What to Do with Overripe Peaches (Baked Goods, Drinks, & More)

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If you have a bunch of peaches that are overly ripe, don’t even think about tossing them. There are loads of recipes that you can use them for. This article will provide you with some of these peachy recipes.

Signs You Have Overly Ripe Peaches

It is quite simple to figure out whether your peaches are overly ripe. One sign is that, when you squeeze the peach, it gives a little and, thus, is on the softer side instead of being nice and firm.

However, there is such a thing as your peaches being too overripe, or in other words, rotten.

If the fruit is extremely slimy and bruises are present, it may be rotten. If the peach is moldy, this is a dead giveaway that it is no longer edible. You might also notice an abnormal smell and taste.

Do not eat rotten peaches. These should be tossed out or used in a compost.

Ways to Use Your Overly Ripe Peaches

There are several ways you can utilize your overripe peaches. In fact, the number of recipes you can find is almost overwhelming.

Below, this article will break down the many recipes that exist by category, including baked goods, drinkable recipes, recipes that call for transforming your peaches in some way, and recipes for sauces, spreadable recipes, and garnishes.

Baked Goods

There are nearly endless baking possibilities when it comes to using your overripe peaches. This section will cover a recipe for peach bread as well as peach cobbler.

Peach bread – Peach bread is quite simple to whip up. Here are the ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups peaches, peeled and diced

First, after peeling and dicing your overripe peaches, you will prepare the baking pan by covering the inside with butter or oil, and then sprinkling flour into it. Your pan should be 9” by 5”.

Next, combine the dry ingredients together in a bowl, and do the same with the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Then, combine all of these ingredients together, and finally, stir in the peaches.

Bake your bread for 55 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You should be able to stick a toothpick into the loaf and pull it out clean.

Peach cobbler – Cobbler is many people’s favorite dessert for a good reason. It’s delicious! Peach cobbler is certainly no exception. It can be paired with some cool, smooth vanilla ice cream.

The following ingredients are necessary for this recipe:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk (can use a milk substitute as well, such as oat or almond milk)
• 4 cups diced peaches
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Once you have peeled and sliced your peaches, melt the butter in an oven-safe dish that is 13” by 19”.

Next, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and only one cup of the sugar in a bowl. Add in the milk, and stir until all the ingredients have been moistened. Then, pour the mixture over the melted butter in the dish.

Add the other cup of sugar, the sliced peaches, and the lemon juice into a saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring the entire time. Then, pour this onto the batter in the dish. Do not mix this up.

Place the dish in your preheated oven, and bake the cobbler for 40 to 45 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. The finished cobbler should be a nice golden brown color. Enjoy!

Drinkable Recipes

This section will provide you with recipes for a smoothie, fruit juice, and sangria. If you want to do some experimentation to come up with your own drinkable recipes, this can be done quite easily. You can use the recipes provided for ingredient ideas.

Peaches n’ cream smoothie – Almost everybody loves fruit paired with something creamy. This peaches n’ cream smoothie is sure to satiate a desire of this type. Here is what’s in it (this is for a single serving):

• 1 cup peeled and diced or frozen peaches
• 1 or 2 frozen bananas
• 1/2 cup any kind of milk
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 3 strawberries
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

This is most likely the easiest recipe to make in this article. Simply add all the ingredients to a blender, and mix them on high until the contents are thoroughly combined.

Peach Transformations

There are a few ways that you can transform your peaches. In this section, there are recipes included for peach ice pops and dried fruit.

Peach ice pops – These are the perfect treat for a hot day (or any day, for that matter). They are also a child’s favorite. This specific recipe is super simple. Here are the ingredients:

• 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
• 2-1/2 cups peeled and diced peaches
• 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 6 popsicle molds
• 6 wooden popsicle sticks

First, use a food processor to make half of your diced peaches smooth. This should take a minute or two. Now take the other half of your peaches and dice them up very finely.

Next, combine your puréed peaches, finely chopped peaches, honey, and sugar in a bowl, and combine them well. Afterward, pour the mixture into your molds. Do not fill them completely to allow room for the ice pops to grow.

Put the lids on your molds, add the sticks, and let these sit in your freezer until they’re nice and frozen, which should take about three to four hours.

Dried peaches – If you happen to own a food dehydrator, you can use it to dry all sorts of fruits that are overripe, including peaches. You can also feel free to sprinkle on some cinnamon or nutmeg before dehydrating the fruit.

The ingredients are as follows:

• 3 pounds peaches
• 4 cups water
• 1-1/2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice

Take your water and vinegar (or lemon juice), and combine them in a glass or ceramic bowl. Next, blanch and peel your peaches, then put the peaches in your bowl of water and vinegar.

Next, slice the peaches into pieces that are about an eighth- or quarter-inch thick, and put them back into the bowl of water and vinegar. Next, drain the peach slices.

Place the peaches on the tray of the dehydrator about a half-inch apart from each other, set the machine to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, and they should be sufficiently dehydrated anywhere between 8 and 36 hours.

Sauces, Spreadable Recipes, and Garnishes

This section goes over recipes for a delicious sauce, a delectable garnish, and a spreadable preserve. The recipes include peach jam, a reduced sauce for desserts and meats, and chutney.

First, let’s look at the recipe for some sweet, smooth peach jam.

Peach jam – If you are a big fan of spreading preserves on everything, and if you also love a good peach, this peach jam is perfect for you to try with your overripe peaches. Take a look at the ingredients for this peach jam:

• 3-1/2 pounds peaches
• 2-1/2 cups sugar
• Lemon juice (1 lemon)

This is such an easy recipe, even a chef who is just starting out can create this peach jam. First, you need to peel the peaches and take the pits out.

Next, simply put the peaches, sugar, and lemon juice in a pan over the stove, letting it boil for about 15 to 20 minutes and mushing up the peaches with your cooking utensil.

Remove your pan from the stove, let the warm mixture cool down, and add it to a jar. Put the jar in the fridge, and let the jam thicken up for between 24 and 48 hours. Voila! You have yourself some easy and delicious peach jam.

Peach sauce – A nice peach sauce is perfect for various desserts as well as for savory meat dishes. This smooth, subtly sweet sauce is sure to add a nice flare to your favorite dessert or meal.

Here is what you will need for this peach sauce:

• 4 peaches
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Before you do anything else, peel your peaches, pit them, and cut them up into cubes. Next, bring the water, cornstarch, and sugar to a boil in a pan over medium heat.

Take the sauce off the stove, and add your vanilla and cinnamon to the pan. After you let your sauce cool, it is ready to use. Keep in mind that you can use less sugar if you like.

Peach chutney – This is the final recipe we have for your overripe peaches. This garnish can go on any dish that you wish. It is simple and fast to make.

Here are the ingredients:

• 4 pounds peaches
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1-2/3 cups brown sugar
• 1 red onion (slivered)
• 12 cardamom pods
• 2 tablespoons ginger
• 3 chili peppers (sliced)
• Pinch of salt

As you can see, this chutney is bursting with flavor.

First, pit and dice your peaches. Next, put the vinegar, ginger, brown sugar, onion, and cardamom pods in a pan over the stove, and stir this mixture to help the brown sugar dissolve.

Let the mixture simmer over low to medium heat for about 8 minutes so the onion softens. Add the chili peppers, peaches, and salt, and continue simmering the chutney over low to medium heat. Make sure to stir it every so often.

It should take around an hour for the peaches to turn clear, which signals that your chutney is ready to gobble up.

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