These little peach and cream pavlovas are everything you want in a summer dessert: light, crisp, creamy, and full of juicy peaches.

The meringue is crisp on the outside with a marshmallowy center, topped with clouds of vanilla whipped cream and sweet roasted peaches.

This dessert feels elegant enough for a dinner party, but it’s very simple to put together – and a great way to make the most of ripe summer peaches!

The most important ingredient when making pavlova is patience. Patience when beating the egg whites while slowly adding in the sugar – if you have masochist tendencies like me, you can even do it by hand!

Then comes an even greater amount of patience while waiting for it to bake: it takes an hour in the oven and then at least two hours on top of that before they are cool enough to come out. And here’s your first tip when making pavlova: never open the oven door!

If you let your impatience win, your little pavlovas will crack when they come into contact with cool air. So baking pavlova not only takes patience, it also takes faith. You pop them in the oven and hope they’ll come out fully baked and sturdy, but not dry or overbaked.

These are made with yellow sugar, which is not really conventional, but I love the color it produces! You can use granulated sugar if you don’t have light brown or yellow sugar on hand, of course.

Baking the peaches makes them extra juicy, creating the perfect topping for our little pavlovas. When shaping the pavlovas, I like to keep things simple, so a good old spoon will do! Don’t stress about trying to make them perfect; just try to shape them all into similar sizes so they bake evenly.

FAQs

Can I use regular granulated sugar instead of yellow sugar?
Absolutely! Yellow sugar gives the pavlovas a lovely golden color, but regular granulated sugar works just as well.

Why shouldn’t I open the oven while the pavlovas are baking?
Pavlova is sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. Opening the oven door lets cool air in, which can cause the meringues to crack or collapse.

Why do pavlovas need to cool in the oven?
Letting them cool gradually helps prevent sudden temperature changes that can cause cracking. It also gives the meringue time to finish drying out and set.

How do I know when the meringue is ready?
The outside should feel dry and firm, while the inside should remain soft and marshmallowy. The pavlovas should also lift fairly easily from the parchment once cooled.

Can I make the pavlovas ahead of time?
Yes! The baked meringues can be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Add the whipped cream and peaches just before serving.

Can I use canned or frozen peaches?
Fresh peaches are best here, especially when they’re ripe and juicy. If using frozen peaches, thaw and drain them well first. Canned peaches also work, but they’ll have a milder flavor.

Why did my pavlova crack?
A few cracks are completely normal! Pavlova is delicate, and sudden temperature changes, overbaking, or even slight imperfections in the meringue can cause cracking. Luckily, whipped cream and peaches cover a multitude of sins.

If you make these peach and cream pavlovas, let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.

More Peach Recipes

Strawberry Peach Cobbler: This classic combines summer’s best fruit under a layer of golden drop biscuits. An easy treat that comes together in about an hour.

For a fun lunch or snack, how does juicy marinated peaches, rich blue cheese, and paper-thin mortadella sitting on a crisp, golden flatbread sound?

Strawberry Peach Basil Crisp with Brown Butter & Sesame: With herby notes and a nutty touch, this crisp has all that golden-bubbly comfort of a Fall classic fruit crisp, but with those bright elements that are quintessentially summer.

Peach, Raspberry and Watercress Salad: Sweet, tangy, and delightfully peppery, this salad comes together in less than twenty minutes.

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