Honey Peaches and Cream Pudding

By Carolina Gelen

Updated August 6, 2026

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 3
Ready In
50 min, plus 2 hr chilling
Rating
5(36)
Comments
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Following the structure of a classic banana pudding, this honeyed peach pudding is here to make the most out of the peach season and celebrate the orange-fleshed juicy fruit. With layers of honey-sweetened peaches, silky vanilla pudding, freshly whipped cream, and crisp vanilla wafers to soak up the spiced peach juices, it’s easy to see how this dessert tastes like summer on a plate. Great for working through those overripe peaches on your counter in the middle of summer, this recipe uses three pounds of them, ensuring each scoop has a tender peach to bite into. While the recipe doesn’t call for it, peeling the peaches yields a silkier texture if you have a chance to tackle that process.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 to 16 servings

For the Peaches

  • 3 pounds ripe peaches (10 to 12 medium peaches)

  • ¼ cup honey

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon orange blossom water, optional

  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal

For the Pudding

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 1 (3.4-ounce) packet instant vanilla pudding mix (or make your own; see Tip)

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal

  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream

  • 1 (11-ounce) package vanilla wafer cookies

For the Topping

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • ¼ cup honey, plus more for topping

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 to 16 servings)

48 grams carbs; 73 milligrams cholesterol; 440 calories; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 27 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 2 grams fiber; 369 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 38 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the peaches: Set aside 2 whole peaches and 12 vanilla wafers for the topping. Cut the remaining peaches into bite-sized chunks. In a medium bowl, toss together the peaches, honey, lemon juice, vanilla, orange blossom water (if using), cardamom and salt and set aside to macerate.

  2. Step 2

    Make the pudding: In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, instant pudding mix, honey, vanilla and salt. Set aside in the fridge for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Add the pudding to the whipped cream and gently fold until combined. (The peaches and the pudding can be prepped up to 2 days ahead; store them separately in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.)

  3. Step 3

    In a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish, spread half of the pudding, then top with half of the vanilla wafers in an even layer. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of the liquid from the macerated peaches over the wafers (save any remaining peach syrup to use in fizzy iced drinks). Using a slotted spoon, scoop half of the peaches and layer on top of the wafers. Repeat one more time, using the remaining pudding, wafers and sliced peaches.

  4. Step 4

    Cover and chill the assembled pudding in the fridge for at least 3 hours (or up to 1 day.)

  5. Step 5

    Before serving (or up to 2 days in advance), make the topping: In a medium bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Add the honey, cardamom and salt and gently stir to combine.

  6. Step 6

    When ready to serve, dollop the whipped cream on the pudding, swirling it around with the back of a spoon until it reaches the sides of the bowl. Garnish with the reserved vanilla wafers, then cut the reserved peaches into small wedges and arrange on top. Finish with a drizzle of honey.

Tip

  • If you’d like to make the vanilla pudding from scratch, follow this recipe from Mark Bittman, stirring in 2 tablespoons honey at the end of cooking. Refrigerate until room temperature, then fold in the whipped cream as instructed in Step 2 and proceed with the recipe.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
36 user ratings
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Comments

rb

is there supposed to be a link to the Mark Bittman recipe in the Tip section? It doesn't show up

Steph

Am I the first to make this? :) It was very good! I halved the recipe for my smaller household (half a pudding mix is 1/4 cup, btw), used cinnamon and nutmeg instead of cardamom, and layered this so I could extra row of cookies. Pro tip: arrange the cookies upside-down to better absorb the peach juice. It rolled off in my first layer. Overall, I would have liked the pudding to be a bit more stiff and it definitely has that instant pudding taste, so I would go homemade next time, time allowing.

SnivelMom

https://body-change.today/recipes/11515-vanilla-pudding?unlocked_article_code=1.3lA.BwWD.j1S0K6AvYIqh Here's the Bittman recipe

JennyJenny

After reading the comments, I tinkered with the recipe a bit, and the result was a well-received treat! I wanted to lean into the play of peaches and spice, so I used Biscoff cookies instead of vanilla wafers and Penzy’s cake spice instead of cardamom to macerate the peaches. Because of comments about the filling not being thick enough, I doubled the filling recipe (minus 1/4 c. of milk) and used a box each of instant vanilla and cheesecake pudding. Use the best honey you have, and don't be shy on the final drizzle! This held up well for leftovers two days on when the pan was wiped clean by a midnight fridge raider!

Melanie

I swapped amaretti cookies for the vanilla wafers and loved the combination of almond and peaches. While I adore and appreciate the insight of NYT Cooking commentators, instant pudding was totally fine here. No need to complicate in this recipe.

Kailin

I loosely followed this recipe and it came out amazing! Definitely agree with others that making the pudding from scratch is the way to go. Instead of cardamom and orange blossom, I opted for cinnamon and a splash of bourbon in the pudding and for soaking the peaches.

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