This Is the Very Best Technique for Peeling Peaches

Enjoying a super ripe peach as a snack is easy—you simply take a bite and enjoy. But what about peeling peaches for use in desserts and baked goods? It might surprise you, but that's also easy, assuming you you know the right technique. A vegetable peeler, like you'd use to peel an apple, might seem the most logical tool for the job, but it's not actually the best or fastest way to peel peaches. Though using one might work just fine for firm peaches, a ripe, juicy peach won't hold up to the peeler, and you'll likely lose a lot of the tasty flesh in the process.

The best way to peel a peach is to actually place it in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then simply remove the loosened skin using your fingertips. Our step-by-step guide will show you how simple the process actually is.

Prep

There are three simple prep steps to ensure you are ready to go: First, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Next, using a paring knife, score a shallow "X" in the bottom of each peach. Last, create an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice water, this will help stop the cooking process and cool the peaches so they are easier to handle.

Peel

Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower each peach into the water (working in batches if necessary, adding no more than four peaches to the pot at a time). Boil just until the skins start to soften and separate where the peach was scored, about 30 seconds to a minute. Then, use the slotted spoon to remove the peaches from the boiling water, lowering them directly into the prepared ice bath. Let them cool for about a minute. Now, starting where the X was scored, peel the skins back away from the peach. It should be easy enough to do using your fingertips or a paring knife and just the peel should come off.

Here's one troubleshooting tip: If a patch of stubborn skin won't come off the peach easily, return the fruit to the boiling water and repeat the boiling and ice bath process.

In just a few minutes, you have perfectly peeled peaches ready for a savory salad or peach ice cream.