Grilled Peaches with Brown Sugar Bourbon Sauce, a summery grilled fruit dessert with peaches drizzled in Kentucky bourbon brown sugar sauce.
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Love peaches? Try them grilled! Grilling peaches is a delicious way to enjoy the sweet (and fuzzy) fruits we all look forward to each summer. Drizzled with a sauce made of brown sugar and bourbon, this recipe is a nod to the tasty flavors of the American South.
👉 Ready to learn how to make grilled peaches? Let's do it!
🍑 Ingredients
- Peaches: You'll need 2 medium ripe peaches for this recipe. Grilling them releases new and complex flavors that you will not be able to get enough of.
- Oil: Use a little oil to brush over the peaches before grilling.
- Ice cream: Optionally, peaches can be topped with a scoop of ice cream when they're ready to serve. Vanilla ice cream pairs really well, but you can use any flavor that you like.
- For the sauce: Butter, brown sugar, and bourbon – the flavor match made in heaven that you will drizzle over the peaches after grilling. Bourbon has notes of vanilla, oak, and caramel flavors that do not overpower the peaches.
- Recommended tools: small saucepan, grill
🥣 How to make (step-by-step photos)
1️⃣ Step One: Get the grill ready + prepare the peaches
First, heat the grill to medium or medium-high. This temperature prevents the peaches from sticking to the grill and produces the coveted grill marks on the soft side of the fruit.
Cut the peaches down the middle, remove the pits, and brush lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
2️⃣ Step Two: Grill the peaches
Next, lay the peaches facedown on the grill and let cook for 3-5 minutes.
After grilling soft-side down, flip peaches skin-side down and move to a higher grill rack that is not on direct heat (if available) and cook for another 3-5 minutes. While this is not crucial, it does allow the rest of the peach to soften more evenly throughout.
👉 Grilled fruit tip: Refrain from moving the peaches while grilling. To make the nice grill marks, you should leave the fruit on the grill for at least 3 minutes.
3️⃣ Step Three: Make the sauce
While the peaches are cooking on the grill, make the brown sugar bourbon reduction sauce.
Bring butter, brown sugar, and bourbon to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
This sauce is light enough that it doesn't mask the peaches while also lending a new level of flavor.
4️⃣ Step Four: Serve!
Place two peach halves on a plate. Top each peach half with 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream (optional) and then drizzle with the brown sugar bourbon sauce. Enjoy!
❓ Recipe questions + quick tips
We love pairing grilled peaches with liquor-based sauces that do not overpower their flavor. Bourbon works great, as its warm flavors complement the sweetness of the peaches. You could also try them with rum or amaretto.
Peaches should be just ripe enough if you're going to grill them. You don't want them too be too ripe, as the sugar they contain will burn quickly and they will be too tender to take the heat. On the other hand, you don't want them to be underripe, either, because they won't have the flavor that you're looking for.
Grilling peaches intensifies the flavor of the natural sugars in peaches, which results in a sweet, slightly carmelized taste. This is what makes them perfect for dessert on a summer evening!
💡 Ideas for serving
Our favorite way to enjoy grilled peaches is as a dessert. If you're looking for other ways to enjoy them, here are a few ideas:
- Add to your breakfast: You can add grilled peaches to breakfast classics like oatmeal, pancakes, and even yogurt. They're a great way to add a summer-themed seasonal kick to your morning routine!
- Enjoy as a snack: Have a grilled peach as an afternoon pick-me-up. Pair it with a handful of nuts and seeds or granola to make it more balanced!
🧊 How to store
We love how easy it is to store this tasty fruit dessert! You can make grilled peaches ahead and store them using these tips:
- Refrigerator storage: Store grilled peaches in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days. Store the sauce separately, and drizzle it over the peaches when ready to serve.
- Freezer storage (if applicable): We do not recommend keeping grilled peaches in the freezer.
👉 More fruity dessert recipes
Want more fruit-filled dessert recipes? We've got you covered:
- Peach Burrata Honeycomb Fruit Salad
- Blood Orange Kiwi Fruit Salad
- Black Cherry Basil Ricotta Toast
- Pluot & Brown Sugar Buckwheat Pancakes
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📖 Recipe
Grilled Peaches with Brown Sugar Bourbon Sauce
Ingredients
Grilled Peaches
- 2 medium peaches
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Optional 2 scoops ice cream 1 per serving
Brown Sugar Bourbon Sauce
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Get the grill ready. Start by heating the grill to medium or medium-high.
- Prepare the peaches. Cut peaches in half and remove pits. Lightly brush the soft side with oil.
- Grill the peaches. Lay peaches face down on the grill and let cook for 3-5 minutes. Optional: then move peaches skin-side down to a higher rack and let cook another 3-5 minutes to allow them to soften throughout.
- Make the sauce. While peaches are cooking, bring butter, brown sugar, and bourbon to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
- Serve. Place two peach halves on a plate, top with 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with brown sugar bourbon sauce.
Notes
- Leftovers and storage: Store grilled peaches in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days. Store the sauce separately, and drizzle it over the peaches when ready to serve.
- Nutrition notes: Nutrition information is an estimate. Nutrition was calculated without optional ice cream.
Nutrition
UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in 2017 and was update with new photos and instructions in June 2022.
Leslie says
The butter definitely makes it better! Thanks for this recipe!
Kristina Todini, RDN says
Butter makes everything better! For us these days we've switched to a vegan butter, but either way it gives a nice flavor booster. Thanks for stopping by!