This is a fabulous way to enjoy peaches year-round! Learn how to can and preserve fresh summer peaches with a water bath canner in this step by step tutorial. All you need are 3 ingredients and a few simple tools.

canned peaches ready for water bath processing

Canned peaches were a staple in my house growing up and I have fond memories of my mother putting up the peaches every fall. Looking back, I remember the canning process consuming the kitchen and I translated that into an assumption that it must be difficult, but that turns out to not be the case. Messy and time consuming? Yes. Difficult? Not at all! 

And the reward is seasonal fruit that can be enjoyed all year long, well worth the small price in my opinion. There’s nothing like opening up a jar of canned summer peaches in January!

In this post I’m going walk you through the whole canning process, step by step! I’ll show you just how easy and doable it is. If you’ve got access to fresh peaches and a large pot, you’re halfway there. So clear yourself a few hours and let’s get to work!

canned peaches in jars

Table of Contents

Equipment for canning peaches

fresh peaches on a scale

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Fresh ripe yellow peaches— look for “freestone peaches”  (not “cling peaches”) as these will release easily from the peach pit. White peaches are not recommended as their low acidic content is not ideal for canning.
  • Sugar— is used to create a syrup to pack the peaches in. It can be a light, medium or heavy syrup depending on the amount of sugar used. You can also honey (see recipe below).
  • Lemon juice— to keep the peaches from browning as you work with them.
  • Water
peaches ready for canning

How to can peaches

This method has been tried and true for me, and I have confirmed with the National Center for Home Food Preservation that these instructions for preserving peaches are safe and correct (see the link for more info). 

Prep jars and water bath

  1. Gather everything you need. Make sure you have enough jars, new canning lids, and any other canning equipment ready.
  2. Sterilize jars and lids. Place clean jars and lids into a large pot of boiling water or water bath canner for a few minutes, then transfer to a clean towel to drain.
  3. Get water bath ready. It should already be hot from sterilizing your jars, so reduce heat to low until ready to process the jars.

Prep peaches

  1. Start with fresh, ripe peaches. They should be ripe, but firm. You don’t want them to be rock hard, and you also don’t want them overripe and mushy. 
  2. Carve an X into the bottom of the peaches. You don’t need to cut them very deep, focus on the skins. This will help you peel them later.
  3. Quickly blanch peaches in hot water. Dip the peaches a few at a time into a large pot of boiling water. Count to 30 and remove them promptly. This cooks the peels and the very outer layer of flesh, which helps the peels to slip right off.blanched peach removed from boiling water
  4. Immediately transfer to ice water. Have a bowl of ice and water ready for the peaches. Putting them in a large bowl of ice water immediately stops the cooking process. blanches peaches in water bath and ready to be peeled
  5. Peel peaches. Use your finger to rub at one corner created by the X. The peels should come off easily, but a small knife may be necessary for any stubborn peels.peeling peach starting at the X
  6. Prevent peaches from browning. Once peaches are peeled, return them to the bowl of cold water and add lemon juice to prevent the peaches from browning. 
  7. Slice the peaches and remove pits. You may also want to scrape out the inner red flesh as it will brown over time and become unsightly. Keep the peaches in the anti-browning solution whenever you’re not working with them.slicing and peeling peaches for canning

Make syrup and add to jars with peaches

  1. Make sugar syrup. Combine water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Keep syrup warm over low heat.
  2. Fill jars with peaches and syrup. Pack the peaches tightly into the jars and pour the warm syrup over the top. Leave 1/2 inch headspace at the top of each jar, don’t fill them up completely. Tap the jars on the counter to remove air bubbles. adding peaches and syrup to canning jars
  3. Cover jars with lids and rings. Wipe the rims of the jar clean, top with lids, and screw rings on tightly.

Process peaches

  1. Add jars to water bath and process. Use tongs to carefully transfer the jars into the water bath. Bring to a boil and let the jars process in boiling water for 25 minutes (or longer at higher elevation, see recipe). jars in water bath
  2. Remove and cool. Use the tongs to lift the jars out of the water bath and let them cool on a towel away from drafts or cooler temperatures.
  3. Ensure lids are sealed. Once jars have cooled, you can remove the rings. Test the seals by pressing on the lids, they should not pop back up. If they pop back up, the jars are not sealed properly and should be stored in the fridge and consumed within 1 week.canned peaches in jars
  4. Store properly. And enjoy your fresh summer peaches all year long!

How to store canned peaches

Once cooled, jars should be stored in a clean dry place away from direct sunlight. Temperatures should ideally be between 50° and 70°F.

How long will canned peaches last? If properly preserved and stored, canned peaches will be at their best for up to 1-2 years, but may keep for even longer. If you see signs of mold, discoloration on the peaches, or if the jars show signs of leaking or rust, your peaches have likely gone bad and they should be thrown out.

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Get the recipe for canned peaches

canned peaches ready for water bath processing
5 from 5 reviews

How to Can Peaches

Servings: 5 pint jars
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Here's a completely tutorial on how to preserve fresh summer peaches at home so that you can enjoy them year round!
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Ingredients
 

  • 4 lbs (1.8 kg) peaches
  • 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice
  • 1-2 cups (200-400 grams) granulated sugar (see Notes)
  • 1 quart ((950 ml)) water

Equipment

Water Bath Canner
Mason Jars
Jar Lifters
Wide Mouth Funnel

Instructions
 

  • Prepare jars, lids and rings by sterilizing for a few minutes over the stove in a water bath canner or pot filled with boiling water. Transfer jars, lids and rings to a towel to drain until ready to use. Keep water warm over low heat.
  • With a paring knife, slice a shallow "x" into the bottom of each peach. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop a few peaches into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peaches from the water and immediately place them in the ice water. Repeat with the remaining peaches.
  • Fill another large bowl (or reuse the bowl with ice water in it) with clean water and add the lemon juice.
  • Starting with the corners of the "x" on the bottom of the peaches, use your fingers to peel the skin off. Place the peeled peaches in the lemon water to prevent them from browning.
  • Slice the peaches and discard the pits. If desired, scrape the red flesh from the cavities (as it browns over time after canning). Return the peaches to the lemon water while you prepare the syrup.
  • In a large saucepan, combine the quart of water and sugar over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Keep warm over low heat.
  • Place the sliced peaches in sterilized jars, packing them fairly tightly. Pour the hot syrup over the peaches into the jars, leaving ½ inch head space. Wipe the tops of the jars clean and cover with lids and secure with rings.
  • Use jar lifters or tongs to transfer jars carefully into the water bath canner or pot, making sure the water fully covers the jars. Bring water to a boil, process jars for 25 minutes, making sure the jars are completely covered with boiling water the entire time. (See Notes for adjustments required if you are above sea level.)
  • Remove from the water bath and let cool completely. Check lids to see if the jars sealed correctly, they shouldn't pop back up when pressed. Once cooled, store in a cool dry place and consume within a year for best results.

Notes

  • This recipe can easily be scaled up as needed if you have more peaches you’d like to can! If needed, process in batches if all of the jars don’t fit in your water bath canner at the same time.
  • The amount of sugar in this recipe can be adjusted per your preference. If you like a lighter syrup, use the smaller amount. 
  • In place of the sugar you can also use ½-1 cup honey in the syrup. Start with the lower amount and add more as needed, as honey has a stronger flavor.
  • Processing time adjustments for higher altitude canning: 0-1,000ft—25 minutes. 1,001-3,000ft—30 minutes. 3,001-6,000ft—35 minutes. Above 6,000ft—40 minutes.
  • Official safety canning information for peaches can be found on the National Center for Home Food Preservation website.
Calories: 451kcal, Carbohydrates: 115g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 10mg, Potassium: 689mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 110g, Vitamin A: 1183IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Snack
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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