The sweet, succulent peach is one of summer’s most beloved fruits. When fresh peaches are out of season, preserving their sunny flavor in homemade peach butter is a delightful way to enjoy a taste of summer all year round. This luscious spread not only captures the essence of peach flavor at its peak, but intensifies it, concentrating the fruit’s natural sweetness into a smooth, decadent jam.
Unlike many jams or preserved fruit spreads, peach butter has an exceptionally smooth, creamy texture similar to apple butter. This silkiness comes from pureeing the peaches into a thick, rich puree rather than retaining the fruit’s chunks or fibers. The result is a spread that is akin to the artisan fruit butters once prepared by Pennsylvania Dutch communities.
A Perfectly Peachy Ingredient
The star ingredient of this recipe is, of course, perfect peaches. Seek out ripe yet firm freestone peaches at the height of summer ripeness for the best flavor and texture. Peaches purchased directly from an orchard or farmers’ market will likely yield better results than those shipped long distances. You’ll need about 4 pounds of fresh peaches, which equates to 12 to 15 medium-sized peaches.
To prepare the peaches, briefly blanch them in boiling water, then shock them in an ice bath before peeling off their fuzzy skins. This makes removing the skins a breeze. Cut the peeled fruit into chunks, discarding the pits. Chop the fruit into smaller pieces to speed up the cooking process later on.
Sweet, Tangy Flavor Brighteners
While peaches contain a fair amount of natural sugar, this recipe includes one to one and a half cups of granulated white sugar or cane sugar. Always taste the mixture before adding the full amount. Ripe, sweet peaches may only need a cup of additional sugar to reach the desired level of sweetness. Those with a tarter, under-ripe batch may choose to incorporate more. When pureeing the fruit, it’s easy to adjust and add more sugar a bit at a time to strike the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
A few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice also boost the flavor with bright, citrusy notes. The acidity of the lemon juice balances the sweetness, brings out the vibrant peachiness, and helps prevent oxidation that could dull the vibrant color over time. This no-cook refrigerator jam relies primarily on the high acidity and sugar content to thicken and preserve safely, so don’t skimp on the lemon!
The Warm Spices of Summer
To complement and enhance the lush peach flavor, a touch of ground spices ad perfectly in this recipe. The warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg enhances the ripe fruit, adding comfort and complexity. In concert with the sweet vanilla notes inherent in peaches, they evoke the essence of summer’s harvest bounty. Add them sparingly to let the peaches remain the star. As always, taste the mixture as the spices infuse during simmering and cooking. You can always add a bit more cinnamon or nutmeg if you wish, but it can be difficult to tone down an over-spiced jam.
No Chunks Allowed
Unlike some jellies or fruit spreads, peach butter achieves its smooth, creamy texture not from pectin, but from pureeing the peaches into a lush slurry. Once they have simmered to soften and released their juices and the sugar fully incorporated, the peachy mixture gets transferred to a blender or food processor. Puree the fruit, sugar, spices and juices until completely smooth and homogenous. For an extra silky butter, push the puree through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to strain out any remaining fibers or chunks.
Simmer Down To Thicken Up
Return the pureed peach mixture to your pot and let it simmer gently over low heat, allowing the puree to reduce down to your desired thickness and consistency. Stir it frequently as it simmers so the puree doesn’t scorch on the bottom of the pot. The peach butter will thicken further as it cools.
Simmer time can vary based on personal preference and the initial juiciness of the peaches. Typically the mixture thickens to an ideal spreadable consistency in 20 to 40 minutes. Those who prefer a thicker butter can let it reduce down for an hour or more. Just keep the heat low and stir diligently.
As you near the end of the simmering process, frequently coat the back of a wooden spoon with the hot peach butter and run a finger across it. When the track remains without filling in immediately, you’ve likely achieved the desired thickness.
Preserve The Summer Sweetness
Preserving your precious peach butter employs similar techniques as other homemade jams. While the peach butter is still piping hot, carefully ladle it into sterilized glass jars, leaving about 1⁄4 inch headspace at the top. Any air bubbles can be dislodged with a clean utensil handle or chopstick. Wipe any drips from the rims with a clean, damp cloth or paper towel before affixing the lids and bands.
You may opt to simply store the sealed peach butter in the refrigerator, where its high sugar content and acidity will safely preserve it for three to four weeks. For more long-term storage, process the filled jars in a water bath canner for ten minutes before storing them in a cool, dark place. The peach butter should keep this way on the shelf for a full year. Over time, the color may dull slightly, but the creamy texture and sweet peach flavor will remain.
Irresistible On Anything
A jar of silky homemade peach butter makes a prized pantry staple. Its versatility leads to so many sweet and savory applications beyond simply spreading atop fresh baked biscuits or heaping dollops into oatmeal. Consider these irresistible ways to enjoy peach butter’s sweet seduction:
- Swirl it into yogurt, cottage cheese or ricotta cheese along with toasted nuts and a drizzle of honey for a fast breakfast parfait.
- Fill crepes or thin pancakes with a spoonful of peach butter and a scattering of chocolate chips then roll up for peachy dessert wraps.
- Stir a few tablespoons into fluffy whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an instant peach cream dessert.
- Make thumbprint cookies with pecans then fill the center depressions with peach butter before baking.
- Whip up a quick peach glaze for meatloaf or ham by melting peach butter with chili sauce or ketchup.
- Brush peach butter over a pork tenderloin or chicken breasts before roasting or grilling.
- Simmer peach butter with a splash of vinegar and pinch of crushed red pepper to make a fast peach barbecue sauce for chicken wings, pork ribs or shrimp skewers.
- Swap peach butter for orange marmalade in your favorite marmalade glaze recipe for baked ham.
- Sandwich two oatmeal cookies together with a layer of peach butter for easy icebox cookies.
However you choose to enjoy this summery spread, a batch of homemade peach butter promises the sweet kiss of summer with every bite, even on the coldest winter day.
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Homemade Peach Butter
This recipe is designed to be simple and straightforward, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced cooks. Enjoy the rich, smooth texture and the sweet, intense peach flavor of this delightful spread.
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 pounds of fresh peaches (about 12 to 15 medium peaches)
1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (adjust based on your sweetness preference)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Prepare the Peaches:
Wash the peaches thoroughly.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the peaches for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then transfer them to an ice water bath to cool.
Peel the peaches, remove the pits, and roughly chop the flesh.
Cook the Peach Mixture:
In a large pot, combine the chopped peaches, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the peaches are very soft and the mixture has thickened, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Puree the Mixture:
Remove the pot from the heat. Use a blender or food processor to puree the peach mixture until smooth. For an extra smooth texture, you can strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
Reduce Further (Optional):
If you prefer a thicker peach butter, return the pureed mixture to the pot and simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Preserve the Peach Butter:
While the peach butter is still hot, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace.
Wipe the rims clean, then seal the jars with lids and rings.
For longer storage, process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, then cool and store.
Enjoy:
Enjoy your homemade peach butter on toast, biscuits, pancakes, or mixed into yogurt or oatmeal. It also makes a lovely gift!
Notes
Adjust the sugar according to the sweetness of your peaches and personal preference. Start with less sugar, taste, and add more if needed.
The lemon juice not only adds a slight tanginess but also helps preserve the color and flavor of the peach butter.
You can experiment with different spices according to your taste preferences.
This peach butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to a year. Enjoy the taste of summer all year round with this delicious, homemade spread!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
