The Best Fresh Peach Pie

This really is the best fresh peach pie recipe! Our prize winning family recipe features fresh peaches and a thick creamy custard.

This really is the best fresh peach pie you’ll ever have. It’s a special family recipe: my mom’s Aunt’s won first prize at the county fair! I grew up worshiping this dessert, a custardy, creamy pie with fresh peaches. My family would eat it to christen the first peaches of the season, it was the only food where we were allowed to lick the plates clean. Here, my mom has shared our family’s best peach pie recipe with a few thoughts on tradition. Hundreds of people all over the world have made it and agree…it really is special!

Why this peach pie recipe is so special

About the recipe (by Sonja’s mom, Kristi): I’m thrilled to share this family favorite: our heirloom fresh peach pie recipe! I wanted to share something that has become a family tradition in hopes that it might become a family tradition for others.

This recipe was developed by my father’s sister, Ruth, who was a fantastic cook and hostess. Aunt Ruth once won a prize for this fresh peach pie at her county fair. When I was young, my mother used to make this pie for my brother and me. It became my absolute favorite. I would savor each bite, enjoying the contrast of the thick, creamy custard with the salty crust. On a visit home to my mother as an adult, I remember being sick but not too sick to eat some peach pie my mother made. She knew how to draw me home and make me happy!

I began making this pie myself when I got married, and my husband became a quick convert. When we had children, I worked hard to make sure that we all ate healthy foods, but I still made room for peach pie! My daughters would beg to lick the spoon after I poured the custard over the peaches, or for scraps of pie dough as I made the crust. I loved sharing the experience with my daughters because I knew it was a fun tradition that gave them great pleasure too. And so, this peach pie became a family favorite.

Even now when my daughters come home for visits as adults, this fresh peach pie is on the menu. It still provides much pleasure to everyone who eats it! Everyone needs a treat once in a while, and this one is worth the splurge. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family has! (And we still lick our plates.)

Sonja’s Mom, Kristi

The peaches to use for this fresh peach pie

Let’s get started on the recipe, shall we? Let’s go over a few notes before we start. Here’s what to look for when you buy peaches for your fresh peach pie:

• Good, room-temperature just ripe peaches are the key to this recipe. Make sure the peaches are just beginning to ripen and slightly soft to the touch, but not overly ripe. If you use too ripe of peaches, the juice of the peaches will make the filling more runny.
• Ripen them at home as necessary. If you buy them when they are hard, you can ripen them for a few days in a brown paper bag (throw in a banana for extra power).
• Buy a few extra, just in case. Buying a few extra peaches is good insurance in case a peach goes bad.

How to make peach pie

Many peach pie recipes use canned peaches and sugar syrup, but this one is unique. It features juicy fresh fruit and a thick, creamy custard filling (kind of like a sugar cream pie). Here’s the basic outline of how to make this fresh peach pie:

• Make the pie crust. This peach pie recipe uses my mom’s classic pie crust recipe; head to that recipe for all her tips and tricks.
• Peel the peaches. To peel the peaches easily, drop them one at a time into a pot of boiling water. Once out of the water, you should be able to remove the skins easily with the tip of a knife.
• Add peaches and custard ingredients, then bake. When you bake this peach pie, you’ll need to start with the oven at a high heat and about halfway through the cooking process you turn the heat down. The custard comes out perfectly ooey gooey, while the crust is perfectly golden.
• Refrigerate to set: The custard needs some time to set in the fridge, so this pie is served cold.

How to know when peach pie is done

This fresh peach pie has unique baking instructions. There’s variation in the bake time because of the ripeness and juiciness of the peaches. You’ll have to adjust each time you make it! Here’s a little breakdown on how to get the custard to the perfect consistency:

• Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 450°F.
• Turn down the oven to 325°F and bake 40 to 45 minutes longer. Watch and pull it from the oven when it is just set but still wobbles when you shake it. It will set up when you refrigerate it after baking. So don’t expect it to set up right after baking! (Note: This bake time was updated July 2021 to address reader comments.)
• If it’s still runny at this point, bake 5 to 10 minutes more, watching so that it does not burn. Place an old baking sheet or tin foil below the pie pan in case the liquid boils over.
• Once it cools to room temperature, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. This is when the pie sets up.

Does your pie filling seem runny right out of the oven?

Having trouble with the peach pie being runny? The runniness is determined by how many cuts you make to the peaches and how ripe they are. If you have riper, juicier peaches, you might want to try to cut the peaches only in half before placing them in the pie shell. You can also add a little more cornstarch to the sugar before adding the cream if you notice that the peaches are very juicy.

The pie will set up when it gets cold. Don’t expect it to set up when baking! Remember that it is to be served ice cold and will set up more when it gets cold in the refrigerator.

How to serve fresh peach pie

This homemade peach pie is best served chilled. Because of this, you’ll have to think ahead when making the pie: it’s best made on the weekend when you’ve got lots of time. But you can make it ahead 1 day: it saves well! Though it requires a few hours to make, I have no doubt you’ll love my mom’s peach pie recipe: it’s the ultimate summer dessert!

Storage for this peach pie

Unlike most fruit pies, this custard pie needs to be kept in the fridge covered loosely with tinfoil. This pie should last up to a week, but after a few days the crust will start to soften slightly. If you plan on serving this peach pie to guests on a warm day, keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to slice it. Or, you can put some ice into a large baking tray and set the pie on top of the ice to keep it cold.

More peach recipes

Got a load of ripe peaches? If you’re looking for more peach recipes or peach desserts, here are a few we also love:

• Best Peach Cobbler
• Fresh Peach Salad
• Peach Sorbet or Peach Ice Cream
• Peach Galette
• Classic Peach Crisp or Peach Crumble
• Easy Peach Sangria
• Simple Peach and Mascarpone Tart
• Berries and Peaches with Mint Syrup
• Chocolate Peach Shortcakes
• Oven Roasted Peaches with Greek Yogurt

This peach pie recipe is…

Vegetarian.

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Looking for more fruit desserts?

Love baking with fruit in the summer? Here are some of our favorite fruit desserts:

• Easy Bananas Foster Recipe
• Classic Strawberry Shortcake
• Triple Cherry Cheesecake
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Angel Food Cupcakes with Berries
• Easy Blueberry Crisp
• Upside Down Orange & Fennel Cake
• Easy Blueberry Cobbler
• Fudgy Flourless Brownie Pie
• All-Natural Strawberry Yogurt Pie
• Mini Bourbon Apple Pies

Last updated: June 2020