Peach butter is a silky homemade spread made by slowly cooking peaches until their flavor concentrates into a rich, spreadable preserve.
I look forward to the grocery displays piled high with fresh peaches every season. Vermont doesn’t grow many commercial peaches, but our local coop ships in ripe southern peaches each year, and I always grab a case or two to preserve. Canned peach slices and peach jam are family favorites, but homemade peach butter has become my new obsession.
Ingredients for Peach Butter
This reliable recipe is adapted from classic preserving guides and highlights the natural peach flavor. It makes eight half-pint (8 oz) jars.
- 4–4½ pounds peaches (about 14–18 medium)
- ½ cup water
- 4 cups granulated sugar
How to Make Peach Butter
Start by rinsing the peaches under cool running water.
To peel easily, blanch the peaches in boiling water in small batches. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and lower 2–3 peaches in with a slotted spoon. Blanch 30–60 seconds, then transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Once cooled, drain and repeat with the remaining peaches.
Cut each peach in half, twist to separate, and remove the pit and any fibrous flesh. The skins should slip off after blanching; if not, use a paring knife to remove them. Discard pits and skins.
Slice or chop the peeled peaches and place them in a large saucepan with ½ cup of water. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is very soft and beginning to break down.
Puree the cooked peaches with an immersion blender, food processor, or food mill until smooth. Measure out 2 quarts of peach pulp and return it to the large saucepan. Stir in 4 cups of granulated sugar until dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Stir frequently and watch for scorching as the butter reduces and thickens. The peach butter is ready when it mounds on a spoon instead of running off immediately.
Remove from the heat and ladle into prepared containers, leaving ¼ inch headspace if you plan to can. Wipe rims, apply lids, and cool. Fresh peach butter can be refrigerated for up to one month or frozen for up to six months. If properly processed and sealed in a water bath canner, jars will keep in a cool, dry pantry for up to 18 months.
Canning Peach Butter
If you intend to can, prepare your water bath canner and jars before cooking. After the butter reaches the desired thickness, ladle it into hot jars, maintain ¼ inch headspace, and remove air bubbles. Wipe rims clean and apply lids and rings without overtightening.
Process jars in a rolling boil for 10 minutes (allow 15 minutes if you are above 6,000 feet elevation). When processing finishes, turn off the heat and let jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before removing. Set jars on a towel to cool for 24 hours, then check seals. Store sealed jars in a cool, dry place; refrigerate any unsealed jars and use them first.
Peach Butter Variations
If you don’t have enough peaches for two quarts of pulp, add cooked, pureed apples or pears to stretch the batch without overwhelming the peach flavor. You can also spice the butter with small amounts (½–1 teaspoon) of cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg to taste—use them sparingly so the peaches remain the star.
Ways to Use Peach Butter
Peach butter is delicious spread on toast, English muffins, biscuits, croissants, or stirred into yogurt. Use it on waffles with whipped cream, as a topping for pancakes, or as an easy filling for pastries and thumbprint cookies.
Ways to Preserve Peaches
If you have a bumper crop, there are many preservation options beyond peach butter: canning slices, making jam, freezing fruit, dehydrating, or even fermenting for wine. Choose the method that best suits how you like to use peaches throughout the year.
Peach Butter
Ingredients
- 4 to 4 1/2 lbs peaches, about 14-18 medium
- ½ cup water
- 4 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
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Rinse peaches under cool running water.
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Blanch 2–3 peaches in boiling water for 30–60 seconds, then transfer to cold water. Drain and repeat until all peaches are blanched.
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Cut each peach in half, twist to separate, and remove pits and any fibrous flesh.
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Peel the skins by hand or with a paring knife and discard the skins and pits.
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Cut peaches into quarters or smaller pieces and place in a large saucepan with ½ cup water.
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Simmer over medium heat until the fruit is soft and mushy, stirring often.
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Puree the mixture using a food processor, food mill, or immersion blender until smooth.
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Measure 2 quarts of peach pulp into a large saucepan and add 4 cups sugar; stir until dissolved.
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Bring to a soft boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low boil and cook, stirring frequently, until thick enough to mound on a spoon.
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Ladle into prepared jars, leaving ¼” headspace. If canning, process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (15 minutes above 6,000 ft).
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If not canning, cool and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 6 months in freezer-safe containers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Peach Canning Recipes
There are many ways to preserve peaches—canning, jam, freezing, or drying—so you can enjoy summer flavor year-round.
- 30+ Peach Canning Recipes
- Canning Peaches
- Peach Jam
Stone Fruit Canning Recipes
Peaches, plums, apricots, and nectarines all make excellent preserves and butters.
- Nectarine Jam
- Apricot Jam
- Plum Jelly
- Canning Plums
Fruit Butter Recipes
If you enjoy smooth fruit butters, try pear butter or classic apple butter in addition to peach butter.
- How to Make Fruit Butter
- Pear Butter
- Apple Butter
