Peach Sorbet
This Peach Sorbet uses only a few basic ingredients, and the result is an easy dairy-free dessert that tastes great on a hot summer day!
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I love a good frozen dessert – especially on a hot summer day. A bowl of cookies ‘n cream ice cream? Always a favorite! A fruity sherbet? Also quite welcome on a warm evening. For this recipe, we’re staying in the family of frozen desserts, but we’re veering off to the side a bit. Sorbet. And guess what? Sorbet is a surprisingly easy dessert to make at home!
What is Sorbet?
Before jumping into this Peach Sorbet recipe, let’s quickly look at what sorbet actually is. Ice cream is made with a combination of chilled milk and cream. Sherbet is also made with dairy, although the amount of cream is much less than what you find in ice cream.
Sorbets don’t include any cream. Sorbets are a dairy-free dessert that rely on just a few simple ingredients – typically pureed fruit, lemon juice, sugar and water. (Can we even call water an ingredient!?) Sorbet can be a bit tricky to make, though. If the proportions aren’t right, the sorbet will end up too icy. Or it might never harden up in the freezer. Or the flavor is just off – too sweet or too tart.
But a good sorbet? Now that’s a thing of beauty….especially on a hot summer day! This Peach Sorbet is absolutely fantastic. I love fresh peaches, and I buy them by the bucketful every summer. I typically stop by the farmer’s market and grab those huge baskets full of fragrant peaches. I eat ’em every day for weeks, slowing moving them into the fridge as they get too soft. Eventually though I get tired of peaches. That’s when I start cooking and baking with them instead.
Peach Sorbet
This Peach Sorbet is a great way to use leftover peaches! Or perhaps you have a few bruised peaches in the basket that look a little suspicious? Puree ’em up and turn those peaches into sorbet! (If the peaches have started to grow a bit of mold around the bruised areas, just cut the bruises off. The rest of the peach is still salvageable for sorbet.)
To peel or not to peel? I’ve made this peach sorbet twice – the first time I made it, I left the peaches unpeeled. The second time, I peeled the peaches. I don’t know if I have a strong preference either way. The peach puree gets pressed through a fine-meshed sieve, so it removes any larger pieces of peel and/or pulp anyways. I found it a bit easier to peel the peaches first, but it’s just personal preference.
As noted above, I used fresh peaches for this recipe. Every year, I get overexcited when I see those South Carolina free-stone peaches, and I buy way too many. Needless to say, I used fresh peaches for this recipe. Frozen peaches would also work, but make sure to thaw them first. But canned peaches? I’d skip those. Canned peaches don’t even taste like peaches in my opinion!
How to Make Sorbet
We’re making Peach Sorbet in today’s recipe, but the same process works for other fruit-based sorbets, too:
- Make a Simple Syrup. Mix hot water, sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Puree the Fruit. This can be done using a blender, food processor or immersion blender. I found an immersion blender to be the easiest option – mainly because I didn’t need to clean an entire blender or food processor afterwards. The peaches should be pureed until smooth.
- Strain the Peach Puree. Pour the puree into a fine-mesh strainer and gently press it through with a rubber spatula. I use this strainer – it’s perfect for the job! Mix the puree with the simple syrup.
- Chill the Mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly to the top of the mixture. Chill for several hours (or overnight) in the refrigerator.
- Churn in an Ice Cream Maker. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. I’ve been using this Cuisinart ice cream maker for years, and I love it!
- Freeze until Firm. Transfer the frozen mixture into an airtight container and freeze for a couple of hours or until firm. As sorbet freezes, it might get too firm. Just let it sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes before scooping it out.
If you’re looking for a fun and tasty summer dessert recipe using fresh fruit, then a batch of this Peach Sorbet needs to appear in your kitchen! It’s surprisingly easy to make, and it’s a great non-dairy alternative to ice cream. Plus, it captures the flavor of those fresh summer peaches when they are at their peak. I hope you enjoy this treat as much as we do here – Cheers!
Did you make this Peach Sorbet recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Peach Sorbet
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ Tbsp lemon juice
- 20 oz. sliced fresh peaches (approximately ~4 cups), can substitute frozen, thawed peaches
Instructions
- Using a medium bowl, combine the water, sugar and lemon juice; stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Meanwhile, blend the peaches in a blender or food processor until pureed. (Note: I used an immersion blender – it worked great!)
- Press peach puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove any excess pulp.
- Stir the peach puree into the sugar syrup until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Pour mixture into ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Transfer mixture into freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 more hours. (Note: If the sorbet is still soft after 4 hours, let it freeze overnight.)
- To serve, scoop sorbet into bowls and garnish with fresh peach slices. (Tip: Let sorbet sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften before scooping.)
Looking for more recipes with fresh peaches? Check out some of these other favorites, too:
I need to try this soon for me BTW can’t wait to make your recipes soon for me
Thanks, Ramya! I hope you enjoy this frozen treat. 🙂
I am not a big fan of dairy so a sherbet or a sorbet is best for me:) I love fresh fruit in a dessert so this sounds like a winner David. Tho perhaps still a bit chilly at the moment. Maybe in Spring? …
sherry
I’m guessing fresh peaches are a little difficult to find in your area this time of the year, Sherry! (And frozen/canned peaches are fine for some recipes…but they’re just not the same.) Save this and make a fun sorbet once the temperatures start to climb!
This sorbet is sublime, the foodie that I am couldn’t resist it, it looks too good. Thanks for your recipe. Cheers!
And it’s an easy recipe, too! You just need an ice cream churn, but other than that it’s super simple! 🙂
David, this peach sorbet is exactly the kind of summer dessert I’d accidentally inhale in one go, so simple, so fresh, and honestly the perfect way to rescue those “maybe a bit too soft” peaches sitting on the counter.
For sure! We rarely have the problem of over-ripe peaches here just because we love ’em so much…but turning them into sorbet would be excellent way to use up any extras. Plus, sorbet is just such a light and refreshing summer treat!
This looks fantastic, David! Peach sorbet is such a perfect summer treat, especially when peaches are at their best.
We’re in the height of delicious peach season down here right now – and I love it! We just grabbed a huge basket at the farmer’s market last week, and I’m planning on making another batch of this sorbet tomorrow. 🙂 Thanks, Ben!
Summer peaches are the best! I always buy way too many fresh peaches at the farmer’s market, so this is such a perfect way to use them up. Love how simple and refreshing it is for a hot summer day. Can’t wait to give it a try!
We have a counter full of summer peaches right now, and I couldn’t be happier about it! In fact, I’m planning another batch of this sorbet soon since the last batch disappeared too fast. Thanks, Betty!
Wow, I really like how crazy easy you’ve made this. Even better, I love that this can be made with imperfect fruit. Peaches are so fragile, so getting some bruised and damaged fruit is almost a certainty. I always have sugar and lemon juice on hand, so making this is a cinch. Especially with your easy step-by-step instructions. Thank you for giving me such a delicious way to salvage my ugly peaches!
I totally know what you mean about bruised peaches, Heidi. We bought a basket at the farmer’s market last week, and I’ve been going through each day looking for bruises that are coming out as the peaches ripen. This sorbet is a great way to use those ugly ones!