Fresh Peach Pie
This post shows how to make a fresh peach pie from scratch. The fresh peaches in the filling are bright and flavorful, encased in a buttery and flaky pie crust.
Fresh peaches are a staple of summer, and a fresh peach pie is a fantastic dessert to enjoy during the peach season, especially with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. I love peach pie all year round and often use canned peaches (make canned apricot pie) during the colder months.
The fruit is macerated in sugar first to release the extra juices. These are then simmered down until reduced and poured back over the peaches.
The flaky homemade pie crust
This fresh peach pie recipe uses a homemade pie crust. However, if you’re short on time, feel free to use a premade pie crust.
If you are going down the homemade route, though, it’s well worth it.
Ingredients
Find the ingredient amounts for this easy peach pie recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of what you will need.
- A 9-inch double pie crust. All-butter pie crust is the best.
- Fresh in-season peaches– This recipe uses around 2 1/2 pounds of fresh peaches. You can peel the peaches or leave the skin on.
- Granulated white sugar – You can also use light brown sugar for a richer flavor.
- Cornstarch – Acts as the thickener
- Lemon zest and lemon juice
- Almond extract – Optional extra but it’s delicious
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Egg for the egg wash at the end
Equipment
You will need a 9-inch pie dish.
Method
The pie dough
Chop the cold butter into small cubes.
To a large mixing bowl or bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt and mix them. Add the butter cubes to the flour.
Pulse the food processor, or use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into small pieces into the flour.
The result should be like coarse bread crumbs with lots of pea-sized pieces of butter in the mix.
Add the lemon juice to the iced water and drizzle it into the flour mixture slowly, about a tablespoon worth at a time.
Use a spatula or your hands to combine the dough and add as much cold water as needed.
It should hold together easily when pressed but not be sticky.
If the butter has softened or the dough is warm, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before continuing with the next step.
Roll the dough Into a rough 10-Inch/25cm rectangle on a lightly floured work surface.
Fold the bottom ⅓ of the dough up to the middle, then fold the top ⅓ of the dough over the top to make a pamphlet shape.
Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat this roll and fold process once more.
Once finished rolling, cut the dough into two and use your cupped hands to shape each piece into a flat disc gently.
Wrap the dough discs up tightly using cling film or beeswax wrap, or place them in a fitted airtight container. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days before using it.
The fresh peach pie filling
Peel and chop the peaches into 1-inch cubes.
Add them to a large bowl and sprinkle over the granulated sugar.
Let the peaches sit and macerate in the sugar for around 35-45 minutes to release their excess juices.
While the peaches are macerating, roll out one pastry disc into a 12-inch/30cm circle on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin.
Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, then gently roll it up the rolling pin like a spiral.
Transfer it to a pie pan and carefully unroll it from the rolling pin until it’s draped over the pie plate and overhangs the sides.
When the peaches have finished sitting, strain the juices into a small saucepan. Add a tablespoon of butter and place over medium heat.
Bring them to a simmer. Let them simmer, occasionally stirring until they have reduced by half and slightly thickened.
Add the cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, almond extract, and vanilla to the peaches and stir to combine.
Spoon the peach mixture into the pie shell.
Drizzle the reduced peach syrup over the peach pie filling.
The top crust
Roll out the second pastry disc into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface.
You can drape this second layer of the pie or create a lattice pie crust. Cut off the uneven excess dough overhang.
Leave enough overhang to roll and pinch the pie’s top and bottom crust. Flute the edges of the pastry with your fingers.
Brush the top crust with egg wash with a pastry brush. Create a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake pie at 425°F/220°C for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350°F/180°C and continue baking for a further 50-55 minutes until the filling is thick and bubbling. This initial high heat of the oven creates a flakier crust.
The pastry should be a deep golden brown. If the edges of the crust are browning too fast, you can tent them with strips of aluminum foil.
Serving
The pie must cool to room temperature for at least 4 hours before slicing to allow the filling to thicken up. If you serve it too soon, it will leak.
Serve the pie slightly warmed or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
More pie recipes
Fresh Peach Pie
Fresh peach pie in a flaky and buttery crust.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 312g (2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour or pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 190g (¾ cup + 2 ½ Tablespoons) salted or unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar (apple cider vinegar or white vinegar)
- 8-10 Tablespoons ice-cold water
Filling
- 1.2kg (2 ½ pounds) fresh peaches, ripe but still a bit firm
- 135g (⅔ cup) granulated sugar
- 3 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 14g (1 Tablespoon) salted or unsalted butter
Egg wash
- 1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
Pie dough
- To a large mixing bowl or bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt and mix them. Chop the cold butter into small cubes and add them in.
- Pulse the food processor, or use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into small pieces into the flour. The result should be like coarse bread crumbs with lots of pea-sized pieces of butter in the mix.
- Add the lemon juice to the iced water and drizzle it into the flour mixture slowly, about a tablespoon worth at a time.
- Use a spatula or your hands to combine the dough and add as much cold water as needed. It should hold together easily when pressed but not be sticky. If the butter has softened or the dough is warm, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before continuing with the next step.
- Roll the dough Into a rough 10-inch/25cm rectangle on a lightly floured work surface.
- Fold the bottom ⅓ of the dough up to the middle, then fold the top ⅓ of the dough over the top to make a pamphlet shape.
- Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat this roll and fold process once more.
- Once finished rolling, cut the dough into two and use your cupped hands to shape each piece into a flat disc gently.
- Wrap the dough discs up tightly using cling film or beeswax wrap, or place them in a fitted airtight container. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days before using it.
Peach filling
- Peel and chop the peaches into 1-inch cubes. Add them to a large bowl and sprinkle over the granulated sugar. Let the peaches sit and macerate in the sugar for around 35-45 minutes to release their excess juices.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
- While the peaches are macerating, roll out one pastry disc into a 12-inch/30cm circle on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin.
- Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, then gently roll it up the rolling pin like a spiral. Transfer it to a pie pan and carefully unroll it from the rolling pin until it's draped over the pie plate and overhangs the sides.
- When the peaches have finished sitting, strain the juices into a small saucepan. Add a tablespoon of butter, place the juices over medium heat, and bring them to a simmer. Let them simmer, occasionally stirring until they have reduced by half and slightly thickened.
- To the peaches, add cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, almond extract, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Spoon the peach mixture into the pie shell.
- Drizzle the reduced peach juices over the peach pie filling.
- Roll out the second pastry disc into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface. You can drape this second layer of the pie or create a lattice pie crust. Cut off the uneven excess dough overhang.
- Leave enough overhang to roll and pinch the pie's top and bottom crust. Flute the edges of the pastry with your fingers.
- Brush the top crust with egg wash with a pastry brush.
- Bake pie at 425°F/220°C for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350°F/180°C and continue baking for a further 50-55 minutes until the filling is thick and bubbling.
- The pastry should be a deep golden brown. If the edges of the crust are browning too fast, you can tent them with strips of aluminum foil.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 317Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 251mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 7g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
