Rich brown sugar, juicy peaches, and a dash of cinnamon become a sweet decadent summer condiment. The homemade fresh peach compote recipe is quick, easy, & one you will crave all summer long. In just 10 minutes you have an amazing fruit topping that is delicious on ice cream, cakes, waffles, & crepes.
This peach sauce is so amazing & versatile you will want to pour it all over everything. Of course, it is ideal for dessert on pound cake or ice cream. Enjoy this sweet condiment at breakfast with Greek yogurt or piled on a stack of pancakes.
The sweet peach sauce is also great on savory dishes like air fryer pork chops or roast, spiral ham, or grilled chicken thighs. Seriously, put this chunky peach compote on everything.
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Ingredients for Fresh Peach Compote
Here are the simple ingredients needed to make a peach sauce using fresh peaches. Most of the items you likely have in your pantry already.
So grab some ripe juicy peaches at the grocery store or farmer's market. The homemade fruit sauce is a great recipe to use overripe, bruised, or imperfect peaches. No matter how they look, let's turn them into something warm and yummy.
- Fresh Peaches - freestone varieties are best since they are easier for removing the pit & slicing.
- Dark Brown Sugar - the deep color & touch of molasses in brown sugar is perfectly paired with peaches.
- Salted Butter - the touch of salt balances out the rest of the sweetness
- Honey - adds floral notes & thickness to the sauce. Raw unfiltered honey is best but use what you have.
- Lemon Juice - for an acidic touch & pop of citrus flavor that is the secret to this being the best peach sauce recipe.
- Ground Cinnamon - the spice adds warmth & heat
- Vanilla Extract - add richness & depth.
- Salt - optional additional pinch may be needed if the sauce is too sweet.
See the recipe card for quantities & full instructions.
How to Make Peach Compote
When using fresh peaches to make peach sauce, prepping the fresh fruit is what takes the longest. After that, this recipe moves pretty quickly & the sauce will be ready in just minutes
Begin by washing, drying, & preparing the peaches. You will want to pit, peel them before slicing. Peel them by either blanching or gently peeling them using a pairing knife.
Use a sharp chef's knife to slice the peaches into thin pieces. This allows the peaches to cook & break down easily with the other ingredients to create the chunky sauce. You can also cut them into large chunks instead of slicing thin.
Place sliced peaches in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle with 3 TB of brown sugar. Let sit in the bowl to macerate while prepping the sauce. This will draw out the juices & start softening the peaches.
In a medium saucepot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the honey, cinnamon, lemon juice, & the remaining 5 tablespoons of brown sugar.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickening, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the peaches (not the peach juice as it will make it too thin) and stir; cook an additional minute.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Once it has cooled a minute or so, taste-test it for the level of sweetness. Depending on the peaches you use, if the sauce is too sweet to your liking, add a pinch of salt & stir it in to dissolve.
Hint: as the sauce cools, it will thicken. This recipe is made without cornstarch (grain-free). This peach sauce is naturally sticky, buttery, & solid without being too heavy.
How to Serve Peach Sauce
This chunky peach sauce is great on all sorts of sweet & savory dishes. Here are the best ideas for using homemade peach compote & what to serve it with.
As a Topping for:
- On ice cream, gelato, or frozen yogurt
- On waffles, pancakes, crepes, or French toast
- Grilled or baked meats like pork, chicken, or seafood
- Spooned over oatmeal, Greek yogurt, or cream of wheat
- Over angel food cake, pound cake, short cake biscuits, & cakes
- Layer in a trifle or parfait
Puree & Add to:
- Serve with Prosecco for a bellini
- Spread between cake layers for a filling
- Serve with a crustless cheesecake
Substitutions & Variations
If you are in a pinch & missing an ingredient to make the homemade peach sauce, here are some alternate items that will help you make this recipe with success.
- Fresh Peaches - when they are not any fresh, ripe, or in-season peaches, substitute for 16 ounces of frozen peaches (canned become too mushy & aren't recommended)
- Dark Brown Sugar - use light brown sugar or any of these substitutes for brown sugar instead. Muscovado or demarra sugar also works.
- Vegan - omit the honey for a vegan option & use a brown sugar brand like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods that is vegan.
- Honey - use hot honey instead for a spicy version - love this when serving with meats.
This recipe for the peach sauce is already gluten-free, vegetarian, & nut-free. To personalize it, here are a few recipe variations that can be made to make it exactly what you are looking for.
- Coulis - for a smooth coulis sauce versus a chunky peach sauce, once cool puree the sauce in the blender before serving.
- Spicy - add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce - habanero & jalapeno pair with peaches beautifully
- Bourbon/Whiskey - add a splash of bourbon or whiskey in the final minute of cooking the peach sauce for a Southern boozy version.
- Deluxe - use a combination of peaches, nectarines & apricots for the ultimate stone fruit sauce. Or try berries like this berry compote recipe.
If peaches are out of season & you love pears, try my recipe for Stewed Pears. A great fruit sauce to use in fall or winter.
Equipment
Here are the kitchen tools and ingredients needed to make this recipe.
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Storage
This peach sauce stores very well - so go ahead and make a triple batch! Place any leftovers in a container with an air-tight lid. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or up to 3 months in the freezer.
You can also store this in mason jars with a tight-fitting lids in the refrigerator. It also makes a great hostess gift to bring to cookouts, BBQs, and parties all summer long.
Top Tips
All of these great tips are shared in the post. But these are so good and important they are worth mentioning again so you don't miss them.
- Use freestone peaches which will be easy to pit & slice the fruits.
- Let the sauce cool to thicken a bit before serving.
- Make it ahead of time or double or triple the recipe since it lasts in the refrigerator for up to a week & freezes well.
FAQ
I recommend using any variety that is a freestone peach. These varieties release easily from the pit, keeping the flesh intact for nice slices. Look for freestone varieties when working with stone fruits - such as Elberta, Elegant Lady, Red Haven, Santa Barbara, Summerset, White Lady, & many more freestone peaches. But any fresh peach will work.
A compote is a sauce made with chunks of fresh fruit. It is cooked in a sugar water base until thick but the piece of fruit remain in tact. It is not the same as a jelly or jam where the fruit is cooked down and not in chunks.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with peach sauce. It goes great as a topping with these dessert & breakfast items.
Peach Compote
Ingredients
- 2 large peaches
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Greek yogurt, waffles, crepes, pound cake, ice cream, etc so serve with the peach sauce
Instructions
- Begin by washing & drying the peaches. You will want to pit and peel the fresh peaches before slicing. Peel them by either blanching or gently peeling them using a pairing knife.
- Use a sharp chef's knife to slice the peaches into thin pieces. This allows the peaches to cook & break down easily with the other ingredients to create the chunky sauce. You can also cut them into large chunks instead of slicing them thinly.
- Place the cut peaches in a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle them with 3 tablespoons of brown sugar.
- In a medium saucepot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the honey, cinnamon, lemon juice, & the remaining 5 tablespoons of brown sugar. Whisk to combine.
- Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickening, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the peaches (not the peach juice as it will make it too thin) and stir; cook an additional minute.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Once it has cooled a minute or so, taste-test it for the level of sweetness. Depending on the peaches you use, if the sauce is too sweet to your liking, add a pinch of salt & stir it in to dissolve.
- Serve warm over breakfast & dessert items.
- Store any cooled peach sauce in a container with an air-tight container with a tight-fitting lid. Place in the refrigerator for up to a week or a month in the freezer.
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