There is nothing like a juicy fresh peach pie encased in tender and flaky pastry! My recipe starts with my favorite crust, doesn’t bother to peel the fruit (no need!), and amps up the flavor with a combination of brown sugar and bourbon. It’s time to bake.
Hello, all.
As I post this we are getting ready for a pandemic Thanksgiving here in the US. And that means for me and my loved ones, a small holiday gathering.
Large or small though, we all need some dessert. (Perhaps even more this year!) So I thought I would share my latest creation – a homemade peach pie and put it up for your consideration this season. Or next season when fresh peaches are back out again! This is a classic dessert you can bake and enjoy year after year and it’s not going go out of style.
Recipe Secrets
Here are a few of things I do to make this version extra special!
- Pie Crust. Super easy. Super flaky. And super forgiving. It’s the base of a great pie! (Linked above in the header and below in the recipe.)
- No Peeling. Give the peaches a good scrub to rub off some of the fuzz and you’re good to go.
- Double the Thickener. Too much cornstarch makes flavors muddy and too much tapioca makes things too jellied. A little of each is perfect!
- Caramel Flavors. Peaches LOVE caramel notes! Switch the granulated to brown sugar and add a bit of bourbon and BOOM.
What do you need?
- Pie Dough -For a simple lattice use a recipe a double 9-inch crust. Increase the amount of dough by half (as in 3 crusts) for fancier designs.
- Peaches – Ripe but not soft.
- Brown Sugar/Bourbon/Vanilla – The trifecta of caramel-y flavors!
- Orange Juice – Adds brightness and acid.
- Thickener – A combo of tapioca and corn starch for the best thickening without it being too much.
- Butter – Adds a little fat and mellows the flavors.
How to make this
To make a fresh peach pie, combine sliced peaches with sugar, thickener, and all other filling ingredients. Pour into a crust and top with a lattice, then bake until golden brown and bubbling.
1. Bottom Crust
Let your disc of dough warm up enough to be pliable (I find it takes 20-30 minutes) and then roll it out until it’s large enough for your pie plate. Press it in and trim it off around the edges.
2. Make the Filling
Start by mixing together a diced peach with sugar, cornstarch, orange juice, bourbon, and salt. Bring it all to a simmer and let it cook down a bit.
Then toss that with the sliced fruit, tapioca flour, and vanilla.
Tip: Make sure you let the filling cool down before continuing or you might ‘melt’ the crust as you’re trying to assemble the pie.
3. Top Crust
Roll out the dough to give you enough lattice strips for the top. A simple design is to do 5×5 strips, each 1 inch wide. Mark them out and cut them to size. Then weave your lattice together. Trim off the edges and crimp.
Tip: If you decide to get fancy with braiding and/or stamping, it is a lot less stress to do that ahead of time and keep the finished crust pieces in the fridge covered with plastic wrap.
Once you’ve assembled your crust, brush everything with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
4. Bake
Start at 425F for 20 minutes, then lower the heat and bake for another 20-30 minutes more. You want the crust to be well browned all over and the filling to be bubbly.
Tip: If the top is getting too brown before the rest is done, use foil to shield it from the heat.
Take it out and let it rest on the counter until cool.
Decorative Crust Tips
- Lay out your design ahead of time. You don’t need to put in all the details, but how many strips, what width, any braids, and any other info you might find helpful. My daughter laid out this design on some graph paper before we began.
- Symmetry is eye pleasing. You can see in this design we have an axis of mirroring that goes from between the braids on one side down to the other side.
- So is balance. Even though the leaves are only on one side, they balance the the look of the braids on the other.
- Cut braid strips ~1/3 of the width. This doesn’t have to be exact! But about 1/3 of the width of the regular strips will keep all the strips about the same when you’re done.
- Cold dough. Don’t let the dough get too warm as you work. Be ready to move it into the fridge to cool off as needed.
- Stamps are fun! I have leaf stamps and snowflake stamps and there are many other styles out there.
More Delicious Holiday Pies
If you try my recipe for Old Fashioned Peach Pie, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
– Stay Safe, Annemarie
Old Fashioned Peach Pie
Ingredients
- 1 recipe 9-inch pie crust
- 2 1/2 lbs peaches
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp coarse sanding sugar
Instructions
- Pull out one disc of pie dough and let it warm up a little and become pliable. This may take 20-40 minutes. Roll out the bottom crust. Press into the pie plate and trim the edge. Put it into the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
- Give the peaches a good scrub. This will remove some of the fuzz. Finely dice one peach and set it aside. Then slice the remaining peaches into 1/2 inch thick wedges.
- In a medium saucepan combine the diced peach with sugar, cornstarch, orange juice, bourbon, butter and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the fruit is softened.
- In a large bowl toss the sliced peaches with 1 tablespoon tapioca flour and vanilla. Add the cooked fruit and sauce. Toss everything together and let cool.
- Take out the dough for top crust and let it warm up like before. For a lattice, roll the dough into an oblong. For a 5x5 lattice each 1 inch wide you will need a shape which is about 12x10 (so you have a little extra). If you want to do braids or stamps I would recommend making an extra portion of dough and roll that one out into another oblong.
- Heat the oven to 425F. And place a baking sheet on a lower oven rack (to catch drips).
- Stir the filling and add another tablespoon tapioca flour if it seems very juicy. Pour the filling into the bottom crust. Crisscross the lattice over the top and add any stamped shapes. Trim off the edges of the lattice and seal by pressing down with a fork all along the edge.
- Mix together egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the pastry with the egg wash, including under any stamps. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 425F. Then reduce the heat to 375F and bake for 20-30 minutes more, or until the filling is bubbling and the crusted is browned. If the top is browning too much before the pie is done, cover the top with a foil shield.
- Let pie cool on a rack for at least 4 hours, or refrigerated up to 1 day.
Notes
- Inspiration: This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten's Perfect Peach Pie.
- Crust Recipe: If you wish to use my recipe I have step by step instructions on making the pastry at the link in the ingredients. You can also use your own favorite recipe or use a purchased crust.
- Top Crust: If you want to do all the extra and fun decorations - such as braiding or using pastry stamps, it's a good idea to make another half recipe of the pie crust so you have plenty to work with. TIP - You can roll out and cut, braid, and/or stamp the dough for the top crust the day before and keep it in the fridge on a covered baking sheet.
- Lattice: Never made a lattice? Here's a great how to video.
- Timing: The time on the recipe includes the time you will need to make and rest the crust plus the time needed to cool before you can slice.
- Tapioca Flour: This is also called tapioca starch. Make sure you get starch or flour NOT the granules. There are a number of brands out there - I like Bob's Red Mill (which also seems to be widely available).
- Peeling: If you wish you can peel, but I do not find it necessary.
- Cooling: The more chilled the pie, the neater the slices. I like to put mine in the fridge for at least an hour or two once it's cooled to room temperature.
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