Cooking Peaches on the Stove

Ways to cook peaches

Peaches are easy to cook on the stove, and there are two main styles:

• Caramelized or sauteed peaches: slices or halves cooked in butter and sugar in a skillet for a few minutes, until golden and tender. Good over ice cream, pancakes, or waffles.
• Stewed peaches: slices simmered gently in a saucepan with a little sugar, water or juice, and spices until soft and syrupy. Good over yogurt, oatmeal, or cake, or stirred into a cobbler-style topping.

Other options not covered in detail here include grilling and oven-baking (peach halves with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon baked at around 375 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes are a popular alternative).

Choosing and preparing peaches

A ripe peach gives slightly when gently pressed, smells sweet near the stem, and has a golden-yellow background color rather than green. For cooking, slightly firm peaches hold their shape better than very soft ones.

To prepare them:

1. Wash and dry the peaches.
2. Cut around the pit and twist the halves apart, then remove the pit. Cling peaches can be harder to separate; cut wedges away from the pit instead.
3. Slice into wedges or leave in halves, depending on the recipe.
4. Peel if you like (see below).

Caramelized skillet peaches

This method takes about 10 minutes.

Ingredients (serves about 4):

• 4 to 6 fresh peaches, halved or cut into wedges and pitted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, or maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus a pinch of nutmeg if you like
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or a splash of water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Stir in the sugar and cinnamon until combined and bubbling.
3. Add the peaches, cut side down. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes without moving them much, until the underside is golden and tender.
4. Flip carefully and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and lemon juice.
6. Spoon the peaches and pan juices over ice cream, yogurt, pancakes, or waffles.

Do not crowd the pan, or the peaches will steam instead of caramelizing. Cook in batches if necessary. If the sugar begins to darken too quickly, lower the heat.

Stewed peaches

Stewed peaches are even simpler and a good way to use soft or slightly bruised fruit.

Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 peaches, sliced
• 2 to 4 tablespoons brown or white sugar, to taste
• 1/4 cup water or apple juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Steps:

1. Combine the peaches, sugar, and water in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring now and then.
3. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the peaches are tender and a light syrup forms. Very ripe peaches will cook faster.
4. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon. Taste and add more sugar or a squeeze of lemon if needed.

Some recipes finish in under 15 minutes in total, including preparation.

Using canned peaches (cobbler)

Yes, you can use canned peaches for cobbler and other stovetop desserts. Drain them well. If they come in heavy syrup, reduce the added sugar and consider rinsing them or using some of the syrup in place of water. Canned peaches are already soft, so they need only a few minutes of heating, otherwise they can fall apart. Combine them with a little cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon, and warm them in a skillet before adding a cobbler topping. If you would like to cook a cobbler-style topping without an oven, our stovetop baking recipes cover the covered-pan method.

What if my peaches are still hard?

Peaches that are hard on the tree or at the shop will ripen at room temperature over a few days. Placing them in a paper bag can speed the process slightly. They are usually not ready to eat out of hand, but hard peaches can be cooked successfully. Stewing them for a bit longer softens them and brings out sweetness, and adding a little more sugar helps. Do not put underripe peaches in the fridge before they have ripened, as chilling can make the texture mealy.

Should you peel a peach?

It is a matter of preference. The skin is edible and many people eat it. When cooked, the skin softens and can help the fruit hold together, but it may separate and curl in stewed peaches. To peel easily:

1. Score a small X on the bottom of each peach.
2. Drop into boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds.
3. Transfer to ice water, then slip off the skins.

For caramelized peach halves, leaving the skin on is usually fine.

Serving ideas

• Over vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
• On yogurt, oatmeal, or granola
• With pancakes, waffles, or French toast
• Over pound cake or angel food cake
• As a topping for panna cotta or pavlova
• Served warm with pork, such as a pork roast or ham steak, or chicken as a sweet-savory side

You can also use them as the base for a quick filling. If you are thinking of a pie, see how to cook a frozen fruit pie.

Storage

Cool the peaches and store them in an airtight container in the fridge, where they will keep for about 3 to 4 days. Stewed peaches can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for a few months. Reheat gently on the stove or in a microwave.

Troubleshooting

• Mushy peaches: they were very ripe or overcooked. Use firmer fruit, a shorter cooking time, or save soft peaches for stewing.
• Burnt sugar: heat was too high. Lower it and add a splash of water.
• Watery result: use a wider pan, cook a bit longer, or add a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with cold water.
• Bland flavor: add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon.
• Peaches sticking: use enough butter and a nonstick or well-seasoned pan.