These Caramelized Peaches require only 5 ingredients and take just 10 minutes to make! They're sweetened with maple syrup, and packed with flavor. Juicy peaches are the perfect topping for any dessert, ice cream, or breakfast. Try them on pancakes or oatmeal!
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Why You'll Love These Skillet Peaches
Perfect for the summer - Nothing beats using fruits when they're in season! Fresh summer peaches are juicy, sweet, and so flavorful! Cooking them with maple syrup and butter enhances their natural sweetness and flavor and it's a good way to use them all up if you have lots!
Lots of uses - Just like caramelized bananas or apples, these skillet peaches can be added to desserts, ice cream, or any sweet breakfast. Try them on this Peach Oatmeal or these Peach Pancakes!
Simple and easy - The recipe calls for 6 simple ingredients and it comes together in just about 10 minutes! It's the perfect easy dessert or ice cream topping to whip up on a hot summer day. The peaches are sweetened with pure maple syrup which adds a delicious maple flavor, they're gluten-free, and can be made vegan as well!
Ingredients
- Peaches - Fresh peaches when they're in season are the best choice. If you can't get any ripe peaches, frozen peaches also work. Just let them defrost in the fridge and discard any excess liquid before cooking them. If you want to make peach halves, I also have a separate recipe for Baked Peaches.
- Butter - I like using salted butter because I find the salty flavor really goes well with the sweet maple syrup but unsalted butter is more commonly used in anything baked. Any butter works, you can use vegan butter to keep this dish dairy-free.
- Maple syrup - You can use any sweetener you like here. I opted for maple syrup to add some maple flavor to the peaches and also because it makes the peaches more saucy than sugar would. Regular cane sugar or brown sugar also work great here.
- Vanilla - I like using vanilla bean paste or vanilla powder to see the little vanilla seeds on the peaches but regular vanilla extract works just as well.
- Lemon juice - A light squeeze of lemon juice balances out the sweetness and adds a nice fresh flavor to the peaches. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible.
- Sea salt - A small pinch of salt balances out the sweetness of the maple syrup and peaches. Use Himalayan pink salt or sea salt if possible.
Variations and Substitutions
- Plums or nectarines - If you don't have enough peaches or want to try another variation of this recipe, try it with sliced plums or nectarines! You can follow the rest of the instructions as they are.
- A different sweetener - You can use honey, agave syrup, cane sugar, or brown sugar instead of maple syrup if you prefer.
- Coconut oil - If you want the recipe to be vegan-friendly, skip the butter and use coconut oil instead. Choose refined coconut oil for less strong coconut flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cut your peaches into wedges and set aside. Each peach should make about 8 wedges. You can blanche and peel the peaches but it’s not necessary.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the butter.
- When it’s almost completely melted, add the peach slices cut side down making sure they all have enough room.
- Pour the maple syrup over the peaches, add sea salt, and toss gently using a spatula.
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- Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium-low heat until the peaches are soft but not completely fallen apart, and the sauce thickens. It should simmer but if it bubbles too vigorously, lower the heat a little bit. Use two spatulas or tongs to flip the peaches carefully.
- When the peaches are almost done, add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Be careful not to burn the sauce. It should be golden brown but not burnt.
- Toss gently to mix and take off the heat. Serve over a sweet breakfast, ice cream, or anything else, and enjoy!
Serving and Storing
- Breakfast - Use the peaches as a topping for oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, French toast, or any other sweet breakfast. I recommend trying them with these Peach Pancakes, this Peach Baked Oatmeal, or this Creamy Peach Oatmeal.
- Dessert - Serve the peaches over a scoop of vanilla ice cream while they're still hot or use them as a topping for pound cake and other desserts. Don't forget to spoon the sauce over whatever you're adding the peaches to as well! It packs a ton of flavor!
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Reheating: You can either eat the peaches cold or warm them back up on the stove. I recommend warming them up because the butter in the sauce hardens and doesn't taste as good cold as it does warm. I like to add a splash of water to make sure they don't stick to the pan.
FAQs
Yes, you can use any sweetener you prefer here! I like using maple syrup because it's extra saucy and it adds a nice maple flavor and it's one of the healthier options. Brown sugar would also be delicious here. You can just sprinkle it on top of the peaches and butter and it will melt into a sauce.
Using frozen peaches will yield more watery caramelized peaches but if you don't have fresh peaches, you can definitely use frozen. Just let them defrost in the fridge overnight or for a couple of hours and remove any excess liquid before cooking.
I don't recommend freezing these, they taste the best fresh. You can keep any leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days and just reheat them on the stove with a splash of water or a little bit of butter and maple syrup.
More Peach Recipes
If you have lots of fresh peaches, I highly recommend you try any of these five peach recipes! The baked oatmeal is a great big breakfast for a busy morning and the peach oatmeal uses these peaches as a topping!
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Print📖 Recipe
Caramelized Peaches
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 7 mins
- Total Time: 12 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Caramelized Peaches require only 5 ingredients and take just 10 minutes to make! They make the perfect topping for any dessert, ice cream, or breakfast.
Ingredients
- 6 peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
- 2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted, sub coconut oil or vegan butter)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut your peaches into wedges and set aside. Each peach should make 8 wedges. You can blanche and peel the peaches but it’s not necessary.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and add the butter.
- When it’s almost completely melted, add the peaches making sure they all have enough room.
- Pour the maple syrup over the peaches, add sea salt, and toss gently using a spatula.
- Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat until the peaches are soft but not completely fallen apart, and the sauce thickens. It should simmer but if it bubbles too vigorously, lower the heat a little bit.
- When the peaches are almost done, add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Toss gently to mix and take off the heat.
- Best served hot over ice cream, yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, or desserts.
Notes
Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Add-ins: You can add 1 oz of bourbon to the peaches halfway through cooking to add extra flavor. The alcohol will cook off and it adds nice depth of flavor.
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