Bourbon Poached Peaches are fresh peaches gently simmered in mixture of water, bourbon, sugar, and vanilla. Eat them spooned over ice cream – or with just a spoon!
Easy Bourbon Poached Peaches
Jack and I were chuckling with each other over the weekend because the two of us never actually drink bourbon – but we sure do like to cook with it!
You may have seen some of our earlier recipes using bourbon including this incredible chocolate torte, this popular bourbon pecan pie, juicy barbecue chicken wings and meatballs, zesty sweet barbecue sauce, cinnamon rolls and bread pudding. (They are some of our favorite recipes!)
And these Bourbon Poached Peaches…oh my! They are heavenly!
How do you make Bourbon Poached Peaches?
Fresh peach slices are gently simmered in a mixture of water, sugar, bourbon and vanilla until perfectly tender.
Then the poaching liquid is boiled some more and reduced to an amazingly good syrup.
The flavors of the bourbon syrup are reminiscent of a buttery caramel with hints of vanilla. The tender sweet peaches have also absorbed the same wonderful bourbon-vanilla flavors.
We typically serve these bourbon poached peaches over vanilla ice cream – and they are SO good!
We ate this bowl of ice cream and peaches (immediately) after taking the photos that you see here, and Jack was unusually quiet as he ate. 😉 Then he let out a deep, satisfied, “Mmmmmmmmm!” Trust me – you’ll want to make this recipe as soon as possible!
Reader Review
“These are spectacular!! I canned a few pints of these peaches and brought one to a pool day with some friends, and they have demanded them twice since!! They are so popular I am going to buy a huge box of peaches from the farmers market and make a dozen quarts or so of these bourbon peaches and give them as Christmas gifts this year. Thank you!!! -Alyssa
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Peaches – We’ve only made this recipe with fresh yellow peaches but frozen sliced peaches should work as well. (Just note that the poaching time may be less for the frozen peaches – just simmer them until tender but not mushy.) We suspect nectarines would also work, although we haven’t tested those ourselves.
- Bourbon – We used Wild Turkey Bourbon, but any favorite brand will work for this recipe.
- Granulated Sugar
- Whole Vanilla Bean
Cooking Tips & Tricks
- The prepared Bourbon Poached Peaches can be refrigerated for up to a month or canned using the water bath method for longer term storage.
- One of our readers told us that she uses the extra poaching liquid as a syrup on pancakes and to baste pork chops. We loved these suggestions and thought you, our wonderful readers, might enjoy the suggestions too!
This Bourbon Poached Peaches recipe originally appeared on A Family Feast in July 2013. We’ve updated the photos and post but the delicious recipe remains the same.
Click here for more delicious Fruit recipes!
Bourbon Poached Peaches
Bourbon Poached Peaches are fresh peaches gently simmered in a mixture of water, bourbon, sugar, and vanilla. Eat them spooned over ice cream – or with just a spoon!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Fills a 24 ounce jar with a generous amount of peaches and syrup. Nutritional information based on eight portions. 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of yellow peaches (approximately 5-6)
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup bourbon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While that is heating, fill a large bowl full of ice water (this will be used as an ice bath).
- With a sharp knife, cut a small X in the bottom of each peach. When the water comes to a boil, carefully place the peaches into the water and cook for 1 minute. (Cooking for much longer than 1 minute will make the peaches very soft to handle, so be sure to time this step. No need to bring the water back to a boil before you start timing the minute.)
- With a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water bath and let cool slightly.
- Once the peaches have cooled, peel and pit the peaches and cut into ¾-inch thick wedges. (If you aren’t able to get the pit out easily – like me – try cutting the wedges all around the peach while the pit is still intact, and then use a knife to pry each wedge off the pit.)
- Cut the vanilla bean in half the long way and with the tip of a knife, scrape out all of the seeds. In a medium pot, place the vanilla seeds and pod in with the two cups of water and the sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring so that the sugar completely dissolves.
- Add the peaches and bourbon and simmer for about 5-7 minutes or until the peaches are tender but still hold their shape. Over ripe peaches may be done sooner.
- Transfer peaches to a bowl using a slotted spoon. Continue to cook the syrup over medium heat until reduced to two cups, about 15-20 minutes. Pour the syrup over the peaches and let cool completely.
- Store peaches in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a month – but I predict they won’t last that long!
- These peaches may also be canned and stored at room temperature for up to three months.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I store Bourbon Poached Peaches? Store them in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator for up to a month. Or, the peaches can be canned for un-refrigerated, longer-term storage. (Can the peaches and syrup in pint or quart jars using the water bath method.)
- Can I make this recipe in larger batches? Of course. As written, two pounds of fresh peaches will fill a 24 ounce jar with peaches and syrup. Just follow the same proportions of water, bourbon, sugar, and vanilla bean as you increase the amount of peaches.
I am not even a bourbon lover and this recipe was delicious. Not too strong. And very easy to follow. Great use for peaches that are moving past their eating prime or if you bought too many and are thinking about ways to use them in bulk.
Thank you Anneka!
These are spectacular!! I canned a few pints of these peaches and brought one to a pool day with some friends, and they have demanded them *twice* since!! They are so popular I am going to buy a huge box of peaches from the farmers market and make a dozen quarts or so of these bourbon peaches and give them as Christmas gifts this year. Thank you!!!
You’re welcome Alyssa! (Frozen sliced peaches also work and are even a little easier to work with since you don’t have to peel them!)
This recipe is outstanding! I had a family gathering last and served a really good spread of foods (wood fired sourdough pizza, pork belly burnt ends, fruit tart, peppered beef on sourdough, and more) including these peaches. The peaches were a hands down favorite of the night. I had canned some and the cans went home with people. I plan to used the rest of my fresh peaches for more, which I will can for later.
Thanks Roger – so glad the peaches were a hit!
Made my first batch today, and wish i had more peaches! That sweet juice with the hint of bourbon is the bomb!! I need to get more peaches and will can them next time!
Glad you liked the DJ! (BTW – I’m not sure if these are safe to can…)
Hey! Can you share how many and what size jars you used? Thanks!
Hi Meghan – it’s been a while since we made the recipe 🙂 but the recipe yield lists that the recipe filled a 24 ounce jar with both peaches and juices. Hope that helps!
Why can they be only stored for 3 months. Can they be processed in a canner and kept for over the winter?
Hi Lisa – Three months was the recommended storage length from the original recipe. We haven’t stored these for any longer ourselves so can’t say if they will last longer than the 3 months.
I love this recipe for several reasons. First it made my house smell delicious (like it was a holiday!), second it was very easy it make (I used vanilla extract as I couldn’t find vanilla beans), third the peaches came out with the right texture and flavor (sweet with a hint of bourbon). It also got my hubby eating fruit, which is always a challenge. Finally the extra syrup can be used for other things (pancakes, basting pork chops, etc.). Will be making every time peaches are in season. Thank you Martha!
Thanks Adriana! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
These look so good! My mom used to can when I was little and I’d love to start. Peaches seem like the perfect place to start. Got any tips? Thanks for a delicious recipe to try!
Hi Holly! Here’s a link to a website that we have referenced in the past: http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm. Hope this helps! Thanks for visiting our site – Martha
Can I come over for your peach week??!! I love peaches! Makes me wish I had some vanilla ice cream right now. I’ve got the peaches & bourbon!
Meghan – you don’t need an invitation! Come on over! LOL – thanks for stopping by!