These caramelized peaches are a delicious way to bring out the flavor in fresh peaches and turn them into a versatile, tasty topping or dessert simply with some ice cream alongside. Sweet, tender and a fantastic taste of summer.
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While I admit I'm not necessarily one for summer heat (at least not the really hot days), I am a big fan of summer produce. I love seeing each of the different fruits and vegetables comes into season and try to make the most of each while I can.
Of course, these days the season sometimes feels longer or at least extended with produce coming from further afield, but you can usually taste the difference. Local food generally has a better flavor, and that's definitely true of peaches.
Granted, not everyone is lucky enough to have them grow locally and not all areas are well suited to them. I didn't grow up with local peaches, and while we have them where I am now, I wouldn't say they are as consistent as some other places I've visited.
I remember well being in a farmer's market in Santa Cruz, California, during their peach season. At every turn, vendors were giving out samples of their peaches. I tried a few and each was amazingly juicy and flavorful.
But even if you aren't quite as lucky with the peaches you have available, you can help them along a bit by cooking. One favorite option is to make grilled peaches with mascarpone - the grilling brings out the flavor and the bit of creaminess really compliments them. Then another is these sweetened skillet fried peaches aka caramelized peaches.
Ingredients for caramelized peaches
These need just a handful of ingredients to make:
- Peaches - clearly, you can't make this without them. I'd suggest you choose gently ripe peaches for this. Ripe enough to have some flavor, but firm enough that they hold their form when you cut slices and are cooking them (though see the next section for more on this).
- Butter - this adds flavor and helps the peach slices to brown gently as you cook.
- Brown sugar - this helps to create the caramel flavor and adds sweetness and flavor to the sauce/glaze. You could also use white sugar, but brown has more flavor. Maple syrup or coconut sugar would be good cane sugar alternatives that have a good caramel-like flavor.
- Lemon juice - you can skip this if you like, but it adds a little freshness and cuts through the sweet a bit.
- A pinch of salt and cinnamon - again these could be skipped, if you like, but they both help add to the flavor.
You can very easily adjust the quantities of pretty much all the ingredients to taste, and scale up or down depending on how many peaches you have, and how many servings you want to make.
Variations depending how ripe your peaches are
Although these are very easy, and it's not essential you do this, I find you might want to vary the method depending on how ripe your peaches are.
If they are more firm (so just ripe), it helps to cook them a little more to soften them up. So, I would add the peach slices to the butter without the sugar first. This helps the slices soften and brings out the flavor. They also get a nice bit of a brown sear on the sides.
If you are cooking a lot of them, you may want to cook in batches - at least for the first part - as they do best cooked in a single layer. This allows more of the peach to be in the butter and develop that nice browning. Cook all on one side, flip over and cook again before adding the sugar.
Meanwhile, if the peaches are more ripe and soft, they need less cooking. So I would instead brown the butter a little then add the peaches with the sugar at the same time. Cook a few minutes gently to warm the peaches and let the sauce get nicely thick.
This method means they don't get that same browning from cooking in the butter, just from the sugar-butter sauce. However it also saves them falling apart too much, which can easily happen if they are already pretty soft.
As you might have gathered, I really like them made when gently ripe peaches. It's nice to have that bit of a sear in there too, plus they are easier to handle. Not to mention a riper peach is too hard not to eat just as it is!
But really, this works with most levels of ripeness, as long as they are not falling apart on you. You can adjust the butter and sugar quantities a little to taste as well, though don't scale back too much on either. Both do really help add delicious flavor.
Serving ideas
These are wonderfully versatile in how you use them as they can be enjoyed both alone and with other things. Make them the star either just as they are, with ice cream or cream. Alternatively, use them more as a topping over pancakes, waffles or French toast. We also love them with yogurt and granola for breakfast.
These caramelized peaches are easy to make and a wonderful way to make the peaches while in season (as well as any that might not be quite at their best). Just a few ingredients and a few minutes brings out amazing flavor and makes them wonderfully versatile, too.
Try these other tasty cooked fruits:
- Stewed plums (with a lovely hint of cinnamon and orange)
- Cherry compote (syrupy and sweet, and oh so good)
- Caramelized apples (perfect for autumnal dishes)
- Plus get more condiment recipes, from jams to savory sauces, in the archives.
Caramelized peaches
Ingredients
- 2 peaches ideally just ripe
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter or a little less, see notes
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice approximately, or a little more/less to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon salt approximately
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon optional
Instructions
- If peaches are firm enough, first cut them in half along what looks like a join line or slight indent. Then twist either side away from each other so they separate and you remove one half from the stone. Use the end of a knife to help ease the stone from the other side. Then, cut each half into slices, roughly 4 - 6 slices per half. If the peaches are softer, this doesn't work as well, so you may instead need to cut slices from the whole fruit (or at least the half left stuck to the stone), and ease the end off with the help of your knife.
- If your peach slices are slightly firm, you are generally best to cook in butter first, without sugar, so proceed as in the next step. If they are softer, then place the peach slices in a bowl with the sugar, lemon, salt and cinnamon, if using, and mix gently.
- Warm the butter over a medium heat in a medium-large skillet/frying pan - it should be large enough to ideally lay all of the slices in one layer (I used a 12 inch/30cm skillet for two peaches, and it would work with more if more tightly fit in). Once the butter is slightly frothy and bubbling, add the peach slices, spreading them out in a layer. Note, if your peaches were soft, skip the browning on either side before adding the sugar in this and next two steps and simply add the sugar-coated slices to the butter. Cook for around 3 or 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to warm through and for the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Cook the peach slices for around 2 or 3 minutes without stirring so that they can develop a bit of color and soften up. Carefully turn the slices over and cook on the other side for another couple minutes.
- Then, reduce the heat a little and add the sugar, lemon juice, salt and cinnamon (if using). Carefully stir to mix in and dissolve the sugar into the butter, without breaking up the peach slices. Cook for a couple minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly and for the slices to become coated in the sugary sauce. Remove from heat and serve - they are best enjoyed warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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