Peach Pie

Ingredients

• 1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated pie dough (store-bought or homemade), or a double batch of homemade dough
• 6 cups peeled, sliced ripe peaches
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Fit one crust into a 9-inch pie dish.
2. In a large bowl, gently toss the peeled, sliced ripe peaches with the sugar, thickener, spice, lemon juice, and salt until evenly coated.
3. Pour the filling into the crust and dot with the butter pieces.
4. Top with the second crust, forming a lattice top, or cut several vents in a full top crust. Crimp the edges to seal, then brush the top with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
5. Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through the vents.
6. Cool on a wire rack at least 2 hours before slicing so the filling has time to set.

The Tale of Peach Pie

Story updated September 19, 2026

Peaches are native to China and reached North America through the Spanish, whose missionaries are said to have planted them in Florida and coastal Georgia in the 16th century. Cherokee growers later cultivated them in the Southeast. Georgia's commercial peach industry took off after the Civil War, when farmers looked for alternatives to cotton, and the state eventually became known as the Peach State. Peach pie became a summer staple there and across the country, and serving it warm with vanilla ice cream, a la mode, is a familiar American finish. No single cook or date is credited with the first peach pie.