How To Peel Peaches For A Pie

Learn how to peel peaches simply and quickly by following the tips in this post. Knowing how to efficiently peel peaches is a great skill to have when adding peaches to your favorite pie, cobbler or jam recipe.

The taste of summer comes with those first bites of fresh peaches, don’t they?! In this post I want to talk to you about how to peel peaches for pie because what good is a ripe, juicy peach without a pie?!

There are many ways we enjoy peaches around here! We love picking them up from the local markets and purely enjoying just the peaches themselves! My kids also enjoy my Peach Preserve Recipe, as well as some peach salsa to go along with our Smoked Salmon on summer evenings.

But ultimately, we all love a good fresh fruit pie!

What is the best way to peel peaches?

An easy way to peel peaches is using the blanching process, which consist of a quick boil and an ice water bath. It is easier than it sounds! (Do not be intimidated by big cooking words like blanching!)

• First, be sure to wash your ripe peaches
• Set a large bowl of ice water to the side
• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil
• Place peaches in the pot of boiling water gently. I like to use a slotted spoon to lower my peaches into the hot water
• Let the peaches sit in the boiling water for about one minute
• Remove them immediately and place them in the ice bath
• Let the peaches sit in the cold water for a few minutes
• Remove
• Take the blade of the knife and cut the skin of the peach just slightly
• Your peach skin should just slide off, it’s that easy!

This can be such a simple method! I love how easily the skin is removed from the single peach and I do not lose any of that delicious peach fruit in the process! Peeling peaches doesn’t have to be hard!

How do you peel a peach without boiling it?

You can easily peel a peach without boiling it. You can just use a vegetable peeler, and your skins will come right off. Often times this way of peeling a peach can leave behind too much of the flesh, leaving you with not as much fruit, especially if you have a very ripe peach.

Because I like to make sure I can save all the peachy goodness as I can, I prefer the blanching (cold water bath after boiling) because the skins literally just come right off! It is like magic!

You can also easily peel a peach without any cooking process by just using a sharp knife to remove the fuzzy skin! Just be sure to be careful!

Should you peel peaches when making a pie?

People have their own opinions when deciding whether to keep the skins on their fruits when they make fresh fruit pies. I personally like peeled peaches in my pies, so I tend to take the extra step to peel them. I just prefer the smooth peach consistency in my pies and even in my smoothies.

Another reason to consider peeling your peaches is because peaches are one of those crops that are grown using high amounts of pesticides and chemicals. Removing the skins is one way to be less exposed. I do prefer to buy organic when I can to help avoid the extra chemicals.

How to Choose a Ripe Peach

• Check at the skin color. Look for peaches that have nicely colored red and yellow skin. You do not want ones that are green, as it is sign of an unripe peach.
• Give it a smell! Peaches with a fragrant “peachy” smell will be more ripe
• Give it a little squeeze. To check the firmness of the peach squeeze it very gently. Pay attention to how soft it is. Unripe peaches are very firm, ripe peaches will give just slightly, and over-ripe peaches will feel almost squishy–which you do not want!
• Look for bruises and wrinkles on the outside. Looking for mushy or brown spots on the side of the peach as well as the bottom of the peaches. This will help indicate bruising which you want to avoid. Also check that the skin hasn’t started to wrinkle.

Uses for your peeled peaches

• Slice and use in your favorite peach recipes
• Slice and freeze for later use
• Use your sliced peaches and make a delicious smoothie.
• Use for jam.
• Ready for canning.
• Make baby food
• Add to ice cream to make peach ice cream
• Ready to use in your homemade peach pie or peach cobbler
• Easy to throw into fruit salads

While, fresh farmer’s market peaches or the peach truck peaches—YUM– may not always be available, there are ways to still make tasty peach desserts or preserves. By freezing your sliced peaches, you’ll always have some on hand for these moments. Or be sure to check out my Canned Peach Pie Recipe!

You can find some great recipes out there using your ripe or even frozen ready peaches! Be sure to come back and share some with me!