There’s something about peaches that feels like the last of summer. The scent alone soft, floral, and sweet can stop you in your tracks. Around here, preserving peaches is a seasonal must. The kitchen fills with their fragrance, the counters scatter with pits and peels, and we know we’re bottling up sunshine for the colder months ahead.

We planted a peach tree on our homestead, but it’s still too young to give us a harvest. Until it’s ready, we stop by a local farm stand, where baskets of golden fruit wait in the shade of a hand-painted sign. I always recommend visiting your farmer’s market or a nearby stand if you can.

Peaches never last long on the counter. Their ripeness seems to take off the moment you glance away. Preserving them is the best way to enjoy their sweetness deep into winter spooned over pancakes on a snowy morning, stirred into oatmeal, ice cream, or baked into cobblers when summer feels far away. Today I’m sharing three of our favorite ways to preserve peaches: canned slices, peach scrap syrup, and a new favorite peach butter. Each method has its place in our pantry, and together they make the season stretch just a little longer

Preparing Your Peaches

Most guides recommend blanching peaches in boiling water before peeling. That works, but I’ve found a potato peeler much quicker. With a light hand, the skin slips away easily, and the fruit stays firm and golden. Nothing goes to waste here the peels are simmered into syrup, while the flesh becomes slices and butter.

Canned Peach Slices

Ingredients

• 8–10 pounds fresh peaches (about 16–20 medium peaches)
• 5 cups water
• 3 cups sugar (for syrup)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

1. Peel peaches using a potato peeler or blanch briefly. Remove pits and slice peaches into halves or wedges.
2. Prepare a light syrup: combine water and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves.
3. Pack peach slices into hot, sterilized jars. Pour hot syrup over the peaches, leaving ½ inch headspace.
4. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids and bands.

Processing (Water Bath Canner):

• Half-pints & pints: 20 minutes
• Quarts: 25 minutes

These canned peach slices are tender, sweet, and perfect for baking, desserts, or enjoying straight from the jar all winter.

Peach Butter

Ingredients

• 10 cups coarsely chopped fresh peaches (about 12 medium)*
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
• 3 cups sugar

Instructions

1. Cook peaches until soft, then blend or mash to desired texture.
2. Return to the pot, add sugar and lemon juice and cinnamon stick. Simmer gently, stirring often, until thickened and spreadable (around 45 min).
3. Ladle into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims, add lids and bands.

Processing (Water Bath Canner):

• Half-pints: 10 minutes
• Pints: 15 minutes

Spread it on toast, biscuits, or swirl it into vanilla ice cream.

Spiced Peach Scrap Syrup

Yield: ~5–6 half-pint jars

Method: Water bath canning

Perfect for: spreading on sourdough, drizzling over pancakes, stirring into tea, or glazing pork

Ingredients

• 8 cups peach scraps (skins, pits, trimmings – washed well)
• 6 cups water
• 4 cups sugar
• 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
• 1–2 cinnamon sticks (or 1–2 tsp ground cinnamon)
• Optional: a few whole cloves or a slice of fresh ginger for extra warmth

Instructions

1. Extract flavor
   
   • Add peach scraps and water to a large pot.
   • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
   • Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing gently to release juices. You should have ~4–5 cups of liquid.
2. Make the syrup
   
   • Return liquid to the pot.
   • Add sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon (plus any optional spices).
   • Simmer 10–15 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves and syrup thickens slightly.
3. Prepare jars
   
   • Sterilize half-pint or pint jars.
   • Ladle hot syrup into hot jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.
   • Wipe rims, apply lids, and tighten bands fingertip tight.
4. Water bath process
   
   • Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes (half-pints or pints).
   • Adjust for altitude if over 1,000 ft (add 5–20 minutes).
5. Cool & store
   
   • Remove jars, let sit 12–24 hours.
   • Check seals. Store in a cool, dark place up to 12 months.

This syrup will be golden with a hint of spice almost like a peachy maple syrup!

Why I Preserve

When the jars are lined up on the counter, warm and cooling, I always pause to take in the sight. Rows of amber, gold, and blush they feel like bottled sunlight. Preserving peaches is slow work, but there’s a rhythm to it. Peel, slice, stir, simmer. It’s not just about filling jars. It’s about slowing down, about letting the season seep into your hands and into your memory.

In our family, this tradition has become a marker of summer’s turning. Long after the farm stands have packed up for the year, we’ll open a jar of peach syrup to drizzle over pancakes, or pop the lid on a jar of butter to spread on fresh sourdough. In those small, ordinary moments, we’re reminded of sunny afternoons and sticky fingers, of the simple joy of making the most of what the season gives.

Canning Supplies We Love (Shop Our Favorites on Amazon)

Preserving the harvest feels extra special when you have the right tools by your side. Over the years here at the homestead, we’ve found a few must-have canning essentials that make the process easier, safer, and more joyful.

If you’re ready to stock your kitchen with trusted gear, you can find everything we recommend in our curated Amazon Influencer Shop — each item selected with care, just like the jars on our shelves.

Shop our favorite canning supplies here:
 Fallow and Blossom Canning Favorites on Amazon