Spiced shortcake biscuits sop up sweet peach juice and are topped with a hearty dollop of whipped cream and candied nuts for a twist on southern classics.

It’s in the air: 

The smell of Valentine’s Day, and Black History Month. Both of these smell like good food, so I’m in luck.

In honor of Black History Month, I’m joining in the third annual Black History Month Potluck, where a wonderful group of black food bloggers have come together to share some of our favorite recipes with each other and and y’all, our readers, that showcase and celebrate the African diaspora and black culture as a whole. One recipe for each day of Black History Month. So check them out as well, you won’t regret it.

Black History Month holds a special place for me, because learning about and understanding the perseverance and successes of black men and women throughout the African diaspora is an ongoing journey as many things are brought to the surface and to the masses is of such importance to me, especially as a mom. 

Now, onto these Peach Shortcakes. I realized that in my family, Southern culture and Black culture are intertwined. Summers at my grandmother’s house in Georgia meant running through her gardens and finding her peach trees heavy with peaches perfect for eating. 

And when we returned for the holidays, those summer peaches were awaiting in mason jars (or already turned into peach wine) to be used in cobbler for Thanksgiving.

I was going to bring a peach cobbler to the Black History Month potluck, but decided to take a twist on it. I know many a recipe that use biscuits as the top of a peach cobbler and I figured, “Why not peach shortcakes instead ?”

Shortcakes are simple, sweet, tender biscuits that are very easy to make, with fruit and whipped cream or ice cream.

With these peach shortcakes, I’ve spiced the biscuits with the warm spices you’d find in a peach cobbler: cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of cardamom.

These biscuits are drop biscuits, meaning unlike classic Southern buttermilk biscuits, they require no kneading, folding, or excessive amounts of freezing. Just mix the dough and drop them onto your silpat or parchment paper. The biscuits also get topped with an egg wash and sprinkled generously with raw sugar for a little sparkle and crunch.

Speaking of crunch, I added candied walnuts into the mix to add some texture and interest, with a sweet, nutty flavor. Candied nuts are a great way to add a little pizzazz to any dessert and you can swap the walnuts for candied pecans, almonds, cashews, whatever you like. They’re optional, but I love ’em. Check out my easy stove top candied nut recipe, it won’t take longer than ten minutes start to finish.

Another great idea is to spike your whipped cream with rum, bourbon, or amaretto. Or add a splash of it to your bowl of peaches while they macerate, or soften due to the sugar and liquid. This is especially great with those fresh summer peaches, so keep this in your pocket for the summer, too.

This entire peach shortcake recipe takes…wait for it…LESS THAN THIRTY MINUTES TO MAKE! There’s no reason to not whip this up as a last minute dinner party dessert or weeknight dessert with the family.

Looking for more soul food? Check out:

Sweet Potato Pie

Shrimp and Grits

Red Beans and Rice

Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken

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Spiced Peach Shortcake with Candied Walnuts Recipe

Yield: 8 shortcakes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Spiced, sweet shortcake biscuits sop up sweet peach juice and are topped with a dollop of whipped cream and candied nuts for a twist on classics.

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Ingredients

Peaches

• 2 (14 oz) cans sliced peaches, drained OR 6-8 fresh peaches, sliced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Splash of bourbon or whiskey (optional)

Biscuits

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Splash of milk
• Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
• 2 Tbsp confectioner's sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Candied Nuts Recipe

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Toss the peach slices with the sugar and liquor, if using. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup or a medium sized bowl, whisk the buttermilk, one egg, vanilla, and butter together until well combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a baking spatula until just combined. Don't over mix or the biscuits will be hard and dense.

Beat the remaining egg with the splash of milk to create an egg wash. Drop 1/3 cup of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet about 2-3 inches apart. Brush egg wash over the top of the dough and sprinkle turbinado sugar generously over the top. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes. They should be lightly golden brown when done, don't over bake them. Cool the biscuits on a wire rack.

When ready to serve, whip the cold heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer or whisk (and elbow grease!) until soft peaks form.

To serve, split one biscuit in half and top the bottom half with peaches and the accumulated juice, then add a hearty spoonful of whipped cream. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 516 Total Fat: 26g Saturated Fat: 15g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 112mg Sodium: 406mg Carbohydrates: 60g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 29g Protein: 9g

And don’t forget to check out the other fantastic recipes in the Black History Month Potluck here:

Beautiful Eats & Things | Okra, Corn & Tomato Chicken Stew

Beyond the Bayou Blog | Mackerel Balls with Biscuits and Cane Syrup

BSugar Mama | Red Beans and Rice

Butter Be Ready | Caribbean Curry Goat with Rice and Peas

Cooks with Soul | Boudin Balls

D.M.R. Fine Foods | Spice Roasted Chicken

Dash of Jazz | Soul Food Power Bowl

Dish it with Tisha | Jamaican Curry Chicken

Domestic Dee | Chicken Sliders

Eat. Drink. Frolic. | Bourbon + Sweet Potato Pie

First and Full | Homemade Peach Pie

Food Fidelity | Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich

Food is Love Made Edible | Smothered Okra with Chicken and Smoked Sausage

Foodie in New York | Chess Pie

Immaculate Bites | Pimento Cheese

Kaluhi’s Kitchen | Pilipili & Rosemaryy Marinated Mbuzi Choma na Kachumbari

Kenneth Temple | Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Marisa Moore Nutrition | Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cabbage

Meiko and the Dish | Hot Buttered Rum Biscuits

My Life Runs on Food | Southern Style Caesar Salad

Rosalynn Daniels | Osso Bucco

Savory Thoughts | Haitian Patty

Simply LaKita | Fried Okra

That Girl Cooks Healthy | Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce

The Hungry Hutch | Cornbread Dressing

The Seasoning Bottle | Guava Short Ribs

Whisk it Real Gud | Banana Bread