Our backyard peach tree is abundant with fresh peaches and this fruit compote is the perfect way to use as many as possible for easy breakfast toppings. Whether you find them at the farmers market, your local grocery store, or you have a tree of your own, this is the fresh hot compote to save and try. Let's make it together!
Expert Tips for Making This Freezer Friendly
In truth, I'm not one to always use traditional canning methods especially since I'll make small batches just for my family and me. That being said, I absolutely love how easy this peach compote recipes is to make and freeze. I've made this every year and jars will freeze beautifully for up to a year. A few key practices I employ to make this easy and effective to do each season for any fruit compote:
- Cool Completely Before Freezing. It's important to properly cool cooked food to the right temperature before freezing to prevent bacteria growth. Bacteria that can cause foodborne illness multiply rapidly in the "danger zone" temperature between 40°F and 140°F. Cooling food quickly and thoroughly before freezing keeps it out of this temperature range, thus slowing bacterial growth. To do this, cool food to 70°F within two hours after the finished cook time. Then cool to 40°F or below within a total of six hours. Store it in the refrigerator first to finish cooling before transferring it to the freezer.
- Store in Freezer Safe Containers. Freezer safe bags or Ball jars work well as freezer safe options. You can also freeze the compote in silicone ice trays like Souper Cubes (either the ½ cup or 1 cup options) and then take the cubes to store in a freezer safe bag for another freezer friendly option.
- Label and Date. This is a key step when it comes to tracking the amount of time lapsing from when the compote was made and the amount of time we have to enjoy it. It also helps to label so we know what's in the jar or bag.
Ingredients for the Homemade Peach Compote Recipe
We need just a handful of ingredients to make this fresh compote featuring one of our favorite fruits. The beauty of a recipe like this is that we don't need a lot of ingredients, but we're amping up the volume of flavor for a variety of breakfast dishes.
4 yellow peaches, pitted and diced small. You can either peel the peach or keep the peach skin on. This is a matter of preference and offers some texture
Brown Sugar. I love the flavor of brown sugar and the slight caramelization it offers. You can also use maple sugar or granulated sugar here too.
Fresh Thyme. You'll love the flavoring afforded from the fresh thyme. I'm always looking for ways to incorporate fresh herbs in our cooking and this compote is another example of just that.
Lemon Juice and Vanilla. Lemon juice helps to thicken given its natural pectin and the vanilla extract helps to add a depth of sweetness that's unmatched.
How to Make This Easy Peach Compote Recipe
Preparing this peach compote recipe is super simple and it's ready in a flash. To start, remove the pits from each of your stone fruits and dice into ¼ inch chunks.
In your medium saucepan, add in the diced stone fruits and ½ cup of packed light brown sugar. Stir to combine then bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruits release their juices and begin to break down and soften, about 5 minutes.
Add in the kosher salt and the sprigs of thyme and stir to combine. Allow the compote to come to a gentle boil then simmer, stirring every couple of minutes, for the next 15-20 minutes. The liquid will become syrupy and slightly thickened with the chunks of fruit softening but still retaining their texture.
Remove from heat. Stir in your vanilla extract and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Allow to cool slightly before serving or cool to room temp before storing in your fridge or freezer.
Serving Suggestions
Once you've made your fresh peach compote, it's time to savor it! A few of my favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Top your pancakes or french toast. Seasonal compotes are the perfect topping for buttermilk pancakes topped with a light drizzle of maple syrup.
- Serve in a breakfast yogurt bowl. I'll add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to my greek yogurt for added protein before swirling in a couple tablespoons of this peach compote and top with a batch of homemade granola.
- Top your favorite vanilla ice cream. This is the perfect sundae topping for vanilla ice cream mixed with fresh peaches.
Fresh Peach Compote Recipe
Equipment
- 1 3 quart sauce pan
Ingredients
- 4 yellow peaches pitted and diced into small pieces
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Remove the pits from each of your stone fruits and dice into ¼ inch chunks.
- In your saucepan, add in the diced stone fruits and ½ cup of packed light brown sugar. Stir to combine then bring to a simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruits release their juices and begin to break down and soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the kosher salt and the sprigs of thyme and stir to combine. Allow the compote to simmer, stirring every couple of minutes, for the next 15-20 minutes. The liquid will become syrupy and slightly thickened with the chunks of fruit softening but still retaining their texture.
- Remove from heat. Stir in your vanilla extract and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Allow to cool slightly before serving or cool to room temp before storing in your fridge or freezer.
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