Table of Contents
- Why this recipe works.
- Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Here’s how to make this recipe.
- These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
- You'll love these other preserving recipes.
- Watch how to make this recipe.
- Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
- How to Can Peach Butter Recipe
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A fresh peach holds such amazing flavor but can be difficult to find year-round. By creating this peach butter, you can lock in that taste for months to come. Add in a little bit of sugar and lemon to brighten the taste, and this peach butter can be enjoyed with toast, yogurt, ice cream, or other sweet treats. Keep it for yourself, or gift it to friends and family!
Why this recipe works.
Fruit preserves are easily available at any grocery store with endless options. That begs the question, why would we ever make our own? I ask myself this often when I am canning and preserving. The answer is different for each person, but I find the flavor will always be superior. When the produce is plentiful, instead of it wasting away, preserving it allows it to last months or years longer. And last, when you preserve at home, you know each ingredient and have the satisfaction of enjoying the work. Peach butter gives all the flavor with few ingredients, so you can have all the satisfaction of tasting a ripe peach in the middle of winter.
Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Peaches are the main ingredients and provide all of the flavor. Choose ripe, in-season peaches. If they are hard, allow them to ripen at room temperature to ensure the sugar content is highest with the most flavor.
- White granulated sugar works as a preservative and helps to keep the vibrant color of any fruit preserve longer.
- Lemon juice provides the necessary acidity for canning, but it balances out the sweetness of the peach butter.
Food safety tip: This recipe may not be approved by the USDA. To prevent the risk of botulism, always check with the USDA Canning Guide.
Here’s how to make this recipe.
- Prepare the peaches. Slice each peach in half and remove the pit. Leave the skin intact, remove any blemishes, then slice each peach thinly into slices. Add the peach slices to a large heavy-bottomed pot. Then squeeze in the lemon juice and add the white granulated sugar.
- Cook the peaches. Place the heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Stir until the mixture comes to a rolling boil. Allow the mixture to cook down while boiling for about 20 minutes. Optionally, while cooking, skim off any of the foam that collects on top and discard.
- Strain the mixture. Remove the peach mixture from the heat, and using a food mill or conical strainer, push the peaches through. Discard any extra pieces of peach that are too large to pass through the strainer. Then transfer the peach mixture back into the heavy-bottomed pot and bring it to a simmer over medium heat.
- Pack the jars with the peach butter. To clean and sterilized glass jam jars (8-ounce jars), place in the peach butter, reserving ½-inch of “headspace” at the top. Wipe off the top of each jar with a paper towel wetted with hot water. Then place the on the lid and ring, and tighten until fingertip tightness.
What is headspace?
Headspace is the unoccupied area at the top of a jar. This space allows the contents of the jar to shift and expand during the canning process without impeding the seal created by the lid and ring. It also allows for the creation of a vacuum seal.
- Process the jars in the water bath. On a stovetop, heat water in a heavy-bottom pot fitted with a rack. Using a jar lifter, place each glass jar filled with the peach butter into the water, one at a time. Make sure that once all of the jars are in the canner that the tops of the jars are covered with water. If they are not, simply add some hot water to the pot. After the correct amount of boiling time (see times below to see if you need to adjust due to altitude), remove the jars from the canner, tipping them slightly while still over the kettle to remove any water from the tops of the jars. Allow the jars to sit undisturbed for 24 hours before removing the rings. This ensures that the seal is not hindered. After 24 hours, you can remove the ring (or leave it on).
Each altitude can require a different processing time. I’m located between 0 and 1,000 feet above sea level. If you are at a different elevation, make sure to check the USDA Canning Guide for your processing time:
| Elevation | 0 to 1,000 ft | 1,001 to 6,000 ft | 6,000 ft + |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 5 minutes | 10 minutes | 15 minutes |
These pro tips will make this recipe a success.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prepare this recipe. The thickness on the bottom of the pan will ensure the mixture cooks evenly without burning and sticking to the bottom.
- When cooking, make sure the peach mixture comes to a rolling boil, which is a boil that cannot be stirred down. You want to achieve a rolling boil because this high level of heat ensures that the sugar is cooking and creating the correct consistency for the butter.
- If you have any butter that does not entirely fill up a jar, do not process this jar. Instead, store this jar in the refrigerator and consume it within one month.
Frequently asked questions about this recipe.
Not necessarily. Sugar does work as a preservative in this fruit butter. If you decide to make this recipe and not use sugar, the color of the fruit butter will darken after a few months’ time. It does not mean that the fruit butter has gone bad, but it does mean that no sugar is present to retain the vibrant color of the peach butter. If no sugar is used, a different preservative like citric acid will be needed.
No, a heavy-bottomed pot is a necessity. The heavy bottom ensures the butter does not burn or scorch with even heating.
No, the butter can be poured into freezer-safe containers and frozen. Or, it can be placed in the refrigerator and consumed within one month.
The flavor and color will be best if used within 1 to 2 years.
Once opened, store the peach butter in the refrigerator, and it will last one month.
Watch how to make this recipe.
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
How to Can Peach Butter
Equipment
- 3 jam jars
Ingredients
- 3 lb peaches
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- If canning, have the water bath, jars, lids, and rings ready.
- Wash the peaches well. Remove the pits from the center of the peaches and slice them into ½-inch pieces, leaving the skin on. Add the prepared peaches to a heavy-bottomed stock pot or saucepan. Pour in the sugar and the lemon juice. Stir the mixture to combine evenly and begin dissolving the sugar into the peach juices.3 lb peaches, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Set the peach mixture over medium heat and slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to ensure the sugar is not sticking to the bottom and is dissolving. Once boiling, combine to stir and boil until it is at a rolling boil. A rolling boil is a boil that will not stop when stirred and continues to boil. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the rolling boil for 20 minutes. Skim off any foam that forms on top and set it aside. Once the mixture has boiled for 20 minutes, remove it from the heat.
- Work the mixture through a conical strainer or food mill fitted with the fine attachment. Once strained, return the peach butter to the stockpot and bring it to a simmer to warm it through.
- Pour the peach butter into prepared 8-oz jars. If storing in the refrigerator or freezer, allow the mixture to cool, then store it. If canning, water bath the jars for 5 minutes, adjusting for your altitude. Once the jars are finished, remove them from the water bath. Cool for 24 hours before removing the rings to check the integrity of the seal.
Kaleb, I followed this recipe exactly and it’s perfect!! Thank you for sharing.
This looks delicious! Wondering if I can sub honey for the sugar.
I had frozen peaches from a bumper crop last year. This recipe is great for those in the freezer. The change I made in it since my peaches were already peeled was to use my stick blender to make it more like a butter. Thank you Kaleb for this lower sugar version. It really brings out the flavor of the peaches.