Fruit syrup
Peach Syrup
Ripe peaches, skins on for a blush of color, gently simmered and strained. Summer in a bottle for iced tea and Bellinis.
- 50 min total
- 1¾ cups420 ml
- Keeps 1 week
Quick answer
Peach syrup is sliced ripe peaches simmered gently in 1:1 simple syrup, steeped and strained. Simmer 2 cups sliced peaches (skins on) with 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water and a tablespoon of lemon juice for 10 minutes, steep 30 minutes, strain and refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Peach flavor is delicate and mostly aroma, so this syrup is about restraint: a gentle simmer to soften the fruit, then a long steep off the heat. Leave the skins on; they hold much of the aroma and give the syrup its pink-gold blush.
The riper the peach, the better the syrup. Fragrant, slightly soft peaches are perfect. Hard supermarket peaches make a pale, bland syrup, so out of season, frozen slices are the better bet.
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The recipe
Peach Syrup
Ingredients for 1¾ cups420 ml
You’ll need: small saucepan, masher, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, pitcher, swing-top bottlesmall saucepan, masher, fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, pitcher, swing-top bottle
Method
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Combine
Add the peaches, sugar, water and lemon juice to a small saucepan. The lemon goes in now to stop the fruit from browning.
2 cups310 g peaches1 cup200 g granulated sugar1 cup240 ml water1 tbsp1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
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Simmer
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, until the peaches are very soft.
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Mash and steep
Mash the fruit lightly, then take the pan off the heat and let it steep for 30 minutes.
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Strain
Pour through a fine-mesh strainer lined with damp cheesecloth and let it drip. Peaches are pulpy, so pressing makes the syrup cloudy; a gentle squeeze of the cloth at the end is fine if you don't mind a little haze.
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Bottle
Let it cool, funnel into a clean bottle and refrigerate.
Storage. Refrigerate in a sealed bottle for up to 10 days. Freeze extra in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months; peach iced tea in January is worth the freezer space.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 28 kcal, 7.1 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Peach iced tea
1–1½ oz (30–45 ml) per 8 oz (240 ml) glass of black iced tea, or about 1 cup (240 ml) per 2-liter pitcher.
Peach Bellini
½ oz (15 ml) chilled syrup in a flute, topped slowly with 4 oz (120 ml) prosecco. Use sparkling water or sparkling cider for a zero-proof version.
Peach bourbon smash
2 oz (60 ml) bourbon, ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon juice, ¾ oz (22 ml) peach syrup and a few mint leaves. Shake and strain over crushed ice.
Peach lemonade
1 oz (30 ml) syrup, 1 oz (30 ml) lemon juice and 4 oz (120 ml) cold water over ice.
Peach margarita
2 oz (60 ml) blanco tequila, 1 oz (30 ml) lime juice and ¾ oz (22 ml) peach syrup, shaken and strained over ice.
Breakfast
Drizzle over pancakes, waffles, Greek yogurt or overnight oats.
Classic drinks with Peach syrup
Gear for this recipe
Takeya Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker (2 qt)
Brew hot, pour over ice, shake: iced tea in under a minute without dilution. Sweeten with hibiscus, peach or mint syrup.
Best for Iced tea by the pitcher
Glass Beverage Dispenser with Spigot (2 gal)
Best for Parties and showers
Breville Citrus Press Pro (800CPXL)
Best for Lemonade and citrus by the gallon
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Potato Masher
Best for Big-batch fruit syrups
More gear for this recipe (4)
Otis Classic 16 oz Swing-Top Glass Bottles (6-pack)
Best for Storing and gifting any syrup
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
Regency Wraps Ultra Fine Cheesecloth (9 sq ft)
Best for Crystal-clear syrups
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- Yellow peaches give a deeper color and flavor than white ones. Nectarines work just as well, and they don't need peeling either.
- Out of season, frozen sliced peaches beat hard fresh ones every time.
- Keep the strained pulp: it's a ready-made topping for oatmeal, yogurt or ice cream, or blend it into a smoothie.
- For iced tea by the pitcher, make the syrup with 1½ times the peaches so the flavor survives the dilution.
Variations
Peach-ginger
Simmer 4 thin slices of fresh ginger with the peaches. Great with bourbon or topped with ginger ale.
Peach-basil
Add a small handful of basil leaves (or 4 sprigs of thyme) for the steep. Lovely in lemonade and gin drinks.
Peach cobbler
Simmer half a vanilla bean and a cinnamon stick with the fruit, then stir 1 tbsp bourbon into the cooled syrup. Pour it over pancakes or into an Old Fashioned.
Questions people ask
Do I need to peel peaches for peach syrup?
No. The skins add color and aroma, and they get strained out anyway. Just wash the peaches and remove the pits.
Can I use frozen or canned peaches?
Frozen sliced peaches work very well. Canned peaches already taste cooked; if you use them, drain them, and cut the sugar a little if they were packed in syrup.
Why is my peach syrup cloudy?
Peach flesh breaks down into very fine pulp. Strain through cheesecloth without squeezing, or let the syrup settle overnight in the fridge and pour off the clear top.
How long does peach syrup last?
About 10 days in the fridge. Freeze it in ice-cube trays for up to 3 months.