Classic Sweet Peach Pie (Printer-friendly)

Sweet peaches encased in a flaky crust, ideal warm with vanilla ice cream.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pie Crust

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
05 - 6 to 8 tablespoons 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 tablespoon lemon juice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
13 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Assembly

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

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Incorporate cold butter 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 tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour.
02 - Combine sliced peaches with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Toss gently and let rest for 10 minutes.
03 - Set oven temperature to 400°F.
04 - On a floured surface, roll one dough disc to fit a 9-inch pie dish. Transfer to dish and trim excess dough.
05 - Pour peach filling evenly into the prepared crust.
06 - Roll the second dough disc and place over filling. Trim edges, seal, and crimp. Cut slits or create lattice to allow steam to escape.
07 - Brush the top crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.
08 - Bake for 50 minutes or until crust is golden and filling bubbles. Cover edges with foil if they brown too quickly.
09 - Let pie cool on a rack for at least 2 hours to set filling before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The filling thickens beautifully without turning gummy, thanks to the cornstarch and resting time that lets the peaches release their juices slowly.
  • That buttery crust shatters under your fork in the most satisfying way, especially when you use cold butter and dont overwork the dough.
  • Its the kind of dessert that makes people linger at the table, scraping their plates and asking if theres more.
02 -
  • If you skip the chilling step for the dough, the butter will melt too fast in the oven and your crust will shrink and turn greasy instead of flaky.
  • Peeling peaches is easier if you score an X on the bottom, drop them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge them into ice water and the skins slip right off.
  • Do not cut into the pie while its still warm no matter how tempting, the filling will not have set and you will lose all that beautiful structure.
03 -
  • Toss the peach slices with a bit of flour along with the cornstarch if your fruit is especially juicy, it absorbs even more liquid without changing the texture.
  • Freeze the assembled unbaked pie for up to three months, then bake it straight from frozen adding an extra 15 minutes to the baking time for a taste of summer in the middle of winter.
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