How To Can Spiced Peaches

This summer, one of the things we accomplished was to get 2 bushels of peaches processed. Aside from processing them as canned peach halves, I had enough peaches that we could experiment with a few other recipes. These spiced peaches were one of them. While I only did a small batch, they quickly became a favorite for Bookworm and Lady Bug. Here, I’ll walk you through step by step on how to can spiced peaches.

Hint: It’s not much different than canning regular peaches!

If spiced peaches aren’t your thing, you can check out my post how to can peaches for a step by step tutorial.

I prefer to eat fresh peaches by far, by the rest of the fam loves peaches, whether they’re fresh or canned. A few years ago, I got serious about cutting additives from our diet to help reduce the amount of migraines Monkey would experience, and allergic reactions I would have. Adding locally grown peaches to our home canned arsenal seemed like an obvious choice.

Ever since, I go out each summer and buy a bushel or two and can them. While I may still be new to canning peaches, I can tell you that fresh canned local peaches are preferred by our family over store bought. And that’s more than enough approval for me!

This year, I purchased a tad too many, and started experimenting with a few other peach recipes. It wasn’t until a few months later as I’m at the grocery store searching for pears, I found spiced peaches, and their price point. I can say with certainty, making spiced peaches at home is an incredible budget saver!

What You’ll Need:

Here’s a list of what you’ll need for canning your own sliced peaches.

Peaches
Large bowl* to wash them in
Cutting Board
Knife
Water Bath Canning Kit — I’ve had this one* for the last 6 years. It holds up to 7 quarts, or 9 pints, and is a breeze to use. Plus, it comes with other items you’ll need, like the headspace tool, jar lifter and a funnel, without having to purchase them separately.
Canning Jars with Lids and Rings*
Fruit Fresh*
Cinnamon Sticks
Whole Cloves
Large stock pot {I use my 12qt pot*} – for blanching peaches to peel them
Small stock pot {I use my 6qt pot*}
Sugar
Water
Ladle
Damp cloth for wiping down the ring of the jar
Towels

Gather, Wash, & Peel Your Peaches

If you need more details to this process, I break this down further in my canned peaches post.

I like to buy my peaches from a local orchard, and pay $32 for a bushel. If I purchased seconds, the cost would be about $20 per bushel, but when I finally find the time to get to the orchard, they’re all out of seconds! I choose buying directly from the orchard rather than the farmer’s market because the farmers market is known to be more expensive when buying in bulk.

If this is your first time canning peaches, I suggest you start with no more than a bushel, unless you have more helping hands and are running more than one canner. It simply makes it easier to keep up with processing them. Unlike apples, peaches tend to ripen really fast, and can turn moldy on you if you can’t keep up.

I fill my large bowl* with water and wash the peaches. This helps to remove dirt, bugs, and anything else that may be on the peaches, but it also takes off their fuzz. Peeling peaches is so much more enjoyable when I’m not battling with fuzz everywhere.

For peeling the peaches, I have blanched them in the past, but for this batch of peaches, they were ripe enough allowing me to peel the skins off without blanching.

After you’ve peeled them, you want to remove the pit and slice them. I’ve left them as halves, and I’ve sliced them. It’s up to you and your preference.

You will want to store the peaches in a citric acid solution to prevent them from oxidizing (turning brown) as you peel and prep enough peaches to run a canner load. I use a 12 quart plastic container we have on hand with a quart of water and 4 teaspoons of fruit fresh*.

I know I’ve gotten enough peaches for a canner load when the liquid and peaches fill the entire container.

Make The Syrup

I like my peaches canned as close to “in the juice” or “in water” as I can get. So I make an ultra-light simple syrup to store them in while they’re in storage.

In a smaller stock pot* {I use my 6qt pot for this}, place 3 cups sugar and 11 & 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring to make sure all the sugar dissolves. This will give you approximately 12 cups of syrup, or enough for about 8 quart jars.

Can Your Peaches

As your syrup is prepping, you’ll want to prep your canner and jars too. Fill you canner with water and bring it to a boil. Wash your jars, lids and rings in hot soapy water. Fill the jars with boiling water and sit on the rack in your canner, allowing it to remain hot until you’re ready to fill them with peaches and syrup. Place your lids in a bowl of hot water to help soften the seals. Lately, this isn’t a necessary step, but I think it helps the lid seal a little easier.

Working one jar at a time, place your peach halves in the jars pit side down, overlapping until there is only 1/2″ headspace. Headspace is the distance between the rim of the jar and the top of the peaches.

Add 1 cinnamon stick and 2 cloves per quart jar, or 1/2 cinnamon stick and 1 clove per pint.

Using your ladel and funnel, slowly poor syrup into the jar over top of the peaches. Run the headspace tool between the jar edge and the peaches to help coax out any bubbles. Top off the jar with syrup, leaving 1/2″ headspace.

Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp cloth. It makes sure that there is nothing that will allow the seal to fail. Use the magnetic lid lifter to top the jars with lids. Add the ring, and tighten down until it’s finger-tip tight.

Add your jar to the canner, and repeat with the remaining jars.

Once all the jars are filled, lower your canning rack into the canner. Put the lid on the canner, and bring to a full rolling boil. Process pints and quarts for 25 minutes.

{If you are above 1,000 feet in elevation, be sure to adjust your processing time for your altitude. To adjust your processing time, you increase the time by 5 minutes if you are between 1,000 & 3,000 feet, by 10 minutes if you’re between 3,000 & 6,000 feet, and by 15 minutes if you live above 6,000 feet. This helps to compensate for the difference in boiling temperatures and air pressures at higher elevations than compared to sea level. So for example, our elevation is 1,350 feet, so I process spiced peaches for 30 minutes.}

When your processing time is done, turn off the heat and remove the lid from your canner. Allow the jars to sit in the canner for 5 minutes before removing them from the canner. Then let them sit undisturbed on some towels for 12 hours before checking the seal.

To check the seal, push down in the center of the lid. If the lid is sealed, it won’t give, or “pop”. Remove the rings and store your jars in a cool place until you are ready to use them.

If your lid did give a “pop” as you checked the seal, you can either reprocess your jar with a new lid right away, or store it in the fridge and eat it within the next week.