There’s nothing better than a summer cocktail to enjoy as the weather warms up, and adding fresh peaches is such a great way to celebrate the season. Sweet and juicy peaches are the perfect fruit to blend and add flavoring to cocktails. You can refrigerate or freeze this homemade peach puree recipe. I use it all the time for my home bartending needs. It’s the base of my favorite cocktails and the flavor can’t be beat. Bonus: my infant also enjoys peach puree as baby food too.

Peach puree that you purchase in the grocery store can be full of additives. Those additives can change the flavor and add an aftertaste to your drinks. Making your own puree from fresh peaches isn’t hard and offers a big difference in taste. You can pick fresh organic peaches off of the farm, select the ripeness that you need and add sweetener if you choose. It’s much easier to customize.

Originally, I needed a way to use excess peaches that we brought home from our summer picking. I always bring home so many peaches from our favorite Southern Belle Farm, which is just south of Atlanta.

There are so many great uses for peach puree that go way beyond cocktails. Once we realized how versatile it was to keep in our home, it became a staple in our refrigerator. We use it as baby food, to make “mocktails” with and for homemade popsicles. 

Once you’ve tried the homemade version, you’ll never go back to the store-bought version of peach puree with additives. It’s even a slimy texture that’s a turn off.

Related: How To Make Strawberry Puree For Cocktails and Drinks

How To Make Homemade Peach Puree For Cocktails

There are few pieces of kitchen equipment that you’ll need to make your puree. You’ll need a great blender (I like my Ninja Blender). Other than that, just some measuring spoons. Having a great blender will make all the difference when making your peach puree. You can store your finished puree in an air-tight container or squeeze bottle, depending on refrigeration or freezing.

Frozen Peaches VS. Fresh Peaches

This recipe uses fresh peaches, but you can certainly substitute frozen. They might have some added sweetener, so keep that in mind as you add your own sugars.

How To Remove The Skin From Peaches: Two Methods

There are two different ways you can remove the skin from fresh peaches. You can do the traditional way, by using a peeler to remove the skin. It’s not difficult, just a little time consuming. My kids will help out and peel some of the peaches. The more ripe the peach is, the harder this method will be.

The second way to remove skin from peaches is to dunk them in boiling water for 45 seconds:

Start with a large pot of boiling water. Place the peaches into the boiling water for 45 seconds. Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and place them in a large bowl of ice water (this is called an ice bath). After about a minute or so when the peaches are cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to make a small cut to puncture the skin. Then use your fingers to pull off the skin. 

You won’t need a peeler for the second method. However, time-wise, I think they both take the same amount of time to do. So pick your method that works best for you!

To remove the pits, just use a teaspoon.

How To Store Leftover Peach Puree

Place any leftover peach puree in an airtight container. You can use it within 3-5 days in stored properly in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Just let it thaw in the refrigerator before using it.

What Recipes To Use Peach Puree In

The best part of strawberry puree is how great it accompanies almost any liquor that you want to use. You can make a Peach Bellini with Prosecco or you can do a daiquiri with white rum. It’s delicious and refreshing to use it in cocktails during the warmer months. Here are a few recipe ideas to try:

• Peach Melba Popsicles
• Homemade Peach Jam
• No Bake Peach Mango Pie
• Mango, Peach + Kiwi Chia Seed Pudding Cups
• Peach Margarita

What You’ll Need From The Grocery Store To Make Homemade Peach Puree

• Fresh Peaches (or frozen)
• Sugar
• Salt

Step-By-Step Directions To Make Homemade Peach Puree

Wash the peaches if you aren’t going to boil them. Defrost peaches if you’re using frozen ones. Either peel your fresh peaches or use the boiling method (see above) to remove the skin. Remove the pits too and toss.

Blend peaches for 2 minutes until completely pureed. This will give it the nice smooth texture that you want.

Add a pinch of salt and sweetener to taste. I like to add one tablespoon of sugar. Having it a little sweeter is great for homemade cocktails.

If needed, add a tablespoon of water to thin it, if it seems too thick. 

Refrigerate it, or freeze it to use later, and add it to any cocktails for a fresh peach flavor.