Caramelized Skillet Peaches Made In 20 Minutes (2024)

It's time to take skillet-fried peaches and turn these caramelized peaches served with ice cream into a new unmatched experience. They also make the perfect partnership with coffee and whipped cream. But, of course, they are good on French toast and their own too.

Summertime has arrived again, which means there is no better time than now to enjoy some good old-fashioned vanilla ice cream.

What could be sweeter? Imagine serving a scoop of your favorite homemade ice cream with deliciously juicy caramelized peaches.

Or imagine topping off your cast iron skillet with warm caramelized peaches and luscious caramel sauce with generously scooped delicious frozen goodness. The same applies to caramelized apples and pan-fried bananas.

These beautiful fruity servings make any evening special - whether it is just for two people indulging after dinner or as an addition to family festivities around holidays.

Peaches and rosemary combination

The two are aromatically similar but not the same.

A lot of people don't like rosemary whatsoever, while others love the flavor.

It all depends on what you are looking for as far as tastes go!

If adding to brunches or salads, then either would be okay. However, if tossing them into savory dishes, it stands out more against dishes with bittersweet sauces.

The natural sweetness of peaches goes perfectly with this green herb. The rosemary taste compliments the fruit well, and it adds a layer of depth to an otherwise basic dish.

To discover, you should definitely try Peach Rosemary Galette! Its subtle flavors are delicious with a light-bodied white or rosé.

Warm peaches and ice cream

Do you know what goes great with ice cream? Peaches.

Do you know what else goes great with peaches? Caramelizing those peaches in a skillet and then topping them off with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.

It is an unbeatable flavor combination, and you are going to love this recipe as much as I do!

All you need are some fresh peaches, butter, honey, and rosemary.

The hardest part is waiting for the peaches to caramelize in a skillet – which only takes about 10 minutes!

Caramelization: honey vs. sugar

What are the differences between different types of caramelization?

Some recipes call for sugar (white or brown sugar), others - honey. As a result of this difference in ingredients, caramelized food tastes different too.

The difference in taste is due to the different caramelization reactions.

The hydrolysis of fructose from honey and glucose from sugar by heat would do much to explain why honey tastes significantly different from its more common counterpart, white sugar.

Honey also contains trace amounts of amino acids, such as lysine and phenylalanine, which break down into aromatic-tasting organic molecules.

An important distinction between sweetening with honey versus sugar is that when cooking or baking with honey, it takes more patience than using straight granulated sugar.

Why? Because it is solid at room temperature and becomes liquid only when heated.

In other words, you have to cook a dish longer for the flavor from the honey to come through completely.

Still, honey is actually a better choice because it caramelizes more evenly than sugar.

It has advantages over sugar because it is less sweet, so you can use less and not risk being too sweet.

Additionally, adding spices to the honey gives you an added layer of complexity in flavor.

Why you should try this recipe

• This caramelized peaches recipeis a perfect summer dessert served with ice cream, especially during peach season.

• This dessert is a no-bake one when you do not need to turn on theoven.

• It is the easiest dessert, requiring only four ingredients.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Peaches: use yellow or white ripe peaches, not overripe. Replace fresh peaches with nectarines or apricots if desired.

• Honey: the recipe calls for honey, the main ingredient of caramelization.

Use your favorite honey, but try to avoid buckwheat honey with a strong flavor profile.

• Rosemary: it brings a beautiful, refreshing flavor to this elegant dessert. Omit it if you are not a fan of this green herb, or replace it with a pinch of ground cinnamon.

• Butter: use unsalted butter to make this recipe.

• Vanilla ice cream: this ingredient is optional and is used for serving. It is up to you to use store-bought ice cream or make vanilla ice cream yourself.

Replace it with unsweetened, sugar-free whipped cream to decrease the carbs load.

How to caramelize peaches

Wash and dry peaches. Cut them in half, remove the pit, and slice peach halves into ½-inch/about 1.5 cm thick wedges.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peach slices in a single layer, honey, and rosemary (photo 1).

Cook to caramelize, occasionally stirring, for about 7 to 9 minutes (photo 2).

Let buttery peaches cool down before eating so as not to burn your mouth.

Then, serve warm peaches in a frying pan or on a plate with their caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream.

Expert Tips

1. Peel peaches if preferred. Read on how to remove peach skins in the FAQ section.
2. Chop rosemary needles finely if desired. They are a bit tough if left as a whole.
3. To bring a hint of cinnamon, add a pinch of ground cinnamon while cooking.
4. Top caramelized peaches with flaked almonds or coarsely crushed pistachios to bring additional texture and a different flavor profile.

Frequently asked questions

Love peach desserts? Try these next!

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.