Of all the fruits that grow on our beautiful planet, fresh peaches are one of the most delicious. If you’re wondering what do do with lots of peaches, this collection of peach recipes will keep you busy enjoying this summer treat year-round.
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In this article
In the summertime, our kitchen counter is often loaded with fresh peaches, and I’ve been searching for the best things to do with peaches. My kids love them, and a few weeks ago, my daughter created for me an incredible protein shake full of the fresh smell of a ripe peach. I’d even plant peach trees in my backyard except my grow zone isn’t exactly ideal for this fruit.
I’ve got a lot of peaches, though, so I’m going to need a lot of recipes! Jams, jellies, desserts, and even a few savory dishes — fortunately, peaches go with just about everything. This is one versatile fruit to include in your food storage planning!
30 Delicious Peach Recipes
When the peach season is at its height, we peach lovers want more recipes for peaches, beyond peach pie and peach preserves! And if you’re lucky enough to have peach trees on your property, no doubt you, too, are looking for ideas.
Note: Some recipes may be adaptable to either sweet or savory depending on the additional ingredients used.
Sweet
- Peach jam
- Peach butter
- Peach ice cream
- Peach cobbler
- Peach muffins
- Dehydrated peaches – If you’re inundated with fresh peaches, then preserving by dehydrating and/or canning is a smart choice.
- Peach preserves
- Peach pound cake
- Peach smoothie
- Peach fruit leather – Super simple and the kids gobble it up. Okay, I might also.
- Peach drop cookies
- Peach crumble bars
- Peach pie filling
- Peach jam or jelly
- Grilled peaches – So good! Highly recommend!
- Canned peaches – The gold standard in food preservation (although not the only method, for sure!)
Savory
- Peach salsa
- Spicy Peach Chutney
- Curried peach sauce
- Peach Chipotle BBQ sauce
- Peach spinach salad
- Chilled peach soup
- Pickled peaches
- Peach Caprese
- Peach mustard sauce
- Peach meatloaf
- Peach Pork Picante
- Peach and brie quesadillas – I love Mexican food. Check out how to use freeze-dried foods to make your favorite Mexican recipes.
- Peach and tomato salad
- Peach and prosciutto pizza
BONUS RECIPE! Peach Daiquiris
I’ve made these, and although I don’t drink much alcohol, I can tell you right now I could have polished off that entire pitcher.
Peach Daiquiri
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add everything to a blender and start blending.
- If you began with fresh peaches, add ice cubes until you create a slurry.
- If you began with frozen peach pieces, add some ice cubes for volume and then you can add water, schnapps, or rum to thing it to make a slurry.
Notes
Tips For Using Peaches
- If you don’t have, or are out of fresh peaches, you may be able to adapt recipes for use with canned, frozen, or freeze-dried versions.
- We tend to associate peaches with sweet dishes, but if you haven’t tried them in a savory dish, you’re missing out! Try adding chunks of fresh peaches to salads and grill thick slices for an easy summer side dish.
- Avoid mushy peaches by giving each one a gentle squeeze. A mushy peach will feel a little too soft and have wrinkled or shriveled skin.
- If a peach looks old, give it the sniff test. An peach past its prime may have a fermented or slightly ‘off’ smell.
- Shop different types of ethnic stores and farmers markets during the summer season to find other peach varieties.
When is Peach Season?
Peach season varies across the country. Compare this peach ripening chart to your area of the country, or check u-pick farms and farmer’s markets near you.
How to Check for Ripeness in Fresh Peaches
There are four things to look for to determine if a peach is ripe:
- It should smell peachy and sweet. No smell, no eat.
- With gentle pressure, it should “give.” If it’s firm, it’s not ready.
- There should be no green on the fruit at all.
- As a peach ripens, it becomes more round.
Health Benefits
Peaches, a stone fruit, have great antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. They’re full of fiber and can help prevent ailments from digestive issues to certain kinds of cancer. For example, the most researched benefits include boosting immunity and reducing blood sugar levels and certain toxins in the body.
FAQ
Unripe peaches can be stored at room temperature until they ripen. Once ripe, peaches should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Clingstone: The flesh sticks to the pit. These are great for baking.
Freestone: The flesh separates easily from the pit. These are good for eating fresh.
White Flesh: These peaches have a milder flavor than yellow peaches.
Nectarines: Smooth-skinned peaches (Yes, they really are!) with a similar flavor to yellow peaches.
With this list of recipes, I think I’ve demonstrated there are so many yummy ways to use peaches besides eating them fresh. Peaches can be grilled, roasted, pickled, or dehydrated. They can also be used in smoothies, salsas, and even savory sauces.
Peach trees can be grown in many climates, but they do require a certain amount of chilling hours each winter. Research the specific needs of different varieties to see if they’ll thrive in your area. Sadly, my current zone isn’t a good fit for growing peach trees.
Related Food Storage Content
- How to Can Peaches and Nectarines
- How to Make Homemade Fruit Leather
- Using Freeze-dried Fruit in Everyday Cooking and Emergency Food Storage
- Food Storage: Where Do I Begin?
Final Thoughts
From sweet treats to savory surprises, there’s a way to enjoy this versatile fruit for every meal. (And if you order them like I do, you’ll almost have to!) Whether you’re lucky enough to have a backyard orchard or find yourself with a basketful from the farmer’s market, you need never wonder what to do with lots of peaches again! I hope this collection has inspired you to explore some of the delicious possibilities. So grab your favorite variety and get creative in the kitchen!
This post was updated 06/3/2024
Thank you for linking to my dehydrating peaches tutorial. Excellent list you’ve put together!!
Squirrels willing I may be able to get some this year…
Ha! The URL says 15 but the list has 30 . . . somebody loves peaches . . . .
Peaches soaked in red wine
Pork chops with peaches!
Do I need to peel peaches before making jam
It depends on the recipe, but usually, yes. The instructions for the brown sugar preserves mentioned in this post say to layer peach slices with sugar and then press the fruit through cheesecloth, effectively removing the peel.
I like my peaches almost hard. I slice them and fry the slices with just a bit of butter flavored cooking spray. Till the sugar’s are caramelized and they sure taste great that way!
hello. I have some peaches rapidly ripening. I found your peachy pepper jam recipe above. you do not mention the process of heating the jars, etc etc that you include in your canning peaches article.
how do I safely prepare the jars for the peachy pepper recipe? I’d like to make now and give for Christmas gifts.
I’m new to “canning/jarring” anything.
thanks in advance
I always wash my jars in the dishwasher prior to use and then keep the rings and lids in hot water until I’m ready to put them on the filled jars.
I live in Central Texas and have already harvested one variety of peaches. I used the peaches to freeze some and use some to make what the old-timers called Peach Honey. Peach Honey is just sugar, peaches, and a splash of water cooked until I can use my immersion blender to make a kind of puree. It can be canned or kept in the fridge. My other variety of peaches will be ready in August.