Peach Pie

Peach pie, fresh peach pie! Sliced peaches, Sprite®, gelatin, and only a bit of sugar are the ingredients to this spin on the Shoney’s strawberry pie.

My daughter-in-law, Rebecca, makes a delicious Shoney’s-style strawberry pie recipe that her family has kept for years. In fact, it has now become my family’s favorite pie. This year, she and my son have been experimenting with different fruits to create their own version of the classic pie, and I think they have finally come across the perfect recipe.

A Cool, Delicious Way to Enjoy Fresh Peaches

Becca’s peach pie is the ideal way to use up a glut of peaches while also keeping you cool during the hot Alabama summer. Rebecca loves fruit in any way she can get it, but she prefers it raw. If you’re like her, then this peach pie recipe will undoubtedly trump any other dessert. And it is so simple to make!

What makes Rebecca’s pie so unique is that she adds Sprite to it, which perfectly rounds out the flavor.

Here are my answers to commonly asked questions about making a peach pie.

Do you peel peaches before baking in a pie?

This is a surprisingly controversial question. In the end, my opinion is that peeled is better than unpeeled.

The very best way to peel a peach is to poach it. The skins just slide off without damaging any of the delicate meat of the peach. To do this, you simply bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in as many peaches as you need. Wait 30 seconds, then bring the peaches out and place them in a bowl of iced water. Wait 5 to 10 seconds, and voilà, the skins will just fall off. After much experimentation, this is by far the best technique I have found and it works beautifully, even with a bulk of peaches.

Another way to peel a peach is to simply peel it like you would an apple. Get the apple peeler and start from the top, gently working your way down to the stem.

Can you use peaches with skin on for pie?

Absolutely! I have made peach pies with the skin on, too, and many people even prefer it this way. The skin gives the pie a gorgeous color that you don’t get when the skin is removed.

Why is my peach pie runny?

One reason your pie may not be set is that you didn’t let it go long enough on the stove. Make sure to let the mixture come to a boil before removing it from the heat. You’ll know if it’ll set if you can clearly see a trail in the mixture when you drag your whisk through it. It’ll be relatively thin, but rest assured that it will thicken when put into the fridge to chill.

Tips and Tricks

You can use any type of peach for this recipe. I even like to mix the firmer yellow peach with the much more delicate white peach varieties. I will cut the peaches into different sizes depending on the firmness of the peach so that the texture will vary. For instance, if you have a very soft peach, I would cut the slices much bigger compared to when I use a harder peach.

For more peachy goodness, serve with Southern Peach Tea.