When summer brings a lot of peaches, it’s the perfect time to make something special—peach butter! This easy recipe turns fresh peaches into a smooth, spreadable treat that’s great on toast, warm biscuits, or even just by itself.
Why should you try making peach butter? It’s simple and turns out delicious and versatile. You can spread it on your breakfast bread or use it in baking to add a sweet, fruity flavor. With just a few ingredients—fresh peaches, a bit of sugar, and a little lemon juice—you can make peach butter that’s full of flavor and easy to store.
Ingredients
- Fresh peaches
- Sugar
- Water (optional, depending on peach juiciness)
- Fresh lemon juice
How To Make Peach Butter
- Remove the skin from the peaches and cut them into rough chunks.
- Place the peach chunks into a sturdy pot with the water and sugar. Heat on medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat a bit and let it simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are very soft.
- Mix the lemon juice into the cooked peaches. In small batches, blend the mixture until it’s completely smooth. Take your time to ensure all the lumps are gone.
- Then, pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer to ensure it is perfectly smooth. Press it with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard any remaining solids.
- Return the puree to the cleaned pan and bring it to a boil again. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the mixture thickens significantly, which will take about 25-30 minutes depending on the pan size. Stir often to prevent scorching, and consider using a splatter screen to avoid messes.
- Pour the hot peach butter into clean jars and allow it to cool before sealing and refrigerating. The butter will continue to thicken as it cools. It should be used within a few weeks. Alternatively, you can freeze the butter for up to six months. To do so, transfer the cooled butter to a freezer-safe container, leaving a half-inch of space at the top for expansion.
Pro Tips for Making Perfect Peach Butter
Choose ripe, sweet peaches for the best flavor. Firm peaches are good for handling but should still have a bit of give when you gently squeeze them. Overripe peaches will break down too quickly but may result in a runnier butter.
Blanch the peaches in boiling water for about 30 seconds and then immediately transfer them to an ice water bath. This will make the skin peel off easily. You can skip this step if you prefer the rustic texture of the skin in the butter, but it can lead to a chunkier texture.
The amount of sugar you use can be adjusted based on the sweetness of the peaches. If your peaches are particularly sweet, you might want to reduce the sugar slightly. Taste the mixture as you cook it to ensure it reaches your desired level of sweetness.
To make sure your peach butter has the right texture, be mindful of the cooking time after blending. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools, but if it’s too thin after simmering, you can let it cook longer until it thickens to your liking. Be careful not to burn it by stirring regularly and reducing the heat as needed.
Passing the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth helps ensure a silky-smooth peach butter. Don’t rush this step; pressing the puree thoroughly will ensure you remove all the solids for a perfectly smooth butter.
Storage Instructions
Refrigeration:
After pouring the hot peach butter into clean, sterilized jars, allow it to cool to room temperature before sealing. Refrigerate the sealed jars once cooled. Peach butter will last about 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Freezing:
For longer storage, peach butter can be frozen for up to 6 months. Allow the butter to cool completely before transferring it into freezer-safe containers. Leave about half an inch of space at the top of the container to allow for expansion during freezing. Label the containers with the date so you can track how long they’ve been stored.
Canning Option (for longer shelf life):
If you’d like to keep the peach butter for longer than a few weeks, consider canning it. After pouring the hot peach butter into sterilized jars, process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes to seal them. Canned peach butter can last up to 1 year when stored in a cool, dark place.
More Recipes
Peach Butter
Ingredients
- 4 lbs fresh peaches (about 10 good sized peaches)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water (if your peaches are juicy omit the water)
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the peaches and cut them into rough chunks.
- Place the peach chunks into a sturdy pot with the water and sugar. Heat on medium, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat a bit and let it simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are very soft.
- Mix the lemon juice into the cooked peaches. In small batches, blend the mixture until it's completely smooth. Take your time to ensure all the lumps are gone.
- Then, pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer to ensure it is perfectly smooth. Press it with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard any remaining solids.
- Return the puree to the cleaned pan and bring it to a boil again. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the mixture thickens significantly, which will take about 25-30 minutes depending on the pan size. Stir often to prevent scorching, and consider using a splatter screen to avoid messes.
- Pour the hot peach butter into clean jars and allow it to cool before sealing and refrigerating. The butter will continue to thicken as it cools. It should be used within a few weeks. Alternatively, you can freeze the butter for up to six months. To do so, transfer the cooled butter to a freezer-safe container, leaving a half-inch of space at the top for expansion.