Get ready for a slice of heaven! This easy peach pie, with its gooey, fresh peach filling and perfectly flaky, buttery crust, is almost too good to be true. Top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you won’t be able to resist.
Peach pie often plays second fiddle to others (such as apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and so on), but I’m here to tell you that it’s a star in its own right! There’s something undeniably special about the flavor of ripe peaches, and in this recipe, they truly shine. With just a touch of sugar and cinnamon to enhance their natural sweetness, and a buttery, flaky crust that’s incredibly hard to beat, this pie is pure summer comfort (or year-round comfort if you’re down to use canned peaches), bite after bite. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of peach pie or trying it for the first time, this recipe is sure to become a favorite.
Peach Pie With a Buttery, Flaky Crust
Ditch the apple pie this time and try this beauty instead! Here are just a few reasons why it belongs in your repertoire:
- SO customizable. Got fresh peaches? Great! Frozen? No problem! Canned? Yep! This recipe works with all of ’em! Even throw on a delicious streusel topping for an extra layer of crunch and flavor. See the section below titled “Variations Ideas” for more.
- Flaky crust, tender peaches. There’s nothing better than biting into a delicate, buttery crust that gives way to a tender, gooey peach filling. It’s a texture match made in heaven!
- Classic flavors. This pie delivers a perfect balance of flavors. The rich, savory notes of the crust beautifully complement the natural sweetness of ripe peaches. And that comforting dash of cinnamon? Yum!
Ingredient Notes
This isn’t a hard pie to make, but there are a few things to keep in mind about ingredients to make sure it turns out right.
- Unsalted butter – The butter should be VERY cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cold butter is crucial to the flaky texture of this crust, but I’ll get into that more in the “Perfect Your Pie Crust” section below.
- Ice water – I mean it when I say “ice” water. It should be as cold as possible (to keep the butter from melting).
- Large peaches – Make sure they’re nice and ripe! They should be firm, but with a slight give when squeezed. If they’re too firm, they’re not ripe enough and will be nearly impossible to peel.
- Sugars – I used a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar for the best flavor. For the brown sugar, pack it into the measuring cup to ensure the proper amount.
- Salt – Adds flavor to the crust and filling and brings out the natural flavors. Don’t leave it out.
- Large egg – Beaten (for an egg wash), and at room temperature, if possible. A room-temperature egg will spread more easily over the crust.
- Coarse sugar – For a subtle crunch and a smidge of sparkle on top of the pie.
How to Peel Fresh Peaches
The easiest way to peel peaches is by blanching them. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the peaches for 30 seconds (you can blanch 2–3 at a time or as many as will fit, fully submerged, in the pot). Immediately transfer them to an ice bath. The skins will slip right off!
How to Make a Peach Pie
Here comes a quick overview of how to make this heavenly peach pie. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
Make the Crust
Pulse together 1 1/2 cups of flour and salt in a food processor 2 to 3 times. Add the butter and process until a crumbly dough forms.
Pulse in the remaining flour until it looks a bit like sand.
Transfer to a bowl and add ice water. Start with 4 tablespoons and add more, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to hold together.
On a piece of parchment paper, work the dough into a ball, halve it, form the halves into disks, and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
No food processor? No problem.
Making pie crust is SO easy with a food processor, but you can also make this dough by hand! Just cut the cubed butter into the flour mixture until the largest pieces of butter remaining are about pea-sized. Then add the water and continue with the rest of the instructions.
Make the Filling
Line a bowl with a paper towel. Peel, core, and slice the peaches into 1/2 inch pieces. Place them in a paper-towel-lined bowl to catch some excess juice.
Remove the paper towel from the bowl and toss the peaches with the sugars, flour, salt, and cinnamon.
Assemble the Pie and Bake
Place the pie crust onto a piece of parchment paper, cover it with another piece of parchment paper, and roll it out with a rolling pin.
Use the parchment paper to drape the crust over a pie plate, leaving some overhang. Peel off the parchment and press the crust gently into the bottom and sides of the plate.
Spread the peach filling into the crust. Cube the butter and dot it around the top of the filling.
Roll out the second pie crust. Create a lattice design. Seal the edges, brush the dough with egg, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Place the pie in the fridge or freezer for 20-30 minutes.
To bake, preheat the oven to 425°F and place a baking sheet in the oven. Put the pie on the preheated baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake for 50-60 minutes. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for 2-4 hours before slicing and serving.
Perfect Your Pie Crust
Pie crust isn’t hard to make, but there are some things to keep in mind if you want it perfectly flakey.
- Keep things cold. Not only do you want to start with COLD butter, but you want to keep it as cold as possible up until you pop the crust in the oven to par-bake (this is what gives you your flakey layers, as mentioned above). So you also want to use ice-cold water.
- Don’t over-handle. The heat from your hands and/or over-mixing can melt the butter, so mix/handle the dough only as much as you have to.
- Chill the dough. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour before rolling it out to help keep the butter cold.
- Dock the crust. Be sure to prick the crust with a fork before blind baking. This allows steam to escape evenly, so the crust cooks evenly and doesn’t bubble up.
Fresh, Frozen, or Canned Peaches?
I think fresh peaches are the way to go, but sometimes I’m craving this pie outside of peach season. In that case, it’s totally fine to use frozen or canned peaches. Here’s how to go about it:
- Frozen peaches. Thaw the peaches completely first. Otherwise, they’ll shrink in the oven, resulting in a pie gap. Then, proceed as you normally would.
- Canned peaches. Drain all but a tablespoon or two of the juices from the can and proceed. You want to keep some of the juices; otherwise, the filling ends up a bit too thick.
You can use either one, but I prefer canned peaches. They’re more flavorful than frozen peaches, and I think the texture’s better.
Make Your Pie Just Right
- Even slices. Aim to slice the peaches evenly so they cook evenly.
- Drain. As you slice the peaches, place the slices in a bowl lined with a paper towel. The paper towel will absorb excess moisture, helping you avoid a runny filling.
- Toss gently. When tossing together the peaches, sugars, flour, etc., do so gently so as not to bruise the fruit.
- Temperature check. If you end up chilling the dough for more than an hour or so, let it sit out at room temperature to soften a bit before you roll it out.
- Parchment paper hack. Forget rolling your dough out on a cutting board! It’ll stick. Instead, roll it between two pieces of parchment paper for a hassle-free experience.
- Tent your crust, if needed. If the crust starts to brown too quickly in the oven, cover it with a pie crust shield or tent it with foil. Be sure there’s some ventilation for steam to escape, though.
- Let the pie cool. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. The filling will thicken during this time. If you try to slice into it too soon, you’ll find yourself with a runny mess.
Variation Ideas
This pie takes very well to subtle adjustments and customizations. Here are a few ideas for you if you’d like to mix things up a bit:
- Streusel topping. Steal the streusel from my Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Cheesecake or the one from this Dutch Apple Pie, sprinkle it on top of your peach pie, and bake as usual!
- Nutty crunch. Add some crunch to this recipe by tossing some toasted walnuts or pecans in with the peaches, or sprinkling slivered almonds on top for a touch of elegance.
- Scale things up. Want to make a pie to serve a crowd? Make it in a 10×15 inch pan! Steal the crust from my Apple Slab Pie recipe, follow that method and bake!
How to Store
- Counter/refrigerator. Wrap the pie pan in a double layer of plastic wrap or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. This peachy dessert will be fine at room temperature for up to 24 hours. After that, pop it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. I don’t recommend freezing this pie. The peaches can become mushy after thawing.
Peach Pie
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Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 ½ cups (325g) all-purpose flour (divided)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (224g) cold unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
- ¼ –½ cup ice water
Peach Filling
- 8-10 large peaches (depending on their size)
- ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (140g) packed light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (78g) sugar
- 6 tablespoons (49g) all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (optional)
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar (for top)
Instructions
Make the crust
- Add 1 1/2 cups (195g) flour and salt to a large food processor and pulse together 2 to 3 times.
- Scatter the cubed butter over the flour and process until a crumbly dough forms, about 15 seconds. The flour should all be coated – none of the flour should be dry.
- Add the remaining 1 cup (130g) of flour and pulse a few times until everything is evenly distributed. The doughy pieces should break up and it should look sandy. There shouldn’t be a bunch of big pieces remaining. A few are fine, but it should be mostly evenly distributed.
- Move the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and add 4 tablespoons of the ice water. Start with 4 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together nicely, it’s ready. If the dough falls apart, add 1 more tablespoon of water and continue to press until dough comes together.
- Pour the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and work just enough for it to come together and form a ball. Cut the ball in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 2 days.
Make the filling
- Line a large bowl with a paper towel. Peel, core, and slice all of the peaches to about 1/2 inch thick. Add them to the paper-towel lined bowl as you peel them to catch some of the excess juice. You want to try to slice them all about the same thickness so they cook evenly. You should end up with about 5 cups of sliced peaches, or 1,075g.
- When done slicing the peaches, remove the paper towel from the bowl and add the sugars, flour, salt and cinnamon. Gently toss until combined and the peaches are well coated. Set aside.
Assemble pie and bake
- Roll out your pie crust. If it was refrigerating for more than a couple hours, you may need to let it sit out a bit before you can roll it easily. I like to place the pie crust onto a piece of parchment paper. You can add a touch of flour if you like, but you don’t have to. Cover the crust with another piece of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin.
- Peel one piece of the parchment paper off and use the other piece of parchment to lift the pie crust and drape it over the pie plate. Carefully peel off the second piece of parchment paper. You should have some overhang on the sides to use later for shaping your crust.
- Spread the prepared peach filling evenly into the pie crust. Cut the butter into small cubes and dot around the top of the filling.
- Roll out the second pie crust and create your top. I did a lattice design, but feel free to make it your own. Shape the edges of the crust with the overhang from the first crust. Brush the crust of the pie with the beaten egg and sprinkle the top with the coarse sugar.
- Place the pie in the fridge or freezer for 20-30 minutes to get it cold and firm. Preheat oven to 425°F. While the pie is chilling, place a baking sheet in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes to get nice and hot.
- Put the pie into the oven on the preheated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust is starting to brown.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake for an additional 50-60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the juices of the pie are bubbling throughout. If the crust begins to brown too much, you can cover it with a pie crust shield or use foil to tent the top of it. Just be sure it’s vented for the steam to be released.
- Let the pie cool on a wire rack to room temperature or just warmer, for about 2-4 hours. The filling will thicken as it cools. Then, serve!
Notes
- Food Processor – Making pie crust is so easy with a food processor, but you can also make this dough by hand. Just cut the cubed butter into the flour mixture until the largest pieces of butter remaining are about pea-sized. Then add the water and continue with the rest of the instructions.
- Unsalted butter – The butter should be VERY cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Cold butter is crucial to the flaky texture of this crust.
- Ice water – I mean it when I say “ice” water. It should be as cold as possible (to keep the butter from melting).
- Picking peaches – Make sure they’re nice and ripe! They should be firm, but with a slight give when squeezed. If they’re too firm, they’re not ripe enough and will be nearly impossible to peel.
- How to peel the peaches – The easiest way to peel peaches is by blanching them. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the peaches for 30 seconds (you can blanch 2–3 at a time or as many as will fit, fully submerged, in the pot). Immediately transfer them to an ice bath. The skins will slip right off!
- Frozen peaches – You can use them in place of fresh peaches. You’ll want to let them thaw first, otherwise they shrink a lot when baking and leave you with a pie gap and odd-looking top crust. And while you can use them, in my opinion, they have less flavor.
- Canned peaches – To use them, drain them first and keep a tablespoon or two of the juices. Without reserving at least some juice, the pie filling is a little thicker than with fresh peaches. I prefer the flavor of the canned peaches to the frozen peaches, so I’d use canned over frozen.
- Storage – Wrap the pie in a double layer of plastic wrap or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. This peachy dessert will be fine at room temperature for up to 24 hours. After that, pop it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Can I use sugar substitutes such as Stevia for the white and brown sugars in this recipe and would it be a 1:1 ratio?
I will be making this peach pie very soon and I was wondering what temperature I would cook the pie if I plan on making a few 5″ pies. Thank you!
I would still use the same temperature, just reduce the baking time.
This pie sounds so good! I’m excited to make it! Just one question, though. I have glass pie pans and I’m worried about putting them in the freezer before baking because of the temperature fluctuations. Can I skip this step, or what do you suggest? Also, I’ve never heard about using a cookie sheet…is this to help with the filling oozing out? I’m not a new baker…I love making pies! I’ve just never done or heard of these things before. Thanks!
You could skip it, but your pie will likely bubble over a good bit more. And yes, the cookie sheet is to catch the filling that bubbles over. I hope you enjoy it!
I am so excited to find your site!!!!! I love every recipe I have read!!!! And certainly going to have lots of fun baking these beautiful desserts !!!!THANKYOU❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you! So glad to hear that!