozen slices will likely have to be sliced more thinly.

How To Make it

- Prepare all of the peaches. For the filling, peel and thinly slice them (about ⅛-inch). Place the slices on a couple of layers of paper towel, and use another to gently press down on top of them. We want them as dry as possible before mixing them into the filling.

- For the top of the cake, leave the skin on the peaches, and thinly slice them (about ⅛-inch).

*The thinner the slices are the easier it'll be to slice. Store the slices for the top tightly wrapped in the refrigerator until after the cake has set, or even better, wait and slice it at that point.

- Toast the almonds in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. This should only take a few minutes. They'll be mostly golden and very aromatic when they're ready. Watch them carefully as they can go from golden to burnt quickly.

- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond meal, toasted sliced almonds, sugar, salt and melted butter. Stir until everything is evenly combined and all of the dry ingredients are held together by the butter. Pour this into a (9-inch) springform pan, and use your hands to gently press the mixture to evenly coat the bottom. Set aside.

- Add the softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and almond extract to a large bowl. Use an electric mixer or hand whisk to blend until it's very smooth, about 30 seconds or so. Fold in the peeled, thinly sliced peaches.

- Pour the filling into the prepared crust in the springform pan, and smooth it out with a small off-set spatula.

- Cover the pan with plastic wrap (not touching the filling), and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours (ideally overnight).

- Arrange the peach slices on top of the filling.

- In a small bowl, mix the apricot jam with the water and microwave it for a few seconds, just to thin it. Then use a pastry brush to glaze the peaches with it.

- Use a butter knife to go along the edges of the cake, inside the pan. Then loosen the spring and place the cake on a serving platter.

- Slice and serve. (Show your guests how pretty it is first!)

More Desserts Made with Fresh Peaches

• Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
• Gluten-Free Blueberry-Peach Cobbler
• Blue-Cheese Grilled Peaches with Honey-Balsamic Glaze

Making it Ahead and Storing it

You can make this peach cheesecake ahead of time, and it's easy to store. It's best though, 1 to 2 days after it's made.

• Unless you're storing leftovers, do not put the topping on until you're ready to serve!
• Refrigerator. You can store a no-bake cheesecake in the refrigerator for about 5 days, though I as I said, I recommend serving it the day after it's made.
• Without touching the top surface, it should be wrapped very tightly with plastic wrap if it's still in the pan. This is how I store it, to be sure it keeps its shape until I'm ready to serve.
• Freezer. The cheesecake can be stored for up to about 2 months in the freezer if it's wrapped very well. Once frozen, thaw it at room temperature for a couple of hours, or place it in the refrigerator overnight. 

I hope you find this peach cheesecake to be as dreamy as I do.

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