When the holiday table is already full of turkey, dressing, and gravy, a simple dessert like this peach bake is a mighty welcome thing. It has the easy spirit of those old church-supper dump desserts so many of us grew up with, where a handful of pantry staples could turn into something comforting and crowd-pleasing without much fuss. Using solid frozen unthawed sliced peaches makes it especially handy for Thanksgiving, since you can keep everything on hand and have a warm, bubbling dessert ready with hardly any work.
This dessert is lovely served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream melting into the golden topping. For a Thanksgiving spread, it fits right in alongside coffee after supper, and it also goes nicely with a drizzle of heavy cream if you like an old-fashioned finish. If your meal is especially rich, the bright peach flavor makes a nice change from heavier pies and custards.
4-Ingredient Oven Baked Thanksgiving Peach Dessert
Servings: 8
Ingredients
2 pounds solid frozen unthawed sliced peaches
1 box yellow cake mix, about 15.25 ounces
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch oven-safe casserole dish.
2. Spread the solid frozen unthawed sliced peaches evenly in the prepared casserole dish.
3. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the peaches, covering them as completely as you can.
4. Sprinkle the cinnamon across the top, then drizzle the melted butter as evenly as possible over the cake mix.
5. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the peaches are hot and bubbling around the edges.
6. Let the dessert rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the juices can settle a bit, then scoop into bowls and serve warm.
Variations & Tips
Add nuts: A handful of chopped pecans or walnuts scattered over the buttered top before baking gives this dessert a little crunch and a flavor that feels just right for Thanksgiving.
Use spice cake mix: If you want a warmer holiday flavor, swap the yellow cake mix for spice cake mix. It gives the peaches a deeper, cozier taste with hardly any extra effort.
Boost the fruit: A small splash of vanilla extract or a pinch of nutmeg stirred over the peaches can add extra depth, though the beauty of this recipe is how well it works in its plain and simple form.
Watch for dry spots: If you notice patches of dry cake mix halfway through baking, drizzle a little more melted butter over those places. That helps the top bake up evenly and keeps you from getting powdery bites.
Make it ahead: You can assemble the dish a little ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator until baking. Since the peaches start frozen, it is a forgiving dessert for busy holiday kitchens.