Perfect Old-Fashioned Peach Pie

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 08/21/23
Tested by
Kayla Hoang
Photo of Kayla Hoang
Tested by Kayla Hoang
Kayla Hoang is a freelance recipe developer, writer, and baker whose Bangladeshi and Vietnamese roots influence all she does. Her life revolves around food and she can almost always be found waiting by the oven for a fresh batch of cookies.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Peach Pie

The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 75 mins
Cool Time: 2 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 9-inch pie

Every bite of this luscious peach pie is a celebration of summer. This pie is not demanding—if you don't have time to make a batch of homemade pastry, make it with store-bought pastry sheets. Peel the peaches or leave them unpeeled—the peach skins soften nicely as the filling cooks. Either way, everyone will fall instantly in love with this pie.

Make It How You Like It

Feel free to put your own special spin on the filling. Add a touch of spice to the pie filling with a dash of ground cinnamon or a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg. Or add a handful of fresh blueberries to the filling for a pop of color and extra flavor. Nectarines are an excellent alternative to peaches since their flavor and texture are so similar.

Serving Peach Pie

Serve peach pie à la mode with a big scoop of vanilla or peach ice cream or offer lightly sweetened whipped cream to go with it. A drizzle of caramel sauce would be an excellent finishing touch.

Tips for Making a Perfect Peach Pie

  • Choose ripe peaches—Firm, ripe peaches are the best choice for a pie. A ripe peach will have a slightly sweet aroma and will have some give when gently squeezed.
  • How to ripen peaches—If your peaches aren't ripe, put them in a brown paper bag in a single layer. Place the bag on the countertop and leave it at room temperature for a day or two. Once the peaches are ripe, store them in the refrigerator until it's time to eat them or use them in a recipe.
  • What kind of peaches to use—There are many varieties of peaches, including yellow, white, clingstone, freestone, and semi-freestone. Yellow peaches are the most flavorful and the best choice for pie.

"Make the most of those summer peaches with this easy peach pie. I like an extra hit of lemon juice to really brighten the filling and bring out the flavor of the peaches. Don’t be afraid to really push the baking time to yield the most golden and perfectly baked top (and bottom!) crust." —Kayla Hoang

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A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 (9-inch) pie crusts, store-bought or homemade pastry

  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 dash salt

  • 2 1/2 pounds fresh peaches, 6 to 8 peaches, about 5 to 6 cups sliced

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, diced into small pieces

  • 1 large egg yolk

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Position the rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 425 F.

    Peach Pie ingredients

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  2. Line a 9-inch pie plate with a sheet of pastry. Place the pie plate in the refrigerator until you are ready to fill it.

    pie crust in a pie pan

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  3. In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt; mix well. Add the sliced peaches and lemon juice to the sugar and flour mixture; toss to combine thoroughly and let stand for 5 minutes.

    combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt with peaches in a bowl

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  4. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and fill it with the peach filling mixture—dot with the diced butter.

    pie crust, peach mixture and butter

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  5. Top the pie with the second pie pastry sheet; trim and crimp the edge. Cut a few vents in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.

    pie crust on top of the peach pie

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  6. Mix the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water and lightly brush over the crust.

    pie crust brushed with egg wash

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  7. Bake the pie at 425 F for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375 F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Check on the crust from time to time and use a pie shield or tent the pie loosely with a sheet of foil if it is browning too quickly.

    baked peach pie

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

  8. Cool the pie on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

    baked peach pie on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Nyssa Tanner

How to Store Peach Pie

  • Store a fresh peach pie, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for about 2 days at room temperature or up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
  • To freeze the whole peach pie, place it in the freezer until frozen, wrap it in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze it for up to 4 months.
  • To reheat a frozen peach pie, let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours, then unwrap it and reheat in a preheated 375 F oven for about 25 minutes, or until warm.

How to Crimp a Double Crust Pie

When lining the pie plate with the pastry, leave a slight overhang. After filling the pie shell, place the top pie pastry sheet on the top, leaving a slightly larger overhang. Pinch the top and bottom overhangs together and roll them under to create an edge; crimp as desired.

Recipe Variations

  • Add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg to the flour and sugar mixture.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon of apple pie spice to the flour and sugar mixture.
  • Make the pie with an equal amount of sliced fresh nectarines instead of peaches.
  • For a firmer crust with slightly less color, swap out the egg yolk with an egg white.


Why is my peach pie runny?

  • If you didn't use enough thickener—flour, cornstarch, or tapioca flour—your pie might be runny.
  • If you didn't bake your pie long enough, the thickener in the filling might not have had time to set.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
490 Calories
20g Fat
74g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 490
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 25%
Saturated Fat 7g 33%
Cholesterol 50mg 17%
Sodium 302mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 74g 27%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 38g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 10mg 48%
Calcium 35mg 3%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 364mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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