How to Grill Peaches

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Total: 18 mins
Serving: 1 serving

Peaches take to the grill like fish to water. Quick cooking over hot flames brings out their natural juiciness and intensifies their deep summer sweetness. Based on that description you might be inclined to think that throwing them on the grill would be a reasonable way to improve the flavor of less-than-perfect peaches. You would be correct. The effect of fixing those less-than-ripe peaches gets intensified when you add some additional brown sugar and cinnamon.

For the best results, start with peaches (any type will do) that are firm with just a little give when you give them a gentle squeeze with your whole hand. Long story short, you want them to smell like peaches, especially if you sniff their stem end. They don't have to be perfectly ripe, but one rule of thumb to keep in mind is that nine times out of ten, the better the aroma, the better the flavor.

This recipe is best with fresh, seasonal produce, as you might expect, and perhaps after you've made enough pies and crumbles and you want something simpler. Serve grilled peaches as a side dish (they are particularly delicious alongside grilled pork) or in salads. Or you can turn them into a delicious dessert by pairing them with cool yogurtwhipped cream, or with scoops of ice cream.

Grill Peaches

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

"When you crave peach pie or cobbler, but don't want to fuss with a crust, these grilled peaches will hit the spot. The peaches were warm and soft, and the sugar melted into a delicious syrup. Paired with a scoop of ice cream, it was a super simple, delicious, and healthy dessert, perfect for summer." —Danielle Centoni

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Ingredients

  • 1 peach (per person)

  • 1 teaspoon neutral-flavored cooking oil (per peach)

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (per peach), optional

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (per peach), optional

  • Crème fraîche, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Grilled Peaches ingredients

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat: You should be able to hold your hand about an inch above the cooking grate for 3 to 4 seconds before pulling it away from the heat. If you are also using the grill to cook something else that requires more heat, place the peaches around the edges; they're cooler. Or cook dinner, let the fire cool down, and then grill the peaches.

    Prepare a gas or charcoal grill

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Cut the peaches in half and pit them.

    Cut the peaches in half and pit them

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Lightly brush the peaches with the oil, being particularly aware of coating the cut sides well. 

    Lightly brush the peaches with the oil

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Set the oiled peaches cut side down on the medium hot grill. Make sure they aren't touching so the hot air of the grill can circulate around each piece.

    Set the oiled peaches cut side down on the medium hot grill

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Cook the peaches until grill marks form, turning as necessary. Then, flip the peach halves over, sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar, if using. Cook until the peaches are tender, but not falling apart, about 8 minutes total (4 minutes per side).

    flip the peach halves over on the grill, sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Serve grilled peaches hot, warm, or even at room temperature. Serve with dollops of crème fraîche if desired. Enjoy!

    Grilled Peaches with dollops of crème fraîche

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Tips

  • Use cold-pressed grapeseed oil or canola oil for a clean flavor that doesn't interfere with the flavor of the peaches in any way.
  • If you're using clingstone peaches, which have a pit that clings to the flesh, then it'll be difficult to separate them cleanly into two halves. In this case, cutting them into wedges works best. (You can sprinkle on the sugar after they're off the grill.) If you want to grill peach halves and fill the middle with sugar, then be sure to use freestone peaches, which have pits that easily separate from the flesh.
  • Peeling the peaches isn't necessary for the grill, but if you want to, you can.

Variations

  • Mix up the fruit: Add some plums, pluots, nectarines, or other orchard fruits to the grill—you can cook them the same way.
  • Use cardamom instead of cinnamon: It's a nice switch from the more common cinnamon.
  • Create buttery richness: Add a pat of butter along with the brown sugar for even more of a glazed effect.

Can You Grill Canned Peaches?

You can definitely grill canned peaches. The key here is to make sure they are as dry as possible, so drain them well and pat them dry with paper or kitchen towels. Then, proceed with the recipe as directed.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
314 Calories
6g Fat
67g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 314
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 67g 24%
Dietary Fiber 11g 38%
Total Sugars 59g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 46mg 231%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 1330mg 28%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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