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Classic Peach Pie Recipe
This peach pie recipe is one of the most popular summer desserts in the American South and across the US in general. It’s even the official state pie of Delaware. Made with fresh, ripe summer peaches, the homemade peach pie filling recipe has a touch of warm spice to make the perfect classic pie. Classic peach pie is one of my favorite pies, rounding out a group of iconic fruit pies that also includes apple pie, blueberry pie, and cherry pie.
What is a Peach Pie?
Peach pie is a baked fruit pie with a sweet peach pie filling. Usually made with yellow peaches and flavored with a hint of spice, homemade peach pie is most popular in the South. It’s delicious as a classic double-crusted pie, a lattice-topped pie, or a peach crumble pie with a homemade crumb topping. Peach pie is particularly delicious with a pecan crumble, like the crumb topping used in my caramel apple pie recipe.
History of Peach Pie
The origin of peach pie dates back centuries. Although peaches have been growing in North America for over 500 years, peaches are not native to the Americas. In fact, peaches are considered one of the first invasive species to be introduced to the continent. Peaches first arrived in North America with the Spanish conquistadors and were first introduced in Florida. From Florida, peaches spread throughout what is now the Southern US and beyond, becoming so widespread that Georgia now even calls itself the Peach State.
Like many fruit pies, peach pies were being made in Europe before peaches were ever introduced to the Americas. There is an oft-repeated claim online that the first written mention of peach pie was by Geoffrey Chaucer, with dates getting jumbled with each new iteration. However, these attributions are all incorrect.
The myth seems to have originated from a blog post published in 2010 which claims “the first printed peach pie recipe was by Geoffrey Chaucer in 1381 in England.” It then lists out some ingredients. However, this is a misquote. The 1381 recipe from The Forme of Cury was titled “Tartys in Applis” and was an apple pie recipe. Somewhere along the way, peaches got swapped in for apples in the misquote.
The first actual primary source for a peach pie recipe is from Italy: a crostata of peaches, plums, and apricots published by the famed papal chef Bartolomeo Scappi in his 1570 Opera. (The original Italian recipe is titled “Per fare crostata di persiche, arbicoccole, & prugue fresche”). The first peach pie recipe in English appears in The Good Huswifes Jewell by Thomas Dawson, published in 1585. Dawson’s recipe for making “all maner of fruit tartes” included peaches as one of the common options.
Although peach pie originated in Europe, it was popular in the American colonies right from the start. Many notable early American cookbooks published recipes for peach pie including The New England Cook Book (1836), The American Housewife (1841), and Mrs. Putnam’s Receipt Book (1849).
Peach pie remains enormously popular in the US today. In 2009, peach pie was officially named the state pie of Delaware, complementing the state flower, which is the peach blossom. In 2024, peach pie was the most-searched pie on Google in both Idaho and Iowa. In 2022, peach pie was the most popular pie to save on Pinterest in Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona. Peach is also a particularly popular flavor for fried pies, which are beloved throughout the South and Appalachia. And peach pie’s popularity isn’t just limited to the US either, the dessert is also popular in Canada.
What Kind of Peaches to Use for a Fresh Peach Pie
Yellow vs White Peaches for Peach Pie
Both yellow and white peaches can be incredibly delicious, but when it comes to baking a peach pie, they don’t perform the same way. Fruit pies are often baked for over an hour, and yellow peaches tend to hold up much better over that extended baking time.
Yellow peaches are slightly more acidic than white peaches, which gives them a very slight tang compared to the sweeter flavor of white peaches. White peaches also tend to have more delicate, floral notes — but once you add sugar and spices and bake the fruit, those delicate flavors get muddied. With yellow peaches, the stronger, bolder flavors are pulled forward instead. Yellow peaches also hold their shape better after baking. White peaches can turn mushy in the oven, which isn’t what you want in a peach pie filling.
That said, white peaches aren’t a bad choice for every baked application. They just need recipes tailored to them. White peaches are particularly delicious in tarts, which aren’t baked as long and let those delicate floral flavors shine.
Using Freestone Peaches for Peach Pie
Peach varieties fall into three categories: freestone, semi-cling hybrids, and clingstone (or just cling) peaches. These terms describe how tightly the fruit clings to the pit in the center of the peach. When making peach pie, freestone or semi-cling hybrid peaches are the easiest to work with. You don’t waste any fruit, and you don’t waste any time trying to carefully cut around the pit.
There are so many peach varieties grown across the United States that it’s hard to pin down a definitive list of common freestone varieties. The best approach is to find peaches that look delicious at your local grocery store or farmers market and look up whether that variety is freestone. As a general rule of thumb, freestone peaches tend to be larger, but cling peaches tend to ripen earlier in the season. So the first peaches you see in May are usually cling peaches.
Step-by-Step Homemade Peach Pie Recipe
Crust
If you want to make a classic peach pie with a double crust or a lattice top, you’ll need a full batch of my all-butter pie dough recipe or two sheets of frozen, store-bought puff pastry. You’ll also want some cream and a large-crystal sugar, like demerara, turbinado, or sanding sugar, to give the top crust a nice finish.
If you would prefer to make a peach crumble pie (a peach pie with a crumb topping), you’ll want to use a light, blind-baked pie crust and a batch of my crumble topping recipe, or use the pecan crumb topping from my caramel apple pie recipe.
How to Make a Homemade Peach Pie from Scratch
Ingredients
- 2½lbs Peaches, sliced (1135g)
- 6T Granulated Sugar (75g)
- ¼c Brown Sugar (50g)
- 3T All-Purpose Flour (25g)
- 2T Cornstarch (16g)
- 1T Lemon Juice (15mL)
- ½t Ground Cinnamon
- ¹⁄₁₆t Ground Cloves
- ¼t Salt
- 2T Heavy Whipping Cream
- ¼c Demerara Sugar
Notes: This pie turns out best if you fully assemble it and give it time to freeze before baking. Additionally, peeling or not peeling the peaches before slicing is up to your personal preference. I find that leaving the skins on gives a nice color to the final homemade peach pie filling.
1.
If you made a batch of my all-butter pie dough recipe, you should have two discs of dough. Roll out one disc into a circle about 1 to 2 mm thick and at least 1 inch wider than a 9-inch pie tin all the way around.
2.
Fit the rolled dough into your 9-inch pie tin. Trim the overhang with kitchen scissors so there is about a ½-inch (1 cm) overhang all the way around. Place the lined pie tin and the second disc of dough in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
3.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced peaches, sugars, lemon juice, spices, flour, cornstarch, and salt.
4.
Remove your pie tin lined with pie dough from the refrigerator. Add the peach pie filling, pressing it down firmly to eliminate any air pockets.
5.
For a double-crusted pie, roll out the second disc of dough, place it over the filling, and seal the edges using your preferred method.
6.
Brush the top crust with heavy whipping cream, then sprinkle generously with demerara sugar. If you’re making a double-crusted pie instead of a lattice, cut a few vents with a paring knife to allow steam to escape.
7.
Transfer the assembled pie to the freezer and freeze for at least 1 hour before baking.
How to Bake a Frozen Peach Pie:
1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C).
2.
Remove the pie from the freezer and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, rotating the pie every 30 minutes, until the crust is evenly golden brown.
3.
Remove from the oven and let the pie cool slightly before slicing and serving.
How to Make a Peach Crumble Pie
Almost any fruit pie can be topped with a crumble instead of a top crust or lattice. Crumb topping for pie is easy to make at home and is often simpler than assembling a pastry top. Here’s how to turn this classic peach pie recipe into a peach crumble pie.
Peaches pair particularly well with nuts such as pecans. Peach pie is delicious with a regular homemade crumb topping, but it’s particularly fantastic with a crumb topping with pecans. You can find a recipe for a pecan crumb topping for pie in my post for caramel apple pie.
Crust: Instead of making a full batch of my all-butter pie dough recipe, make a half batch. Follow the directions in Part 2 of my Ultimate Guide to Pie Crust to shape the pie shell to your preference, then blind-bake it for 20 to 30 minutes to create a light, pre-baked crust. Set the crust aside to cool.
Crumble Topping: Follow my recipe and directions here for making a homemade crumble topping for a fruit pie. If you prefer to make a pecan crumb topping, use the recipe included in this post for caramel apple pie with a pecan crumble top.
Making a Peach Crumble Pie:
- Using the same ingredients listed above, make the peach pie filling by mixing the sliced peaches, sugars, lemon juice, salt, spices, cornstarch, and flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Press the homemade peach pie filling into your light, blind-baked pie crust. Gently press down to eliminate any air pockets.
- Break up the crumble topping with your hands and sprinkle it evenly over the filling, creating a single, even layer.
- Freeze the pie for at least 1 hour before baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C).
- Remove the pie from the freezer and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, rotating the pie every 30 minutes, until the crumble has turned a golden brown color and the filling is slowly bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and let the pie cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Different Kinds of Peach Pies
- Fried Peach Pies: Fried pies are popular in the South, especially in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Fried peach pies are a particularly popular flavor. These little hand pies are filled with a sweet peach filling and deep-fried until golden.
- Fried pies are popular in the South, particularly Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Hand pies that are deep-fried, peach is a popular filling.
- Peach Raspberry Pie: Tart raspberries and sweet, ripe peaches are a natural pairing. The deep red of the raspberries contrasts strikingly with the golden yellow of the peaches, making it as pretty to look at as it is delicious to eat.
- Peach Blueberry Pie: Another wonderful peach berry pie, peach blueberry pie is a delicious summer variation that takes advantage of two fruits that happen to be in season at the same time.
The Classic Fruit Pies
Fruit pies are some of the most iconic pies out there. When you picture a classic pie, odds are a lattice-topped fruit pie is the first thing you imagine. These are the fruit pies that are universally beloved across the United States and beyond.
- Apple Pie: Apple pie is the undisputed king of fruit pies. By search volume, apple pie dwarfs every other fruit pie and is one of the most iconic pies in the world.
- Blueberry Pie: Sweet, juicy, and striking, blueberry pie is a classic summer fruit pie. The deep purple filling contrasts beautifully with a golden, flaky pie crust.
- Cherry Pie: Another beloved summer pie, cherry pie is best made with a homemade sour cherry pie filling.
- Peach Pie: Sweet and summery, peach pie is particularly popular in the Southern US and is the official state pie of Delaware.
- Rhubarb Pie: Rhubarb is sometimes called “pie plant,” and rhubarb pie is a Midwestern staple. Strawberry rhubarb pie is a popular and delicious variation.
How to Store and Reheat Peach Pie
Short-term storage: This classic peach pie can be kept at room temperature for about 1 day. After that, transfer it to the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 1 week. Re-crisp the pie before serving if refrigerated.
Re-crisp before serving: Chilling softens the flaky pie crust. To bring back that fresh-baked texture, reheat the pie before serving. Preheat your oven to 350°F (170°C) and bake for 15–20 minutes, until warmed through and the top crust is crisp again.
Freezing for later: You can assemble this peach pie ahead of time and freeze it (unbaked) for up to 3 months. Once assembled, wrap it tightly in a freezer bag or double-wrap in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to enjoy it, bake straight from frozen until the filling is bubbling and the top crust is golden. See the directions for baking a peach pie above. Frozen pies are especially handy during busy times of the year, since you can prepare the pie ahead of time and simply bake it on the day you want to serve it.
Baking Tips for Homemade Peach Pie
Overfill the pie before baking. The fruit will shrink as it cooks and releases steam, which can leave the filling lower than the crust if you start with a level pie. Slightly overfilling ensures the fruit bakes down into a perfectly even, flat pie after cooling.
Protect your sheet pan for easy clean up. Fruit pies almost always bubble over as the fruit juices thicken, so line your baking sheet with parchment paper before placing the pie on it. The juice will drip onto the pan and caramelize into a sticky syrup. After baking, pour a small amount of water onto the sheet pan (never onto the pie itself). This loosens the baked-on juices and makes it much easier to lift and move the pie once cooled.
We’d love to see your peach pie creations! If you give this recipe a try, tag @doggone_baking on social media so we can share in the baking fun.
Peach Pie
Ingredients
- 1 batch Flaky Pie Dough or 2 frozen puff pastry sheets
- 2½ lbs Peaches, sliced (1135g)
- 6 tbsp Granulated Sugar (75g)
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar (16g)
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch (42g)
- 3 tbsp All-Purpose Flour (25g)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice (15mL)
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¹⁄₁₆ tsp Ground Cloves
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream (30mL)
- ¼ cup Demerara Sugar (50g) or turbinado sugar
Instructions
Making the Peach Pie
- Make one batch of all-butter pie dough.
- Roll out one disc into a circle about 1 to 2 mm thick and at least 1 inch wider than a 9-inch pie tin all the way around.
- Fit the rolled dough into your 9-inch pie tin. Trim the overhang with kitchen scissors so there is about a ½-inch (1 cm) overhang all the way around. Place the lined pie tin and the second disc of dough in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
- In a large mixing bowl, make the homemade peach pie filling. Combine the sliced peaches, sugars, lemon juice, spices, flour, cornstarch, and salt.
- Remove your pie tin lined with pie dough from the refrigerator. Add the peach pie filling, pressing it down firmly to eliminate any air pockets.
- For a double-crusted pie, roll out the second disc of dough, place it over the filling, and seal the edges using your preferred method.
- Brush the top crust with heavy whipping cream, then sprinkle generously with demerara sugar. If you’re making a double-crusted pie instead of a lattice, cut a few vents with a paring knife to allow steam to escape.
- Transfer the assembled pie to the freezer and freeze for at least 1 hour before baking.
Baking the Peach Pie
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the pie from the freezer and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, rotating the pie every 30 minutes, until the crust is evenly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the pie cool slightly before slicing and serving.
About Me
In 2016, I left my office job and became a professional baker. These days I spend my days testing recipes and baking pies while my two dogs snooze happily nearby.
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