Move over S’mores – grilled peaches is one of the most delightful and delicious summer desserts. Learn how to grill peaches that you’ll want to have every night after dinner in this post!
Weekend backyard grilling is basically a summer pastime, and we’ve gotten very good at it this summer.
Recently, I’ve been experimenting with desserts you can do on the grill. Besides s’mores, the official dessert of campfires and grills everywhere, peaches should be top on the list of must-do summer desserts.
They are so easy to do, they require no prep, and they cook on a grill that is cooling down from the heat of burgers and chicken. They are perfect.
Is it hard to grill peaches?
Grilling peaches is so easy.
Simply slice the peach in two (or more if you have to cut around the occasional bruise like I did).
Coat in olive oil or vegetable oil. Places the peaches skin side up to start, for 4-5 minutes. Then gently turn them over using tongs or a grill spatula.
Leave them to grill skin side down for 5-6 minutes. You leave them a little longer on this side because the grill might be a little cooler, and the heat needs to permeate the skin.
Do I need to peel my peaches?
You actually want to leave the skin on the peach. It helps keep the peach intact on the grill, and gives it structure. When you eat the peach, you can eat the peel if you want, but the peel mostly separates from the peach and peels itself, so it’s easy to separate. I like to separate mine, but my husband doesn’t care and just eats the whole delicious dessert!
How will I know they’re done?
The goal of grilling peaches is to get them hot enough to release their juices and give the sugars a chance to caramelize, making them sweet bowls of yum.
When they cook skin side up, try not to move them, because it will interfere with the gorgeous grill lines, and tear the flesh a little bit.
Trust your instinct, and give it time. When they’re ready to turn, they will start to shine and drip juice onto the grill. They’ll tell you with the sizzle.
When you turn them over gently, let them cook a minute or two longer than they cooked flesh side down. As they get closer to being done, they’ll begin to visibly soften and collapse just a little.
What should I serve with my peaches?
These peaches are amazing on their own. The cooking brings out a richness to the peach that you don’t get from a raw peach, and the flavor is the perfect, simple finish to a meaty dinner.
Even so, they’re also really good with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of ice cream. But don’t feel like you need ice cream for this dessert to work! What makes it work is its simplicity.
How to Grill Peaches
Ingredients and Instructions
- 2-3 peaches, sliced in two and pitted
- 2 tablespoons olive (not extra virgin) or vegetable oil, for coating
Right before cooking, slice the peaches along the seam and pit them. Coat them in oil for cooking, being sure to give them a thick, even coating. I prefer to toss them in a gallon size Ziplock bag along with the oil and gently rub the oil into the peach. This reduces mess, which is critical when you might be in the backyard, far from access to a sink. Don’t use extra virgin olive oil, as the smoke point is lower and may cause the peaches to taste burnt and smoky.
Grill the peaches skin side up for 5-6 minutes. When they begin to sizzle and shine, turn them over onto their skin and cook for another 6-7 minutes, or until they soften and lose a little bit of their shape.
Serve immediately, with or without a garnish of whipped cream or ice cream. If you don’t have room to eat all the peaches you’ve grilled, they can be reheated in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and they still taste great the second time around.
Grilled Peaches
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2-3 peaches, sliced in two and pitted
- 2 tablespoons olive (not extra virgin) or vegetable oil, for coating
Instructions
Right before cooking, slice the peaches along the seam and pit them. Coat them in oil for cooking, being sure to give them a thick, even coating. I prefer to toss them in a gallon size Ziplock bag along with the oil and gently rub the oil into the peach. This reduces mess, which is critical when you might be in the backyard, far from access to a sink. Don’t use extra virgin olive oil, as the smoke point is lower and may cause the peaches to taste burnt and smoky.
Grill the peaches skin side up for 5-6 minutes. When they begin to sizzle and shine, turn them over onto their skin and cook for another 6-7 minutes, or until they soften and lose a little bit of their shape.
Serve immediately, with or without a garnish of whipped cream or ice cream. If you don’t have room to eat all the peaches you’ve grilled, they can be reheated in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and they still taste great the second time around.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 111Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g
Please verify this information with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Do Peaches Need to Be Ripe to Grill?
It’s important to make sure your peach isn’t too ripe, actually! You want a peach that’s ripe enough to have great flavor but firm enough to not totally fall apart on the grill.
What are some variations for this recipe?
If you want to add a little bit of a different flavor or caramelization, you could add cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, or brown sugar before you put them on the grill.
Grilled peaches would be fantastic to use in a peach crisp or peach cobbler recipe as well.
How Long Do Grilled Peaches Last?
When refrigerated in an air-tight container, you should be able to keep them for up to a week.
Can You Freeze Grilled Peaches?
We would definitely recommend eating these fresh, however, you can freeze them for later! Be aware that you should carefully defrost them, as they can get mushy easily. If you’re interested in using your frozen peaches for a delicious recipe, you might want to try our delicious freezer peach salsa. It’s a tasty way to preserve the wonderful taste of peaches and enjoy them in a different culinary creation.
other summer you may enjoy:
- Grilled Watermelon
- 5 Ingredient BLT Pasta Salad
- Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice – Cafe Rio Copycat
- Easy Fresh Peach Salsa Recipe
- Easy Avocado, Corn, and Black Bean Salad
- Easy Snickers Salad with Apple
- 4-Ingredient Pesto Pasta Salad
- Easy Red Skin Potato Salad with Bacon (Stove and Instant Pot Instructions)
- Easy Tortellini Pasta Salad
Grilled peaches are a great way to end any summer meal. This simple recipe can be used in various recipes or just eaten as is (though a dollop of whipped cream never hurts!)
- About the Author
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Natalie Clark( Simply Side Dish Editor )
Natalie Clark is a mother of three children and a cooking enthusiast. She can often be found concocting delicious meals for family and friends in her kitchen. Homemade cookies are what she’s made for. From working in Washington DC to being a stay-at-home mom and part-time editor, Natalie has done it all. Through her life adventures, she’s developed her cooking skills and has developed some of the most popular recipes on Simply Side Dishes.
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