Homemade Peach Syrup with Fresh Peaches

Hey all, let's take some super-ripe peaches and turn them into a special peach syrup. (Whattt? Yes, you really can make pancake syrup from scratch!) Today I'm sharing my cousin's recipe which leans into summer peaches to create a syrup that is thick and caramel-y, sweet with both peach juice and fresh peaches. Close your eyes to imagine drizzling Homemade Peach Syrup over pancakes on a Sunday morning, pouring it over ice cream any ol' night of the week. Ahhh yes, it's summer!

Peach Pancake Syrup Made at Home from Scratch, A Long-Time Family Favorite. A Great Way to Use Extra-Ripe Peaches. Budget Friendly, a Fruity Substitute for Pricey Maple Syrup. An Easy DIY, Great for Food Gifts.

~ PIN This Recipe ~

~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~

Let's Dream a Little ...

What would turn your kitchen into your dream kitchen? A total remodel? New appliances? New cupboards and counters?

Awhile back, I wrote a article about dream kitchens and learned that all those fancy new kitchens had something in common: built-in "recycling centers" – a designated spot to sort paper, glass, metal, etc.

That's fine.

But my dream kitchen needs just one thing: a ripening counter, a produce counter.

This time of year, this keep-nothing-on-the-counter cook becomes overwhelmed by the need to let tomatoes, peaches and other fruits ripen on the counter in paper bags and for a place to store other fresh produce from the garden at room temperature for a day or two.

Turns out, restaurants could use a ripening counter too. Last year, two peach desserts were oh-so-disappointing because the peaches were not even close to ripe. Peaches shouldn’t crunch, people!

PS Two years after first publishing this recipe, we did indeed remodel our kitchen, you might want to check out Ten Things I Love About Our New Kitchen. Did we make room for a ripening counter? No. :-(

About This Recipe

• Yes, you can make pancake syrup from scratch! This syrup highlights summer's best peaches, it's a thick and sweet, just like maple syrup except with peaches. If you like, make just the syrup or for extra peachy-ness, stir some chopped peaches into the hot syrup after it's thickened.
• Distinctive Ingredients = peaches (fresh & nectar)
• Short Ingredient List = the above + brown sugar + light corn syrup + salt + vanilla + butter
• It takes about 30 minutes to make this syrup, some of it is stay-close but hands-off time.
• This syrup contains no dyes, that means its color is not peach-y orange but brown like maple syrup.
• This is a budget-friendly recipe, especially compared to pricey maple syrup.
• The recipe makes about 2 cups and is easily scaled up or down.
• Not quite what you're looking for? Check out my Simple Sliced Peaches which uses way less sugar but are peach-y juicy.

---

---

Hungry Yet?
A Lazy Summer Morning's Breakfast Menu

Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee
Baked Bacon
Scrambled Eggs
Manna Café Oatcakes (Oatmeal Pancakes)
with
Homemade Peach Syrup
(recipe below)
with Fresh Peach Slices
(if not adding peaches to the syrup)

---

---

You Might Wonder Be Wondering ...

Have another question? Ask away, I'll do my best to answer!

• What about substituting fresh nectarines? Yes! Peaches and nectarines are so similar, a substitution is a definite good idea. Just be sure the nectarines are ripe. Good news, I kinda sorta think that nectarines ripen a little more quickly than peaches. But ... I don't think you'll find "nectarine nectar" though hmmm, I take it back, there is nectarine nectar (say that quickly three times) out there.


• What about substituting fresh mango? Yes! Again just be sure the mangoes are ripe. And there's definitely mango juice / mango nectar to be found though if you just have mangoes, the recipe below shares how to make your own.


• What about substituting fresh apricots? Yes! Again, ripeness is key.


• What other substitutes might work? Let's think. Peaches, nectarines, mangos and apricots are obvious replacements because the ripe fruit has similar consistency and big flavor. But let's move past the obvious choices, contemplating fruits that purée well and have big flavor.
• What about fresh figs? Yes, I think so.
• Pineapple? Yes, I think so.
• Strawberries? Maybe not, since strawberries are so watery.
• Blueberries? I adore blueberries but I'm thinking not but sure hope I'm wrong!
• Raspberries? Yes but me, I'd probably just go with my own tried-and-true recipe for Raspberry-Red Wine Coulis (Reduction Sauce).
• Blackberries? Yes but again, I'd repurpose the Blackberry Sauce from this recipe, Homemade Frozen Yogurt with Blackberry Sauce.
• Cherries? Yes but I'd go with this three-fruit combo, Peach, Cherry & Blueberry Fruit Sauce or Fruit Soup.

For Best Results

For my weekly column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, I interviewed chefs and translated their restaurant recipes for home kitchens. The most illuminating question? "How can a home cook ensure the same results?" So now I ask that question of myself, too, for my own recipes. Have another question? Ask away, I'll do my best to answer!

Use Ripe Peaches Really Ripe Peaches. If your peaches are hard or even firm, they're probably not ready for eating, let alone cooking or baking with.

To speed the ripening process along, place the peaches in a paper bag (add an apple or banana to help even more) and keep the bag at room temperature on the counter for a few days, checking every day to see how they're coming along. See? This is why our dream kitchens need ripening counters!

If you buy peaches at the store, it can take a week or more for the peaches to ripen.

If you buy peaches at a farmstand or farmers market, you might luck out if the vendor keeps "really ripe" or "seconds" peaches under the counter. The fruit may be bruised and imperfect (and you might end up discarding some spots which are too terribly bruised and brown) but the taste will be incomparable.

Bookmark! PIN! Share!

How do you save and share favorite recipes? recipes that fit your personal cooking style? a particular recipe your mom or daughter or best friend would just love? If this recipe for homemade pancake syrup inspires you, please do save and share! I'd be honored ...

~ PIN This Recipe ~

---

HOMEMADE PEACH SYRUP RECIPE

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Makes 2 cups syrup

SYRUP
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup peach nectar (see ALANNA's TIPS)
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon butter (see TIPS)

PEACHES
• 2 or more ripe peaches, optional but wonderful

SYRUP In a large saucepan (see TIPS), combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, peach nectar and salt. Bring to a fast boil and let cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla (it will sizzle) and butter until the butter melts. Let cool a bit.

PEACHES While the syrup cooks, blanch and peel the peaches. (To "blanch" the peaches, drop them into boiling water for a minute. Use a slotted spoon to life the peaches out of the boiling water and let cool until cool enough to handle, then use a small knife to gently peel off the peach skins.)

COMBINE Slice the peaches into the warm syrup, then let cool. Can be made ahead and rewarmed if you like. May be frozen.

SERVE & SAVOR Serve over pancakes or ice cream or straight out of the jar by the spoonful.

ALANNA's TIPS Look for store-bought peach nectar in glass bottles or aseptic packaging, it's usually tucked in on grocery-store shelves with other bottled juices. It's a great convenience product but if you have lots of peaches on hand, you can make your own for this syrup. (I think, just thinking in pixels.) Just run very ripe peaches through a food processor until very smooth, adding a bit of water if that helps the purée process, it'll cook off in the saucepan. The peach purée will be thicker than orange juice, say and definitely thicker than store-bought nectar. But not to worry, this is a forgiving recipe, the point is to create a syrup where you can actually taste the peaches. I do think I'd add a touch of acid, though, maybe a tablespoon of lemon juice. That add a touch of brightness to the syrup. And you may need to play around with the final syrup, maybe additional sugar, maybe a little more salt, etc. If you happen to have fresh peach juice, by all means, use it instead of peach nectar. When my cousin Sue shared her recipe last year, she had collected peach juice in a bowl while prepping juicy peaches for canning. Sue canned her Peach Syrup, chopping fresh peaches into spanky-clean jars, covering with hot syrup, then processing for 10 minutes in a hot water bath. She also used Wilton’s clear butter flavoring instead of real butter, that strikes me as a smart move for canning. When the syrup cooks, it expands 3x or 4x so do use a large saucepan. My Dutch oven isn’t too large. You don’t want this sugary stuff to boil over: yes, that’s the voice of experience. If you're on the hunt for a good pancake recipe, I'm happy to recommend my sister's Lifetime Pancakes and My Mom's Pancake Recipe.

FOR MORE INFO If you "skipped straight to the recipe," please scroll back to the top of this page for ingredient information, ingredient substitutions, tips and more. If you print this recipe, you'll want to check the recipe online for even more tips and extra information about ingredient substitutions, best results and more. See https://www.kitchenparade.com/2011/07/homemade-peach-syrup-with-fresh-peaches.html .

NUTRITION INFORMATION (Homemade Peach Syrup) Per ¼ cup: 211 Calories; 1g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 3mg Cholesterol; 105mg Sodium; 52g Carb; 1g Fiber; 40g Sugar; 1g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 4 & PointsPlus 6 & future WW points

FOR COMPARISON (Maple Syrup) Per ¼ cup: 210 Calories; 0g Tot Fat; 0g Sat Fat; 0mg Cholesterol; 7mg Sodium; 54g Carb; 0g Fiber; 48g Sugar; 0g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 4 & PointsPlus 6 & future WW points

Thanks to my cousin Sue for sharing her great recipe!

---

Seasonal Cooking & Eating During Mid-Summer

Asian Chicken Salad Peach, Cherry & Blueberry Fruit Sauce or Fruit Soup Fruity Gazpacho Herbed Ricotta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes Pita Crisps Homemade Frozen Yogurt with Homemade Blackberry Sauce Zucchini Bread with Carrot & Candied Ginger (this week's reader favorite) Homemade Peach Syrup with Fresh Peaches Baked Chicken with Fresh Peaches Peach-Pie Pudding Zucchini Spiral "Noodle" Salad (Pinterest loves this!) Homemade Basil Pesto Blueberry Cheesecake Pie

This Week, Elsewhere

~ Boogaloo Paella ~
from Boogaloo in Maplewood
~ more St. Louis Restaurant Recipes ~
My Weekly Column in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

~ How to Cut Corn Off the Cob, Keeping All Ten Fingers, Capturing Every Delicious Kernel and Every Drop of Sweet Corn "Milk" ~
~ more Recent Recipes ~
A Veggie Venture

If you like Kitchen Parade's recipes, you'll love A Veggie Venture, my food blog about vegetables with more from-scratch recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, home to the famous Alphabet of Vegetables and vegetables in every course, seasonal to staples, savory to sweet, salads to sides, soups to supper, simple to special.

---

Grab a Peach or Two or Three While You Can!

more
~ recipes for peaches & nectarines ~

• THE RECIPE Simple Sliced Peaches Just four ingredients, turns tables to silent. (PIN This)
• ANOTHER TAKE Naked Peach Cobbler Peaches so good, who needs a topping? (PIN This)

• THE RECIPE Savory Peach Appetizer Fruity with a spike of heat.
• ANOTHER TAKE Blueberry Salsa A savory fruit salsa?!

• THE RECIPE First-Prize Peach Pie The secret technique is no blanching and no peeling!
• ANOTHER TAKE Fresh Peach Pie A luscious summer pie, fresh peaches in light orange sauce, topped with whipped cream.

---

Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ peach recipes ~

~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

---

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail, you'll find my current address in the FAQs. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, for more scratch cooking recipes using whole, healthful ingredients, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

---

© Copyright Kitchen Parade
2011 & 2023