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How to Peel a Peach in 5 Easy Steps

Peeled peached next to one another

 

There is such a thing as too many fresh peaches. 

Now, hold on, fellow peach lovers. 


What I mean is, you can only eat so many fresh peaches. Your backyard tree could have a prolific harvest or you might order a box or two of fresh peaches and realize, you’ll need to take action to get the most out of Mother Nature’s gems before they spoil.You might want to save some of those delicious fresh peaches for baking, canning, or making jam. Or you could freeze them and figure out what to do with them later (maybe a fresh-baked cobbler in the winter). 


In any case, you’re going to need to peel some peaches. And there’s an easy way to do it that doesn’t require a sharp knife or peeler! Just keep in mind this method works best when your fruit is very ripe. We’ll show you how to just remove the peach skin to savor every bit of the delicious flesh. 


The Best Method for Peeling a Peach

When you're using peaches to make ice cream, pie, or other recipes, you’ll want to peel your peaches first. And an easy way to peel peaches is using the blanch and shock method.  If you're a visual learner, you can see this method in action as step in this tutorial on how to freeze your peaches.

How to Remove Peach Skin Using the Blanch and Shock Method

Step 1: Start a large pot of boiling water

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Make sure it’s a large pot filled with enough water to cover the peaches. 

 

Step 2: Clean and score peaches

In the meantime, gently wash your ripe peaches (that fuzz can attract a lot of dirt) and use a paring knife to score a 2-inch wide “X” on the bottom of each peach. Just cut through the skin, no deeper.

 

Step 3: Blanch peaches 

Once your water’s boiling, gently submerge your washed, ripe peaches. Don’t crowd them too much, they need a little space. Leave them to boil for 30-45 seconds.

 

Step 4: Give ‘em an ice bath

Using a slotted spoon, remove the peaches from the hot water and place them in a large bowl of ice water. This “shocks” the peaches and prevents them from cooking further. Leave them in the water until they’re not hot to the touch.  

 

Step 5: Peel off the skins 

Gently dry each peach as it is removed from the ice bath. The peach skin near the score should be coming away from the flesh. Try peeling it away. It should peel easily. If not, it’s fine to plop it back into the boiling water and then shock it again.  


Try One of These Amazing Fresh Peach Recipes

Once you’ve peeled your peaches, they can be used immediately in a recipe or you can freeze or can them for later use. We highly recommend freezing some peaches for a fresh-baked peach cobbler during the middle of winter!


Here’s a couple recipes to try with your already-peeled peaches.  

 

Close up on a dish of peach pie

No-Bake Fresh Peach Pie

This is the ideal dessert to whip up on a day that’s too darn hot to use the oven — which describes almost every summer day in Georgia. 


Make this crowd-pleaser ahead of time so you can focus on the main course for a dinner party — just not too far ahead that the crust gets soggy. We’ve found blanching peaches is the best way to peel peaches for pie. 


Hands on time: 10 minutes of prep time, assuming you’ve already peeled the peaches
Total time: 2-3 hours 
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
1 10-inch prepared graham cracker pie crust 
1 3-ounce package peach-flavored gelatin  
¼ cup granulated sugar 
zest of one lemon 
1 cup boiling water 
7 peaches 
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (optional but encouraged)

Instructions
  1. Add the peach-flavored gelatin, sugar, and lemon zest to a small mixing bowl. Add the boiling water and stir until the sugar and gelatin dissolve. Set mixture aside to cool to room temperature. 
  2. In the meantime, remove the pits from your blanched, peeled peaches and slice them thinly.    
  3. Place the peaches in a large mixing bowl and pour the cooled gelatin mixture over them, tossing to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pie crust. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until fully set.  
  4. Using a sharp knife dipped in hot water, cut the pie into pieces. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. 
Equipment 
Mixing bowls
Paring knife
Mixing spoon
Recipe rating: Easy

 

Peach salsa dishes on a counter

Peach and Black Bean Salsa

This recipe takes chips and salsa to a whole ‘nother level. Fresh ripe peaches add color and sweetness to balance the heat from the onions and jalapeños. Pair it with a peach margarita or a peach beer cocktail and you’ve got yourself a nice little happy hour.  


Hands on time: 10 minutes, assuming you’ve already peeled the peaches
Total time: 2 hours
Servings: 10-12
Ingredients 
5-6 peaches
1 ½ cups rinsed, canned black beans
½ cup diced red onion
½ cup loosely-packed chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup loosely-packed chopped fresh mint
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
2 T agave nectar or honey
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1-2 diced jalapeño peppers, optional
2 limes, washed

Instructions 
  1. Pit and dice your peeled peaches and place in a large mixing bowl. 
  2. Using a microplane grater or zester, remove the limes’ zest and add it to the bowl. Juice the limes and add it too. 
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Carefully add jalapeno until you reach your desired heat level. Refrigerate for a couple hours to allow the flavors to fully combine.
  4. Serve with tortilla chips
Equipment 
Large mixing bowl
Grater or zester
Recipe rating: Easy

Get Some Peaches to Practice Those Peelin’ Skills

There’s an art to peeling peaches. Now that you have the skills to peel them perfectly, plus a  couple of crowd pleasing recipes to try, it’s time to get some fruit! The Peach Truck delivers the best peaches, hand-picked at the perfect time by family-operated farms. Get fresh boxes sent straight to your door.