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    Home » Recipes » Baking Tips

    How To Slice Peaches

    Published by Melissa on July 18, 2019 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 31 Comments

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    A step-by-step photo tutorial on how to slice peaches. The best way to eat a sweet, juicy, ripe peach is with the juice dripping down your hands, but if you want to bake with them, you’ll want to slip off the skins and slice them up.

    Peaches in various stages of slicing

    While I was making Raspberry Peach Cobbler the other day, I decided I should post a tutorial on how to slice peaches. It isn’t difficult at all, but there are a few tricks that make the job easier.

    How To Cut A Peach

    What type of peaches should I buy?

    Most of the peaches available at the grocery store are freestone peaches. If you buy peaches at a farmer’s market or have a peach tree, they may be clingstone peaches.

    Freestone peaches are generally larger than clingstone peaches. It can be hard to tell the difference just by looking at them, but once you cut into them, it’s easy to tell the difference. The pit in freestone peaches practically falls out of the peach when the peach is cut in half, making them easier to eat and easier to slice.

    With a clingstone peach, the pit clings to the peach and you’ll need to cut the pit away from the peach flesh. Clingstone peaches are typically used for commercially canned peaches. 

    I understand there’s also a new hybrid peach called a semi-freestone, but I haven’t seen them at the market yet.

    How do I know if a peach is ripe?

    If a peach is ripe, it will be slightly soft. If it’s hard to the touch, it’s not ripe. It should also smell sweet and have a dark yellow color. If it looks green, it’s not ripe and I would avoid buying it. 

    Usually, the peaches you buy at the grocery store will not be soft/ripe and recipe ready. So try and plan ahead. Buy your peaches a few days ahead of time so the peaches have time to ripen on the counter. Here are some great tips on ripening peaches and info on when is peach season in your area. 

    A peach in ice water

    Blanching the peach to remove the skin

    • Blanch a peach by placing it in boiling water for 45 seconds. I’ll often use a large mixing bowl in my microwave to boil the water, then I can just dry it and use it again to make a recipe. However, if you’re doing a lot of peaches, use a pot of water on the stove so the water stays boiling hot.
    • After 45 seconds, remove the peach from the boiling water and plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking process.
    collage of step by step photos of slicing peaches

    Slicing the Peach

    • Use a small paring knife to easily peel the skin off the peaches. If your peaches are ripe, you may not even need a knife, just peel it with your fingers.
    • Find the natural indent of the peach, start at the stem and cut the peach in half.
    • Freestone Peach: With your hands, gently twist each side of the peach in opposite directions and the peach will pull apart into two halves. Remove the pit. The pit should just pop out, but if not, you can carefully pry it out with a spoon.
    • Put the peach cut side down and make lengthwise cuts through each peach half as shown above.
    • Clingstone Peach: If you have clingstone peaches, the peach won’t twist apart. Instead, make slices all around the outside of the peeled peach. Use a paring knife to cut each slice away from the pit.
    Ready Sliced Peaches in a bowl

    That’s all there is to it. Within minutes you’ve got beautiful peach slices ready to use in your favorite recipe or just eat a slice at a time. Fresh peaches are available May through late September, and peak season is July and August. So be sure and enjoy those gorgeous peaches while you can! 

    Raspberry_Peach_Cobbler_With-Ice-Cream-Barbara-Bakes

    Now that you know how to slice peaches, check out my Raspberry Peach Cobbler recipe. It’s bound to be one of your favorite summer desserts. If you want to start the day with peaches, try my Peaches and Cream Ebleskivers or Peach Cobbler Muffins.

    collage of step by step photos of slicing peaches
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    5 from 2 votes

    How To Slice Peaches

    Prep Time5 mins
    Additional Time2 mins
    Total Time7 mins
    Course: Baking Tips
    Author: Barbara Schieving
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Ingredients

    • Freestone Peaches
    • Clingstone peaches can be used but are a little more difficult to cut. See my tips in the notes section for using clingstone peaches.

    Instructions

    • Blanch the peach by placing it in boiling water for 45 seconds.
    • After 45 seconds, remove the peach from the boiling water and plunge it in to ice water to stop the cooking process.
    • Use a small paring knife to peel the skin off the peaches. If your peaches are ripe, you may not even need a knife, just peel it with your fingers.
    • Find the natural indent of the peach, start at the stem and cut the peach in half.
    • With your hands, gently twist each side of the peach in opposite directions and the peach should pull apart in to two halves. Remove the pit. It should just pop out, but if not, you can carefully pry it out with a spoon.
    • Put the peach cut side down and make lengthwise cuts in to the middle of each peach half.

    Video

    Notes

    Clingstone Peach: If you have clingstone peaches, the peach won’t twist apart. Instead, make slices all around the outside of the peeled peach. Use a paring knife to cut each slice away from the pit.

    How to Cut a Pineapple, Barbara Bakes
    How to Freeze Lemon Juice, Barbara Bakes
    How to Cook Artichokes in a Pressure Cooker, Pressure Cooking Today
    How to Cut a Mango, Cookin’ Canuck
    How to Grill Zucchini, Kalyn’s Kitchen

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    collage of step-by-step photo tutorial on how to slice peaches.
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    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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    1. Nutmeg Nanny

      July 22, 2013 at 9:18 pm

      I love your step-by-step tutorials 🙂 so helpful!

      Reply
    2. Dedee Dart

      July 20, 2013 at 1:19 pm

      Great tutorial. Can’t wait until mine our ripe. I have two peach trees. One it freestone the other is clingstone. I hardly ever use the peaches from the clingstone to mush of a hassle. I usually just munch on those.

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        July 20, 2013 at 4:17 pm

        Wow, it’s harder to get much better than munching on a just picked warm peach right from your own tree. Glad you liked the tutorial. Enjoy those peaches!

        Reply
    3. leslie

      July 18, 2013 at 7:27 pm

      ahhhh, I didnt know the peeling trick!!!!! Love it!

      Reply
    4. Cookin Canuck

      July 18, 2013 at 6:31 am

      This is such a helpful tutorial, Barbara. Peeling peaches used to baffle me!

      Reply
    5. Cathy at Wives with Knives

      July 17, 2013 at 7:58 am

      Thanks for the tutorial, Barbara. Peeling peaches can be a very messy job.

      Reply
    6. Coleens Recipes

      July 17, 2013 at 2:20 am

      What a great tutorial; I struggle with peaches every time I use them, thank you!!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        July 17, 2013 at 4:46 am

        Thanks Coleen – hope it helps.

        Reply
    7. Wendy H

      July 16, 2013 at 10:08 pm

      WOW! Just did this so we could have sliced peaches with dinner! Very easy and they look gorgeous! Thanks so much for this wonderful tip!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        July 17, 2013 at 4:45 am

        Thanks Wendy – I’m so glad it was helpful!

        Reply
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