Classic Peach Summer Dessert (Printable version)

Juicy peaches baked in a flaky golden crust, ideal served warm with vanilla ice cream.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pie Crust

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 6 to 8 tbsp ice water

→ Peach Filling

06 - 6 cups ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
09 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
12 - 1/4 tsp salt
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Assembly

14 - 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
15 - 1 tbsp coarse sugar (optional, for sprinkling)

# How To Make:

01 - Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until dough just comes together. Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
02 - Toss sliced peaches with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes.
03 - Heat the oven to 400°F.
04 - Roll one dough disc on a floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Transfer to dish and trim excess dough.
05 - Pour the peach filling evenly into the crust.
06 - Roll the second dough disc and place over filling. Trim and seal edges by crimping. Cut slits or create a lattice for ventilation.
07 - Brush the top crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
08 - Bake for 50 minutes until crust is golden and filling bubbles. Cover edges with foil if browning too fast.
09 - Let pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to allow filling to set.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The filling turns jammy and golden in the oven, with just enough spice to make each bite interesting without covering up the peach flavor.
  • The crust is buttery and flaky, and it holds up beautifully even when the juices start bubbling through the slits.
  • It's the kind of dessert that makes people linger at the table, scraping their plates and asking if there's more.
02 -
  • If your peaches aren't quite ripe enough, they won't release enough juice and the filling will taste dry and starchy instead of jammy.
  • Don't skip the chilling step for the dough, warm dough shrinks in the oven and turns greasy instead of flaky.
  • If the edges of your crust start browning too fast, cover them loosely with strips of foil so the center can catch up.
03 -
  • Freeze your butter for 15 minutes before cutting it into the flour, it makes the crust even flakier and easier to work with.
  • Brush the bottom crust with a thin layer of beaten egg white before adding the filling to keep it from getting soggy.
  • If you're nervous about rolling out dough, roll it between two sheets of parchment paper so it doesn't stick and you can peel the paper off easily.
Return