Peach sauce is the multi-tasking condiment you didn’t know you needed! Sweet, syrupy, and filled with diced peaches, it’s perfect on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and all kinds of desserts.

Peach sauce, shown on a wooden spoon.

We’ve shared strawberry sauce and blueberry sauce in the past, but if you’re looking to branch out from berries, this peach sauce can’t be beat. It’s loaded with irresistible fresh peach flavor and you can use it in so many different ways!

Whip up a batch of peach sauce for your favorite breakfast dishes—peach pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, blueberry ricotta waffles. Or make peach sauce for ice cream, pound cake, angel food cake, or for cheesecake. Want to make this peach sauce for meat? Omit the vanilla, cut the sugar in half, and you’ve got a sauce perfect for pairing with pork.

Contents show

About this peach sauce recipe

This peach sauce is a cinch to make, too. You’ll simply stir together all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring it to a boil and let it cook for a minute, then remove it from the heat. This allows the peaches to soften without completely falling apart.

In fact, the main ingredient for the sauce is not water or sugar, but the peaches themselves. This gives you a sauce that’s full of fruit flavor and that’s also quite chunky. You can stick an immersion blender into the pan to puree it, or use a wooden spoon to mash some of the peaches for a thicker, slightly-less-chunky texture.

Peach sauce on a tall stack of pancakes.

What you need

  • Water – If your water tastes off out of the faucet, use filtered or bottled.
  • Cornstarch – You can make this without cornstarch by substituting flour or instant tapioca.
  • Brown sugar – Both dark or light brown sugar will work; dark brown sugar will give the sauce a touch of molasses flavor.
  • Peaches – You can choose to leave the skin on if you don’t mind the texture, or blanch and peel the peaches first.
  • Pure vanilla extract – Almond extract would be delicious in this peach sauce too!
Ingredients needed for peach sauce recipe.

How to make it

Combine the ingredients. Place the water, cornstarch, brown sugar, diced peaches, and vanilla in a medium saucepan and stir to combine.

Peaches in pan, not yet cooked.

Bring to a boil. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Cook. After the sauce begins to boil, stir it constantly for a minute, then remove the pan from the heat.

Close up of peaches in sauce, filling frame.

Serve. Spoon the sauce over pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and desserts.

Peach sauce in a bowl with a wooden spoon, surrounded by fresh peaches.

FAQs

What’s the difference between peaches and nectarines?

Believe it or not, peaches and nectarines are pretty much the same fruit! Nectarines have a mutation that makes them have smooth skin instead of fuzzy.

Can I use canned peaches instead of fresh?

Canned peaches are sweeter than fresh because they’re canned in either juice or syrup, so they shouldn’t be used in this recipe. If you don’t have fresh peaches on hand, you can use frozen.

What is peach syrup made of?

Peach syrup is made of peaches, sugar, and water, but the peaches are strained out before serving. You can strain the peaches from this recipe to make it into a syrup.

How to make this peach sauce your own

Here are some easy ways to customize this peach sauce recipe:

  • Add some herbs. If you’re making this for meat, in addition to cutting back on the sugar and omitting the vanilla, you can add a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary to infuse the sauce with herbal flavor.
  • Or add some spices. A pinch of cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger would be delicious in this peach sauce.
  • Puree it. If you’d like your sauce to be completely smooth, transfer it to a blender and puree it until there are no chunks or lumps.
Peach sauce on a pancake.

Make Ahead Ideas

This peach sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you want to get a head start on the recipe, you can dice the peaches and refrigerate them for up to a day.

Storage Suggestions

Store peach sauce in an airtight container or, if you’re freezing it, a zip-top freezer bag. You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray for small portions.

Reheating Tips

Let the peach sauce thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until it’s warmed through.

More topping recipes

Peach sauce being scooped with a wooden spoon.

Get the Recipe: Peach Sauce

Peach sauce is the multi-tasking condiment you didn’t know you needed! Sweet, syrupy, and filled with diced peaches, it’s perfect on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and all kinds of desserts.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Calories: 126kcal
Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 4 peaches, diced
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Stir together the water, cornstarch, brown sugar, diced peaches, and vanilla in a medium sized pot.
  • Heat over medium heat, stir occasionally, until the sauce boils.
  • Once the sauce comes to a boil, stir for one minute then remove from the heat.

Video

Notes

  • Makes about 2 cups.
  • Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’re freezing it, use a zip-top freezer bag or an ice cube tray for small portions.
  • To reheat, let the peach sauce thaw in the refrigerator (if frozen), then reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop until it’s warmed through.
  • If you want to get a head start on the recipe, you can dice the peaches and refrigerate them for up to a day.
 
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 126kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 0.4g, Saturated Fat: 0.03g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 25mg, Potassium: 203mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 489IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg