Homemade Peach Butter (Easy Recipe for Canning or Freezing)

There is nothing quite like opening a jar of homemade peach butter in the middle of winter. It is smooth, sweet, and full of sunny peach flavor, the kind of recipe that makes summer last just a little longer.

This easy peach butter is made with ripe peaches, sugar, lemon juice, and warm spices. It slowly cooks down until thick and silky, with no pectin needed.

This peach butter is delicious spread over homemade pancakes, warm biscuits, or a slice of easy Dutch oven bread. You can keep it in the refrigerator, freeze it, or process it in a water-bath canner for later.

Why You’ll Love This Peach Butter

• Full of summer flavor – made with ripe peaches at their sweetest.
• Simple ingredients – no pectin needed, just peaches, sugar, and spices.
• Perfect for preserving – water bath canning or freezer storage keeps peach butter on hand all year.
• Versatile – delicious on biscuits, muffins, yogurt, or even as a glaze for pork.

Helpful Tools for Making Peach Butter

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You do not need fancy equipment to make peach butter, but a few simple tools make the process easier. A large pot or Dutch oven gives the peaches room to simmer down, and an immersion blender makes it easy to puree the fruit until smooth. If you plan to can the peach butter, a water-bath canner, canning funnel, jar lifter, and half-pint jars are helpful for filling and processing the jars safely.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Fresh peaches (the riper the better)
• Sugar (adjust for taste)
• Lemon juice (helps preserve color and flavor)
• Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger (optional but cozy!)

Step-by-Step: How to Make Peach Butter

Prep the peaches – Wash, peel, and pit your peaches. Slice into chunks. The riper they are the sweeter your butter will be.

Soften the fruit – Add peaches and splash of water to a large pot. Simmer on medium heat until very soft and juicy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir now and then so nothing sticks.

Puree until smooth– Puree with an immersion blender (or carefully in a regular blender).

Sweeten and brighten– Stir in sugar to taste and lemon juice, plus cinnamon or nutmeg if you like. I actually used a couple cinnamon sticks and some star anise for flavor as it simmered.

Slow simmer – Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring often, until thick and silky. You’ll know it is ready when a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a brief track and the puree falls in thick ribbons.

Set up canner and jars – While the butter simmers, place a rack in your water bath canner, fill with enough water to cover jars by 1 to 2 inches, and bring it to a simmer. Wash jars, lids, and bands. Keep jars hot until filling. Tip: If your final processing time is 10 minutes or more, pre-sterilizing jars isn’t required, but they need to be clean and hot.

Fill the jars – Ladle hot peach butter into hot half-pint or pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace, wipe rims clean, place lids on, and screw bands on fingertip tight.

Process in a boiling water bath – Lower jars into water bath canner so they are covered by at least an inch of water. Bring back to a steady boil and process for 10 minutes.

Cool and check seals – Turn off heat, rest 5 minutes, then lift jars out to a towel. Let cool 12 to 24 hours. Lids should be concave and not flex when pressed. Remove band, wipe jars, label, and store in a cool, dark spot for up to a year.

Storage if not canning – Refrigerate peach butter for up to 3 weeks or freeze for about 6 months. Leave headspace if freezing.

For more preserving recipes, you might also like my homemade canned cherry pie filling.

How to Tell When Peach Butter Is Done

Peach butter is done when it looks thick, glossy, and spreadable. When you drag a spoon across the bottom of the pot, it should leave a brief trail before the peach butter slowly comes back together. It should also fall from the spoon in thick ribbons instead of running off like juice.

Keep in mind that peach butter will thicken a little more as it cools. If it still looks loose or watery, keep simmering it over low heat and stir often so it does not scorch.

Peach Butter vs. Peach Jam

Peach butter is smoother, thicker, and more spreadable than peach jam. It is made by pureeing peaches and slowly cooking them down until the mixture becomes silky and concentrated. Peach jam usually has a chunkier texture and often uses more sugar or pectin to help it set.

Tips for the Best Peach Butter

• Use ripe, fragrant peaches for the sweetest butter.
• Stir often toward the end to prevent sticking.
• Taste as you go. Some peaches need more sugar, some need less.
• For ultra-smooth peach butter, strain through a fine sieve before jarring.

How to Store Peach Butter

• Fridge: Up to 3 weeks in a sealed jar.
• Freezer: Up to 6 months (leave space in jars for expansion)
• Canning: Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes for shelf-stable jars.

Ways to Use Peach Butter

• Spread on warm sourdough toast or biscuits.
• Swirl into yogurt or cottage cheese.
• Spoon over ice cream for a quick dessert.
• Use as a filling for cakes or thumbprint cookies.
• Brush over grilled chicken or pork as a sweet glaze.

Peach Butter FAQ

Do you have to peel peaches for peach butter? Yes, peeling gives you a smooth, silky butter. The skins can add bitterness and make the texture less creamy, so it’s worth the extra step.

Can you make peach butter without sugar? You can reduce the sugar or use honey, but the sugar helps preserve the peach butter and keeps the flavor balanced. If you want a low-sugar version, just be sure to store it in the fridge or freezer instead of canning.

Why is my peach butter runny? It probably just needs more simmer time. Keep cooking over low heat, stirring often, until it thickens to a spreadable consistency.

Can I use frozen peaches? Yes! Thaw them first and drain off excess liquid. The flavor is best with fresh peaches, but frozen works if that is what you have.

Is peach butter the same as peach jam? Not quite. Peach jam has more sugar and chunkier texture, while peach butter is puree slowly cooked down until thick and smooth.

Making homemade peach butter is one of my favorite late-summer traditions. It’s cozy, sweet, and simple. Exactly the kind of recipe that makes your home smell amazing while you stir the pot. Preserve a little taste of peach season now, and you’ll be thanking yourself when the snow is falling outside.

Have you made peach butter before? Let me know your favorite way to enjoy it in the comments below!

If you have extra peaches to use up, try my easy peach crisp or peach salsa with tomatoes.

Homemade Peach Butter (Easy Recipe for Canning or Freezing)

Yield 6 -7 half pints

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Canning Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 5 pounds peaches
• 1 cup water
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Equipment

• Large pot
• Immersion blender
• Water Bath Canner
• Jars, lids, and bands

Method

 

1. Prep the peaches – Wash, peel, and pit your peaches. Slice into chunks. The riper they are the sweeter your butter will be.
   
2. Soften the fruit – Add peaches and slash of water to a large pot. Simmer on medium heat until very soft and juicy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir now and then so nothing sticks.
   
3. Puree until smooth – Puree with an immersion blender (or carefully in a regular blender).
4. Sweeten and brighten – Stir in sugar to taste and lemon juice, plus cinnamon or nutmeg if you like. I actually used a couple cinnamon sticks and some star anise for flavor as it simmered.
   
5. Slow simmer – Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring often, until thick and silky. You'll know it is ready when a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a brief track and the puree falls in thick ribbons.
6. Set up canner and jars – While the butter simmers, place a rack in your water bath canner, fill with enough water to cover jars by 1 to 2 inches, and bring it to a simmer. Wash jars, lids, and bands. Keep jars hot until filling. Tip: If your final processing time is 10 minutes or more, pre-sterilizing jars isn't required, but they need to be clean and hot.
7. Fill the jars – Ladle hot peach butter into hot half-pint or pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace, wipe rims clean, place lids on, and screw bands on fingertip tight.
   
8. Process in a boiling water bath – Lower jars into water bath canner so they are covered by at least an inch of water. Bring back to a steady boil and process for 10 minutes.
9. Cool and check seals – Turn off heat, rest 5 minutes, then lift jars out to a towel. Let cool 12 to 24 hours. Lids should be concave and not flex when pressed. Remove band, wipe jars, label, and store in a cool, dark spot for up to a year.
10. Storage if not canning – Refrigerate peach butter for up to 3 weeks or freeze for about 6 months. Leave headspace if freezing.
    

Notes

• Use ripe, fragrant peaches for the best flavor.
• Bottled lemon juice is best for canning because it has a consistent acidity level.
• Stir often near the end of cooking so the peach butter does not stick or scorch.
• Peach butter is done when it is thick, glossy, and falls from a spoon in thick ribbons.
• If freezing, leave room at the top of the jar or container for expansion.
• If a jar does not seal after canning, refrigerate it and use it within 3 weeks.
• Adjust water-bath canning time for altitude if needed.