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This peach butter is one of my favorite ways to capture the flavor of ripe summer peaches. The peaches are simmered until soft, pureed until completely silky, and then slowly reduced until the mixture becomes thick, glossy, and intensely peachy. The finished result is beautifully golden-orange and spreadable, with a concentrated fruit flavor that’s completely different from jam.
The key is patience during the reduction: a gentle simmer and frequent stirring give the butter its smooth, spreadable consistency without any pectin needed.
If you love preserving stone fruit, you might also enjoy my peach jam or this peach simple syrup.
Peach butter ingredients
- Fresh peaches: Use ripe yellow peaches for the best flavor and natural sweetness. Peel, pit, and roughly chop them before cooking. Riper peaches release more juice and break down faster, which makes the whole process easier.
- Water: A small amount of water helps get the peaches started before they release their own juice. Once they begin softening, they generally don’t need any more liquid.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice: Both the zest and juice of one large lemon brighten the peach flavor and add acidity, which is important for both taste and canning safety.
- Granulated sugar: The sugar dissolves into the puree after blending and helps concentrate the flavor during the reduction. It also plays a role in preserving color and shelf life, especially for canned jars.
See printable recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
How to make peach butter
Quick peeling tip: Cut a small X on the bottom of each peach, blanch in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water. The skins should slip off easily.
Add the peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches to a large heavy-bottomed pot along with the water, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The peaches will release a lot of liquid as they cook, which is completely normal. They’re ready when completely soft and falling apart.
Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree the softened peaches until silky smooth with no visible pieces remaining. This smooth, uniform texture is what gives peach butter its characteristic spreadable consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully puree the mixture in batches in a blender or food processor.
Measure out 8 cups of the peach puree and return it to the pot. This step keeps the fruit-to-sugar ratio consistent, which is especially important if you plan to can the butter.
Add the granulated sugar and stir until completely dissolved. Adding the sugar after blending makes it much easier to achieve a uniform puree before the final reduction begins.
Bring the mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until the butter becomes thick, glossy, and spreadable. As it thickens, stir more often and scrape across the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. A silicone spatula works well for this.
To test for doneness, spoon a small amount onto a chilled plate and let it cool briefly. Tilt the plate. The peach butter should mound and move very slowly rather than run like a sauce. Dragging a spoon through it should leave a trail that doesn’t immediately fill back in. Keep in mind that the butter will thicken further as it cools, so don’t reduce it until it’s extremely stiff in the pot.
A candy or jam thermometer can be used as an additional guide (the mixture may read around 217 to 220 degrees Fahrenheit when sufficiently concentrated), but the consistency and plate test are more reliable than temperature alone.
Ladle the hot peach butter into hot, prepared half-pint jars, leaving a quarter-inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust the headspace if necessary, and wipe the rims clean. Apply the lids and bands according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Place the jars in a boiling-water canner, making sure they’re covered by at least 1 inch of water. Process half-pint or pint jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude as necessary. Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and wait 5 minutes before carefully removing the jars. Leave them undisturbed at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours, then check that each jar has sealed properly. Remove the screw bands, label the jars, and store.
Serving suggestions
Peach butter is a wonderful spread over crusty bread or toast, with or without butter. It’s also great on homemade biscuits, English muffins, or scones. Try it with pancakes, waffles, or French toast in place of syrup.
Swirl it into oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast, serve it alongside cheese and crackers, or use it as a filling for cakes and pastries. A spoonful over vanilla ice cream is hard to beat.
Storage
Canned and sealed: Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
Refrigerator (opened jars): Use within 1 to 2 months.
Freezer: Transfer cooled peach butter to freezer-safe containers with half an inch of headspace. Freeze for 6 to 12 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
FAQs
Peach jam is usually chunkier, brighter in flavor, and relies on pectin and sugar to set. Peach butter is pureed until completely smooth and then slowly cooked down so that moisture evaporates and the fruit flavor concentrates. The result is a thick, silky spread with a deeper, more caramelized peach taste. No pectin is needed.
For the smoothest, most velvety result, I recommend peeling them. The skins can leave small flecks in the finished butter even after blending. If you prefer a more rustic texture or want to save time, you can leave the skins on, but the consistency won’t be quite as silky.
Measuring the puree before adding the sugar keeps the fruit-to-sugar ratio consistent from batch to batch. This is especially important if you plan to can the peach butter, since the balance of sugar and acidity affects both flavor and preservation.
More ways to enjoy peaches
If you’re looking for more ways to preserve and enjoy fresh peaches, try these recipes:
If you make this peach butter, I would love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a star rating and a comment below to share your experience.
Peach Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
Peach Butter
- 4 1/2 pounds fresh peaches peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 large lemon zested and juiced
- 4 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Add the peaches, water, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a large heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are completely soft and breaking down.
- Use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree the softened peaches until silky smooth with no visible pieces remaining. Alternatively, carefully puree the mixture in batches in a blender or food processor.
- Measure 8 cups of peach puree and return it to the pot. This keeps the fruit-to-sugar ratio consistent, which is especially important for canning.
- Add the granulated sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
- Bring the mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently, until the butter is thick, glossy, and spreadable. Stir more frequently as it thickens to prevent scorching.
- To test for doneness: Spoon a little onto a chilled plate and let it cool briefly. Tilt the plate. The peach butter should mound and move slowly, not run like a sauce. A spoon dragged through it should leave a trail that does not immediately close. It will thicken further as it cools. A thermometer may read 217–220°F, but use the consistency as the main guide.
- Ladle the hot peach butter into hot, prepared half-pint jars, leaving 0.25-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust the headspace if necessary, and wipe the rims clean. Apply the lids and bands according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Place the jars in a boiling-water canner, ensuring they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Process half-pint or pint jars for 10 minutes, adjusting the processing time for altitude as necessary.
- Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and wait 5 minutes before carefully removing the jars. Leave them undisturbed at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours.
- Check that each jar has sealed properly. Remove the screw bands, label the jars, and store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place.
Notes
- Freezing: Let the peach butter cool to lukewarm, then transfer to freezer-safe containers, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Freeze for up to 1 year.
- Canned: Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 1 to 2 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
