This easy peach butter canning recipe is a delicious way to deal with peach overload!
I love fruit butters. They are easy to make, in fact – they are almost foolproof. They allow for a little more creativity than many soft spread recipes. There is no worry about reaching the gelling point. If half way through the cooking process I decide to run an errand, I can just turn off the burner, cover the cooking fruit and pick up where I left off in an hour or so with no ill effects.
That said, there are a few considerations when making fruit butters; one – they can take a long time to cook, up to an hour or more. And two, they must be constantly stirred to prevent scorching during most of the cooking time. Some things are worth the time though. This peach butter, a family favorite, is one of those things. I’ve been making peach butter every year for over a decade. Just plain old peach butter. No spices added, although spiced peach butter is a tasty treat too, no vanilla bean, no brandy, just the sweet taste of ripe peaches.
This post is actually an update from my older blog. You can find additional photos of the cooking peach butter there.
- 18 - 20 medium sized, ripe peaches
- 4 cups sugar
- Peel and slice the peaches. Note: Most directions tell you to scald the peaches first and the skins will “slip off” but that has never been my experience. I find it’s just as easy, and a lot less work, to peel the peaches with a paring knife and forgo the scalding.
- Add peaches to a large Dutch oven or other pot and cook over medium-low heat until soft. Add tiny amounts of water to keep peaches from sticking and burning to the pan if necessary.
- Puree cooked peaches using a blender or food processor. You should have about 8 cups of puree. Return puree to pot and add 4 cups of sugar.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often to prevent scorching.
- As the butter thickens it will become a deep, rich, orange-yellow color. This process takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more.
- Cook until the butter is thick enough to round up on a spoon, or as thick as you prefer.
- Ladle into hot, clean ½ pint jars leaving about ¼ inch head space. Top with the two-piece lids and rings, and process in a water bath for 15 minutes.
- Remove from water bath and allow to cool for 12 hours before moving.
- Makes 6-8½ pint jars.
Peach butter can be served like jam on English muffins, toast, or scones. It also makes a lovely addition to layer cakes, spreading in on top of the filling. Or use peach butter as a flavoring agent by mixing it into frosting or stirring into a tall glass of iced tea for a special treat.
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