Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Caramelized Skillet Peaches 4.0 (1) 1 Review They take just 15 minutes to make—and you can serve them over ice cream, yogurt, pound cake, or biscuits. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 26, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Jacob Fox Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 5 mins Total Time: 15 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe These sweet, caramelized peaches are so quick and easy to make. They become juicy and irresistible after only five minutes on the stove. The ingredients couldn’t be simpler—peaches, butter, brown sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice—and the only equipment needed is a skillet. A splash of bourbon or rum adds an extra layer of flavor, but you can certainly omit it if you’d prefer. These peaches make an unbelievably delicious topping for ice cream, yogurt, biscuits, shortcakes, pound cake, and more. You can also make this recipe with fresh nectarines, apricots, or plums—whatever stone fruit looks the best and ripest when shopping. It's Stone Fruit Season: Here's How to Enjoy Peaches, Plums, and More This Summer Choosing and Prepping Peaches When shopping for this recipe, look for peaches that are ripe but still have a bit of firmness to them, which will help ensure they don't become overly soft when caramelizing. Ripe peaches will have a golden hue and a fragrant smell—don't be afraid to give them a sniff. Peach Prep To prep the peaches, remove the stem and slice along the seam to cut the peach in half. Twist the halves in opposite directions to separate, then use your finger or the tip of a paring knife to pop out the pit. Finally, cut each half into half-inch-thick slices. How to Quickly Ripen Peaches To speed up the ripening process at home, place peaches—stem side down—in a paper bag and fold down the top to close. Let them sit like this at room temperature for a day or two, checking on them after 24 hours to monitor their progress. This helps to trap the ethylene gas the fruit releases naturally, helping them mature more quickly. For even faster ripening, place an apple or banana in the bag along with the peaches, which will emit even more ethylene gas. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 4 peaches, halved, pitted, and sliced into ½-inch-thick wedges Juice of 1/2 lemon ¼ teaspoon coarse salt Pinch of ground cinnamon 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter ¼ cup packed light-brown sugar 2 tablespoons bourbon or dark rum (optional) Vanilla ice cream (optional) Directions Combine peaches, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon: In a medium bowl, toss together peaches, lemon juice, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. Credit: Jacob Fox Melt butter and sugar; add peach mixture and cook: Melt butter and sugar in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add peach mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Credit: Jacob Fox Add bourbon or rum, if using: If using bourbon or rum, add to skillet, and cook until reduced, about 1 minute. Credit: Jacob Fox Credit: Jacob Fox Serve: Serve immediately over ice cream, if desired. Credit: Jacob Fox Storing and Reheating If you somehow find yourself with leftover caramelized peaches, you can refrigerate them for up to five days in an airtight container. Reheat them in a skillet or in the microwave until warmed through. Other Ways to Serve Caramelized Peaches Beyond ice cream, serve these warm, juicy peaches over plain or vanilla yogurtGo a more savory route by pairing them with ricotta or burrata. Spoon them over flaky biscuits or slices of pound cakeUse them in place of strawberries in a shortcake. For a brunch treat, try them over pancakes or waffles with plenty of whipped cream. Variations You can swap in nectarines, plums, or even apricots for the peaches. Instead of cinnamon, try a pinch of cardamom, nutmeg, or ginger. More Recipes With Peaches to Try: Peach Sorbet Martha's Peach Buckle Brown-Sugar Peach Pavlova Grilled-Peach Pizzas With Prosciutto Peach-Pie Crumble Bars Peach Sangria With Prosecco Rate PRINT Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.