Peach and Almond Tart with Browned Butter Frangipane: The Summer Dessert You’ll Make on Repeat

The smell of browned butter and peak-season peaches is the smell of late summer in my kitchen. It is the smell that drifts out the screen door and brings my neighbors over without warning — they show up on the porch with their own forks. This peach and almond tart is the reason.

The short version: Ripe peaches nestled into a nutty, browned butter almond cream, all tucked inside a flaky press-in crust that takes ten minutes. It looks fancy. It is not.

My daughter Nora, who has never met a dessert she did not want to photograph first, texted me after her first bite: “This tastes like the one Grandma Marta made with the plums.” That is the highest compliment in our house.

(Photo above: An overhead shot of the tart cooling on a wire rack, golden-brown frangipane peeking out between slices of peach arranged in concentric circles, a dusting of powdered sugar softening the edges. A small pitcher of cream sits nearby.)

The Thing That Makes This Peach Tart Different (It’s the Butter)

Most frangipane recipes call for soft butter creamed with sugar. I brown mine first. It does two things: it deepens the almond flavor into something almost toasty — like the browned bits on the edge of a financier — and it removes just enough water from the butter to keep the crust from turning into a sad, soggy situation when the peaches release their juice.

If you skip the browning, you will have a perfectly good almond tart. But it will not have the warmth, the complexity, the thing that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.

Everything You Need (And a Few Notes From Me)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free blend): This is the base of the press-in crust. A gluten-free blend works perfectly here because we are not developing gluten — just holding the butter and sugar together.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold: Cut it into small cubes. If you forget to chill it — and I have — pop the whole thing in the freezer for ten minutes before baking.
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds: For the crust. They add a subtle crunch and keep the bottom from getting heavy.
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter for the frangipane: This is the butter we are browning. Do not walk away from it. Burnt butter is a tragedy.
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar: Enough to sweeten the almonds, but not so much that it overpowers the fruit.
• 2 large eggs: They bind the frangipane. Room temperature helps everything come together smoothly.
• 1 cup almond flour: Not almond meal. Almond flour is finer and gives the frangipane that velvety texture that melts against the peaches.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: Pure, not imitation. It is the difference between a good dessert and one your kids request for their birthdays.
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract: Optional, but I add it because it makes the almond flavor sing without being artificial.
• 3-4 ripe but firm peaches: The hardest part of this recipe. They need to smell like peaches when you walk past them. If they are hard, let them sit on the counter for a day or two.
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar: For sprinkling on top. It gives the crust and the fruit a little sparkle and crunch.

What to Pull Out Before You Start

• A 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom — if you only have a pie plate, it will still work, you just will not get the neat slices.
• A small skillet for browning the butter (light-colored metal helps you see the color change).
• A food processor or a pastry cutter for the crust.
• A sharp knife for slicing the peaches — a dull one will bruise them.

Let’s Make It (Step by Step)

Read through this once before you start. It is not complicated, but the timing matters.

Get the oven ready: Preheat it to 350°F. Place a rack in the center.

1. Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt until the almonds are broken down. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Press it firmly into the tart pan — bottom and up the sides. Freeze for 15 minutes while the oven heats. (📸 Photo tip: The crust should hold together when you press a handful — if it crumbles, add a tablespoon of ice water.)
2. Blind bake the crust: Prick the bottom with a fork. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Let it cool on a rack. Leave the oven on.
3. Brown the butter: Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small skillet over medium heat. It will foam, then quiet down, then turn the color of hazelnuts. Swirl the pan occasionally. The moment it smells nutty and looks amber, pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking. (📸 Photo tip: The solids at the bottom should be golden-brown, not black. That is where the flavor lives.)
4. Make the frangipane: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar and 2 eggs until smooth. Add 1 cup almond flour, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp almond extract. Stir in the warm browned butter. It will smell incredible.
5. Prep the peaches: Slice the peaches into 1/4-inch wedges. If they are very juicy, pat them gently with a paper towel. You do not want a pool of liquid on top of the frangipane.
6. Assemble the tart: Spread the frangipane evenly over the cooled crust. Arrange the peach slices on top in overlapping circles. Start at the outside and work your way in. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar.
7. Bake: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the frangipane is puffed, golden, and set in the center. A toothpick inserted near the middle should come out clean. Let the tart cool completely in the pan on a wire rack — at least an hour. The filling needs time to settle.

How I Make This Ahead for Busy Weeks

This tart is actually better the day after it is made — the flavors settle, the peaches soften into the frangipane, and the whole thing becomes almost custard-like. I often make two on a Sunday afternoon.

• Fridge: Store the cooled tart loosely covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring it to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
• Freezer: Yes! Freeze the whole baked tart, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat: Warm individual slices in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes. Do not microwave the crust — it gets soft.

Mistakes I Have Made So You Do Not Have To

1. Do not skip freezing the crust: I know it feels like an extra step. But that short chill is what prevents the dough from sliding down the sides of the pan. I have skipped it. I have cried.
2. Under-ripe peaches are a trap: They look beautiful but they taste like cardboard in a tart. If your peaches are not fragrant, let them sit in a paper bag on the counter for a day. It works.
3. Trust the visual cues over the timer: Every oven runs differently. Pull the tart when the frangipane is puffed and deep gold at the edges — that is your signal. Even if the center jiggles a tiny bit, it will set as it cools.
4. Let it cool completely: I know the smell is torture. But cutting into this tart while it is warm means the frangipane will run. Patience is the hardest part of this recipe. It is also the part that makes it exceptional.

Make It Yours: Easy Variations

• Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in the crust. My sister makes this for her family and they cannot tell the difference.
• Dairy-Free: Substitute a high-quality vegan butter block for the butter in both the crust and the frangipane. Brown it carefully — it behaves a little differently.
• Different fruit: Plums, nectarines, or apricots work beautifully. If using berries, scatter them over the frangipane and reduce the baking time by 5 minutes.
• No tart pan: Press the crust into a 9-inch pie plate instead. It will be slightly thicker and need 2-3 extra minutes of blind baking.

Questions I Get About This Almond Tart Every Summer

Q: Why did my frangipane turn out grainy?
A: Grainy frangipane usually means the almond flour was too coarse, or the eggs and sugar were not whisked enough. Next time, whisk the eggs and sugar until they are pale and thick — about 2 minutes — before adding the almond flour. I have rushed this step before and the texture was all wrong.

Q: Can I make this with canned peaches?
A: You can, but drain them very well and pat them dry. Canned peaches hold a lot more water, which can make the frangipane loose. I prefer this tart with fresh summer fruit, but I have used frozen, thawed peaches in a pinch and it worked fine.

Q: How do I store leftovers? Does it freeze well?
A: It keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days loosely covered. I have frozen the whole baked tart for up to 2 months — wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm slices in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.

Q: What do you serve with this tart?
A: A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is the classic choice. My family loves it with a drizzle of cold heavy cream poured over the slice — the way Marta served it. If you want to be fancy, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of flaky salt takes it over the top.

More Recipes My Family Makes on Repeat

If you loved this peach and almond tart, here are a few others that get the same reaction at our table:

• Classic French Apple Tart — The one that disappears before it has fully cooled.
• Brown Butter Blondies — The same nutty browned butter magic, in bar form.
• Summer Stone Fruit Crumble — For the nights you want something warm and fast.

This peach and almond tart is the thing I will be making every single week until the peaches are gone. It is the dessert that makes people close their eyes, the one that gets texted to family group chats, the one that tastes like the late August afternoons I want to bottle up and save.

If you make it, tag me — I love seeing your peaches, your frangipane, your tart pans getting the use they deserve.

📌 Save this peach and almond tart recipe for your next summer gathering — it comes together in under two hours and tastes like you spent all day.