Sweet Pickled Peaches (or Nectarines)

Pretty pink syrupy fruit

This is my great-grandmother Shaw’s recipe for sweet pickled peaches. I remember my mom making these from the tiny white peaches that grew around our house when I was growing up, even if she doesn’t remember that.

So when my grandma (other side of the family) showed up with a 10-pound bag of not-quite-ripe nectarines picked from her tree, I knew immediately what I would do with them. This recipe is a great way to use not-quite-ripe fruit. As soon as the syrup started boiling, filling the kitchen with a very familiar sweet-sour cinnamon smell, I knew I made the right decision.

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Each fruit is impaled with a whole clove before cooking

These are best if you can let them cure in the jars for a couple of days before eating them on their own (mind the pits!) or serving alongside barbecue. Try the pickling syrup added to a gin and tonic or a rum and juice cocktail.

Pickled Peaches Recipe — Printable!

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Sweet Pickled Peaches (or Nectarines)

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5 from 1 review

Ingredients

Scale
  • 7 pounds peaches or nectarines
  • 3 3/4 pounds sugar
  • 1 quart (4 cups) white vinegar
  • 2 ounces whole cloves
  • 2 ounces cinnamon stick

Instructions

  1. Pare the peaches if you want (not necessary with nectarines).
  2. Poke a whole clove into each peach; use two cloves per peach if they’re big’uns.
  3. Combine sugar, vinegar, and cinnamon in a large pot and bring to boil, covered, over high heat. Boil 5 minutes.
  4. Add fruit and cover. Set timer for 10 minutes. The pot should be boiling again after 5 minutes. Allow fruit to boil another 5 minutes.
  5. Scoop fruit out and into wide-mouth jars.
  6. Boil syrup another 5 minutes, then pour over fruit.
  7. Seal and cool.
  8. Makes 10 quarts

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Original recipe card!

 

 

 

27 responses to “Sweet Pickled Peaches (or Nectarines)”

  1. Ashley R. Avatar
    Ashley R.

    Would this recipe work with Apple Cider Vinegar? Do you think the flavor would be too much or overwhelming? I usually don’t keep white vinegar on hand, except for cleaning.

    Thanks!

    1. Hilah Avatar
      Hilah

      I think the flavor would work very well, Ashley!

      1. Liz Brandt Avatar
        Liz Brandt

        I noticed you said just let cool after filling and capping the jars. Do you not put them in a water bath, or did I read past something? I would want to process in a way that I could keep them several months. I’m not a fan of pressure cookers

        1. Hilah Avatar

          I haven’t ever tried to water process these. I just pour the boiling syrup over, then cap and cool. They usually pop down as they cool, but they would not be shelf stable. I keep them in the fridge.

  2. Carolyn Avatar

    Thank you, refreshing site. Will try to stay connected thru recipes or something. Our peaches didn’t
    turn out to good, but first time for making pickled peaches. I now know why Grandma always used whole peaches. These peaches were small, the recipe was for a two day ordeal, and they would have been perfect but were over ripe Clings, so they didn’t ring properly when we cut them in half. Used the smashed parts for jam, so we didn’t waste anything. Anyway thank you for your recipe, that I will use later when the other tree of clings get ripe. We have an abundance of garden and fruit. Froze yellow crookneck squash with cornmeal, and shredded zucchini today. Need to can tomatoes and freeze 2 ft. long green beans ( love these Chinese beans). Thanks again, kind of long winded once I get started.
    Carolyn

    1. Hilah Avatar

      Oh yes, Carolyn, that’s a great point about small peaches being too much trouble to section. Thanks for reminding me of this recipe 🙂 I’ll have to make them soon with some local peaches.

  3. Dill pickle queen! Avatar

    Do these jars need to be processed like traditional canning requires? If not, how long will these last for if kept in a refrigerator?

    1. Hilah Avatar

      We always just poured the hot liquid in and sealed them. As long as they pop down, they are good on the shelf for a couple months at least but I bet you will eat them faster than that 🙂

  4. Stechen Avatar
    Stechen

    Did you know a peach can be blanched and peeled like a tomato? No loss of glorious peachy goodness

    1. Hilah Avatar

      Yes! 😀 I don’t think I would peel pickled peaches, though, since they would probably disintigrate

  5. Win Avatar
    Win

    The recipe says to pare the peaches but you say you wouldn’t peel pickled peaches. Im confused. Sorry…Do I peel the peaches before pickling them?

    1. Hilah Avatar

      Sorry for the confusion. I don’t peel them, but the original recipe from my great-grandmother said to peel them. I double-checked with my mom and grandma and they both agree peeling is optional and the peaches stay together better when left unpeeled.

  6. kathy Avatar
    kathy

    Oh, the recipe card!!! I have an abundance of not quite ready peaches (still!) so I’m going to try this. This will be our last year with the peach tree- selling the house after losing mom in January- I’m trying to make use of every peach possible…and it has been a record year for them! Thanks for this <3

  7. Myrna Avatar
    Myrna

    When you add your fruit and cover, you actually only have the fruit in the syrup for 10 minutes, correct? Always loved my Grandmas! Giving this a try with my small peaches!

    1. Hilah Avatar

      Right! Basically, once the syrup starts boiling, you want to let it boil for 5 minutes. It takes about 5 minutes to come to boil, usually, so 10 minutes total. Enjoy these pickled peaches! I should make some again, too!

  8. Myrna Avatar
    Myrna

    Thanks, can’t wait to make them!

  9. Ann Avatar
    Ann

    I have a bunch of green peaches that are small and are not going to ripen. Can I use them in this recipe and whole?

    1. Hilah Avatar

      I think this recipe is perfect to use those last peaches. I’ve done it with small green nectarines and they were great

      1. Ann F Avatar
        Ann F

        Great! I cant wait to get started. One more question. Can I water bath can them. I have so many I cant possibly eat them all in a couple of weeks

    2. Ann Avatar
      Ann

      Can I water can them?

      1. Hilah Avatar

        Sure! I don’t see any reason you couldn’t, but I have not tried it

        1. Ann Avatar
          Ann

          Im happy to report I just finished water bath canning my first batch of these. They came out fabulous! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I think these would be great with a little ice cream. Yummy! My bf has a peach tree that produces peaches. However the peaches never get very large and they fall off the tree before they can truly rippen. A fantastic way to make the best of the fruit. No waste here! Yayyyy

          1. Hilah Avatar

            Marvelous! Thanks for letting me know, Ann. So happy you like these. They’re one of my favorite things. If you drink alcohol, add a little of the syrup to a gin and club soda, too 🙂

  10. Ann Avatar
    Ann

    I’m thinking the syrup would be a fantastic addition to a vodka peach martini

  11. Lorraine Bennett Avatar
    Lorraine Bennett

    I have prepped the fruit for this recipe.But question -is it to be served as a dessert dish or savoury -with meat etc?

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