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Peach syrup captures the essence of ripe summer peaches in a golden, pourable form that’s ready to use straight from the jar. The result is pure peach flavor in syrup form, ready for pancakes, cocktails, or anything else that could use a taste of August.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Peaches have amazing flavor on their own, and homemade peach syrup allows you to drizzle it anywhere that needs a little lift.
The process is the same as making juice for jelly: cook quartered peaches with a little water, strain through a jelly bag, then combine the juice with an equal amount of sugar. Instead of adding pectin, you just move ahead with preserving so you keep a pourable peach syrup instead of making peach jelly.
This recipe uses the juice extraction method from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. Yellow-fleshed peaches are recommended; white peaches have lower acidity and a more delicate flavor that doesn’t hold up as well to cooking and canning.
Peaches have enough natural acidity for safe water bath canning without added lemon juice, though a tablespoon or two will brighten the flavor and help preserve the color if you prefer. The fuzzy skins cook down and strain out with the pulp, so there’s no need to peel before extracting the juice.
Notes from My Kitchen
Peach syrup is one of those recipes that makes me feel like I’m getting away with something. You get all the flavor of canned peaches without any of the fussy blanching and peeling required for canning peaches in syrup or canning peach pie filling. The skins just cook down and strain out, so you can go from whole peaches to finished syrup with very little prep work.
We use this mostly for breakfast, drizzled over pancakes or waffles, but it’s also become my go-to for summer cocktails. A splash in sparkling wine makes an easy bellini, and it’s wonderful in bourbon drinks or stirred into iced tea. The kids like it mixed into sparkling water for homemade peach soda.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- Recipe Name: Peach Syrup
- Recipe Type: Fruit Syrup
- Canning Method: Water Bath Canning
- Prep Time: About 20 minutes (plus juice extraction time)
- Cook Time: About 10 minutes
- Canning Time: 10 minutes for pints or half pints
- Yield: About 3 pints or 6 half pints
- Jar Sizes: Pints or half pints
- Headspace: 1/4 inch
- Ingredients Overview: Peach juice and sugar
- Safe Canning Recipe Source: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (juice extraction method)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Similar Recipes: The flavor profile is similar to other peach canning recipes, like peach butter and peach jam, but the process is similar to homemade fruit syrups like rhubarb syrup, raspberry syrup or blueberry syrup.
Ingredients
This recipe uses a simple 1:1 ratio of peach juice to sugar. You’ll need to extract the juice first using the jelly-making method. Plan on about 3 medium peaches (roughly 1 pound) per cup of juice, or about 12 peaches (4 pounds) for the 4 cups of juice in this recipe.
- Peaches: About 4 pounds (roughly 12 medium peaches) to yield 4 cups of juice. Use ripe, yellow-fleshed peaches for best flavor. Avoid white-fleshed peaches, which have lower acidity and a more delicate flavor that doesn’t translate as well.
- Water: About ½ cup per pound of peaches for juice extraction.
- Granulated Sugar: 4 cups. The 1:1 ratio creates a medium-sweet syrup with good peach flavor. You can reduce to 3 cups for a thinner, less sweet syrup if preferred.
- Lemon Juice: 1 to 2 tablespoons (optional). Peaches are acidic enough for safe canning without added lemon, but a splash brightens the flavor and helps preserve the golden color. Use fresh lemon juice for better flavor.
This recipe scales easily. For every cup of peach juice, use 1 cup of sugar.
Step by Step Instructions
After the peach juice has strained, this recipe comes together quickly. Prepare a waterbath canner as the last drips of juice strain from the peaches.
Prepare the Peaches
Wash the peaches well to remove any fuzz. Pit and quarter them; there’s no need to peel since the skins will be strained out. Place the quartered peaches in a large stainless steel saucepan.
Extract the Juice
Add about ½ cup of water per pound of peaches. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover loosely, and boil gently, stirring and crushing the peaches occasionally, just until they are softened, about 20 minutes.
Do not overcook, as this can muddy the flavor and color.
Strain the Juice
Transfer the peach mixture to a dampened jelly bag or a strainer lined with several layers of dampened cheesecloth set over a deep bowl. Let drip, undisturbed, for at least 2 hours or overnight to collect the juice. Do not squeeze the bag if you want clear syrup, though a little cloudiness won’t affect flavor.
Make the Syrup
In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine the peach juice and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice if using.
Fill Jars
Ladle the hot syrup into prepared jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, center lids on jars, and apply bands to fingertip tight.
Canning Peach Syrup
Without canning, peach syrup will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. For shelf-stable storage, process the filled jars in a boiling water bath.
Prepare your water bath canner while you’re making the syrup. Lower the filled jars into the canner, making sure they’re covered by at least 1 inch of water. Process for 10 minutes for pints or half pints, adjusting for altitude as noted below.
After processing, turn off the heat and let the jars stand in the canner for 5 minutes before removing. Let jars cool undisturbed on a towel-lined counter for 12 to 24 hours. Check seals before storing.
Altitude Adjustments
For water bath canning, processing times increase at higher elevations:
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 20 minutes
Yield Notes
This recipe yields about 6 cups of syrup, which fills 3 pints or 6 half pints. You’ll need roughly 12 medium peaches (about 4 pounds) to yield the 4 cups of juice required.
Juice yield can vary depending on the ripeness and variety of your peaches. Freestone peaches are easier to pit than clingstone, though both work fine for juice extraction since you’re cooking everything down anyway.
Serving Ideas
Peach syrup is a natural at breakfast: drizzle it over pancakes, waffles, French toast, or biscuits. It’s also delicious spooned over vanilla ice cream, pound cake, or panna cotta. The pure peach flavor shines against simple, creamy backgrounds.
For drinks, peach syrup is the base for easy bellinis: just add sparkling wine. It’s also wonderful in iced tea, lemonade, or bourbon cocktails. Mix it with sparkling water for homemade peach soda that tastes nothing like the artificial stuff.
In savory applications, use peach syrup as a glaze for grilled or roasted pork, chicken, or duck. Brush it on during the last few minutes of cooking and let it caramelize. It pairs beautifully with a little heat from chili flakes or fresh ginger.
Peach Syrup FAQs
No, you don’t need to peel them. The skins cook down and strain out with the pulp. This saves a lot of time compared to canning peach halves or slices, where peeling is necessary.
Yellow-fleshed peaches work best for this syrup. White peaches have lower acidity and a more delicate flavor that doesn’t hold up as well to cooking. And, white fleshed peaches aren’t acidic enough for safe canning.
Yes! The strained pulp makes excellent fruit leather or can be pushed through a food mill to make peach butter or peach applesauce. You can also stir it into oatmeal or yogurt as-is.
Peach Canning Recipes
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Peach Syrup
Equipment
- Pint or Half Pint Mason Jars
- Canning lids and bands
- Large Stainless Steel Saucepan
- Jelly bag or cheesecloth
Ingredients
- 4 lbs peaches, about 12 medium, yellow-fleshed
- 2 cups water, for juice extraction
- 4 cups sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp lemon juice, optional, fresh or bottled, for flavor
Instructions
- Wash peaches well to remove fuzz. Pit and quarter them; no need to peel. Place in a large stainless steel saucepan.
- Add about 1/2 cup water per pound of peaches. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover loosely, and boil gently, stirring and crushing occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Do not overcook.
- Transfer to a dampened jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a deep bowl. Let drip undisturbed for at least 2 hours or overnight. Do not squeeze.
- In a large saucepan, combine peach juice and sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice if using.
- Ladle hot syrup into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims, center lids, and apply bands to fingertip tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes for pints or half pints, adjusting for altitude. Let stand in canner 5 minutes before removing.
Notes
Yield
4 cups juice + 4 cups sugar yields about 6 cups syrup (3 pints or 6 half pints). You’ll need about 12 medium peaches (roughly 4 lbs) for 4 cups of juice.Peach Variety
Use yellow-fleshed peaches for best results. White peaches have lower acidity and more delicate flavor. If using white peaches, add 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice.No Peeling Required
The skins cook down and strain out with the pulp, saving significant prep time.Altitude Adjustments
Processing times for half pints and pints are as follows:- 0 to 1,000 feet: 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 20 minutes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Fruit Syrup Canning Recipes
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