Is there anything better than peaches in the summertime? Nope! But sometimes peaches can be a bit tricky in texture. Good news! I have the perfect solution for not so perfect peaches — peach preserves!
This problem usually strikes when I’m craving peaches, and we grab some from the store early or late in the season. For some reason, I have a hard time getting peaches that are just right unless I’m picking them up from the farmer’s market. And early or late in the season I often find I’m disappointed with the texture.
While there’s nothing better than a fresh ripe peach, there’s nothing worse than a mealy peach. Which, when you get a big bag of peaches and find one after another that isn’t quite perfect, you’ll probably ask yourself…
What can I do with mealy peaches?
My answer for you is to make a small batch of peach preserves.
Because if you’re anything like me, you HATE wasting food, but you don’t want to keep eating food that just isn’t enjoyable for you.
Enter peach preserves.
I’ve created an easy recipe for small batch preserves which will solve the mealy peach problem.
You’ll need around two peaches, but you can scale this up or down if needed.
How to Make a Small Batch of Peach Preserves
- Peel and cut about two peaches into small pieces.
- Add them a saucepan with lemon juice and sugar.
- While heating, break up the peaches using the back of your spoon.
- Once the peaches start to bubble, turn down the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
It will work well with fresh juicy peaches, bruised peaches, and overripe peaches too, so you’ll want to keep this recipe in your back pocket when you run across any fruit with less than desirable texture.
Once you cook up the preserves, you can use them in so many ways!
What to do with peach preserves:
- Stir into yogurt for a healthy snack (this is one of my favorites!)
- Top vanilla ice cream with warm preserves for a sweet summer treat (also one of my favorites!)
- Spread on warm toast
- Perfect for pb&j
- Spread on pancakes or waffles
- Stir into oatmeal
With only three ingredients, this recipe is simple and easy to make. Once you make it, you can store the peach preserves in the refrigerator for about a week.
So, the next time you find yourself asking any of these questions…
What can I do with mealy peaches?
What can I do with overripe peaches?
What can I do with bruised peaches?
I hope you reach for this recipe for peach preserves!
Print
Peach Preserves
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Toppings and Spreads
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Preserves
Description
This small batch recipe for peach preserves is easy to make and perfect to top waffles and pancakes, or to serve warm over ice cream! A great way to use overripe, bruised, or mealy peaches.
Ingredients
2 peaches, peeled and cut into small pieces (About 1–1 ¼ cups)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in small sauce pan. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break up large pieces and mash them into smaller pieces.
- Heat over medium heat until peaches start to bubble. Continue simmering for 10 minutes then remove from heat.
Notes
Serve warm or cool and serve later.
Serve warm over pancakes or waffles, or stir into oatmeal. Or serve cooled on plain yogurt, or whole wheat toast.
Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Keywords: peach, preserves, jelly, jam, spreads, breakfast, snack, dessert, small batch
Leave a Reply