Southern Peach Pie

You need to know one thing before I show you how to make the best peach pie ever. I hate baking pies. But I love peach season… so…

I hate baking pies. There, I said it! Why? Because I hate homemade pie crust!

Loathe it. I was dreading making this darn thing for days knowing I’d have to handle pie crust. I’m all about fresh fruit filling, but the crust. BUMMER.

But let me tell you… it was worth it. Juicy peaches in a flaky, buttery crust, just give me a spoon and I’ll eat it right out of the pan!

Peach lovers rejoice, because there is nothing better than a slice of fresh peach pie on a warm summer day; and I’m about to tell you how to make the best one.

Pie Crust

Over the years I’ve given up on perfectly beautiful homemade crusts with pinched edges and decided that rustic, uneven edge was actually more beautiful.

I’ve found ways to make my rough pies look decent, at best. You only look at them for a few moments before digging in, so really, what is the point?

PRO TIP: If this easy peach pie recipe is still not up your alley, the peach filling can also be used in a peach cobbler.

Simply place in a baking dish with a crumble topping and bake until top crust is light brown. Quick and easy! Recipe in notes…

You can also make an easy lattice topping. While it looks sophisticated, it is actually pretty easy. Lattice allows steam and liquid to evaporate better than a fully covered (even with a slit) pie, so you are less likely to have the issues of a soupy pie.

How To Make a Lattice Crust

I’ve given up on making my own pie crust. Making and rolling it uniformly is half the battle. So why not relieve some of the stress and just go get some premade pie crust?

1. Grab a box and make sure it is super cold – this makes it easier to work with. In fact, place pieces you aren’t using in the fridge.
2. Roll out one of pie crusts and drape it into the pie plate as the bottom crust. The dough should extend beyond the rim slightly, don’t trim it yet.
3. On a lightly floured, clean surface, roll out (or unroll) the other half of your pie dough.
4. Cut the dough into even strips about 1/2-inch wide. You can use a knife or pizza cutter. I like using a ruler because I am a little OCD.
5. Fill your pie shell with the peach pie filling. Lay out half of the strips parallel to each other. Fold back every other strip about half.
6. Place another strip of dough along the edge and fold back the folded over strips. It should look woven.
7. Hold back the strips that were not folded previously and do this again. Continue until the whole pie is woven- also known as lattice.
8. Using an egg wash, stick the pieces down to the edge of the pie and press lightly or crimp.
9. Trim the excess pie crust.

Ingredients

• Peaches – I like to use fresh ripe peaches and I do peel them before adding. If you don’t want to use the boil/steam method, use a sharp paring knife to cut off the skins. If they are ultra juicy, I’ll place them in a colander to drain for about an hour before tossing with other ingredients.
• Sugar – Although peaches are fairly sweet on their own, this delicious peach pie needs a little added sugar to make the peach mixture the best.
• Cornstarch – This helps to keep the homemade peach pie filling hold together.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg – Spices for peach pie vary greatly, but nearly all include cinnamon. I also like a little nutmeg, but you can use allspice or even pumpkin or apple pie spice if you like. Also try adding a teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract.
• Lemon juice – Lemon juice is acid that brings out sweet flavors of sugar and cinnamon and also prevents oxidation (browning).
• Unsalted butter – I always prefer to use unsalted butter when baking, but you can always use salted if that’s all you have on hand.
• Premade pie crusts – Again, I’m going for easy here, so I prefer to use premade. But if you’re feeling adventurous, feel free to make your own.
• Egg – Adding an egg wash on top of the pie crust helps to create that perfectly shiny and golden brown color.

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tips and tricks to ensure you do have the best peach pie ever.

ONE. Make sure your peaches are ripe, but not too ripe. Look for peaches that are about a day or two away from being good to eat.

These are easier to peel and also don’t have as much liquid. I’ve heard many folks complain about their peach pie being too watery and this is one of the culprits.

TWO. Add cornstarch! Most southern peach pies have either cornstarch or flour, I’ve even seen some with both. That seems like overkill to me, but whatever- either way, you need a binder and something to soak up the extra peachy liquid and cornstarch seems to work the best in my opinion.

THREE. Peel those peaches! This step will actually be the longest in your peach pie making journey, but have no fear, it is super easy.

FOUR. Why do you dot fruit pies with butter? Old school pie bakers will tell you that it is to prevent the pie filling from boiling over, but in a side by side test, it really makes no difference.

That being said, I still do it because it adds richness to the peach pie filling, or any other fruit pie filling. You can omit the butter if you’d like.

FIVE. Place your pie on a baking sheet to get it in and out of the oven. One reason only- to prevent the pie filling from bubbly over. It is a sugary mess and will burn. It is also just easier and your oven mitt won’t end up covered in peach pie filling and your golden crust won’t get messed up.

SIX. Make is southern. What makes a peach pie a southern peach pie? As far as I can tell, the addition of raspberry sauce and being served a la mode (with a scoop of vanilla ice cream).

Some say because it originated in Georgia, hello Georgia peaches! While I like raspberry sauce, it is a little too sweet for me on this pie, so I opt to garnish it with fresh raspberries. Your choice!

SEVEN. And lastly, let that pie cool completely! I know it is tempting. The bubbly, sweet fragrance is intoxicating, but let it cool. This goes for all fruit pies. They need to settle and set.

The pie filling will be liquidy and HOT. Cooling allows it to thicken so your pie doesn’t just blob all over the place.

Storage and Freezing

You can store this Southern Peach Pie in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap for up to three days. The bottom pie crust will start to get soggy after that.

You can also freeze this pie for up to three months.

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Southern Peach Pie

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Southern Peach Pie a traditional peach pie using fresh peaches baked in a flaky, buttery lattice crust. 

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Cooling Time: 2 hrs

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Servings: 12

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Ingredients

• 5-6 peaches , peeled
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 premade pie crusts
• 1 egg , lightly beaten
• raspberry sauce , for serving, optional
• vanilla bean ice cream , for serving, optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• If using fresh peaches, follow these directions to peel your peaches. If your pie plate is shallow, use 5 peaches. For a deep pie plate, use 6. 
• Cu the peaches into wedges, discard the pit, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Toss the cut peaches with the sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and lemon juice. The cornstarch will vary based on how many peaches you use. Four to five peaches, use 3 tablespoons and five to six, use 4 tablespoons. 
• Unroll one pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Fill the crust with the peaches mixture.
• Cut the butter into small pieces and dot on the top of the peach pie filling.
• Either unroll the whole pie crust on top of the filling, pinching edges to seal and cutting a few slits in the top OR create a lattice pattern using strips.
• Brush the top of your pie crust with the lightly beaten egg. Discard the rest. 
• Bake for 45 minutes, checking about 20-25 in to make sure the top crust isn’t burning. If it is browning too fast, loosely over with a piece of aluminum foil.
• Remove and allow to sit at room temperture for at least 3 hours before serving.
• Serve with vanilla bean ice cream, fresh raspberries or raspberry sauce.
• If you've tried this recipe, make sure to come back and let us know how you liked it in the comments or star ratings!

Video

Notes

For alternate crumble topping: 

With a fork, mash together 1 cup flour with 1 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup cold diced butter. Crumble onto the top of the pie evenly and bake as instructed. 

Nutrition

Calories: 216 kcal, Carbohydrates: 30 g, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 18 mg, Sodium: 121 mg, Potassium: 151 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 13 g, Vitamin A: 280 IU, Vitamin C: 5.1 mg, Calcium: 11 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Author: Jessica Formicola

Calories: 216

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: peach pie, southern peach pie