Peach Bread

Embrace the flavors of a Southern summer with this delightful peach bread. Bursting with juicy peaches and a hint of warm whiskey, this quick bread is perfect for a special occasion brunch or an indulgent afternoon treat with a glass of iced tea. Tangy sour cream and a touch of brown sugar create a moist and flavorful crumb, while chopped pecans add a delightful textural contrast. Top it off with a simple whiskey glaze for an extra touch of elegance. This peach bread recipe is adaptable enough that you can make it with any type of peaches you like, including frozen peaches, once summer has ended. 

Ingredients for Peach Bread

• All-purpose flour: Flour is the base of this peach bread. You can substitute a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar is the primary sweetener in the batter. Love the caramel flavor it adds? Check out some of our favorite brown sugar desserts.
• Baking soda: Baking soda acts as the leavening agent that helps create lightness in the batter of peach cake.
• Eggs: Eggs provide the peach bread batter with richness, structure and elasticity. Note that it’s best to use room-temperature eggs when baking.
• Sour cream: Sour cream adds a delightful tang to the batter, but also extra fat and acid, which helps create an undeniably moist and rich quick bread.
• Canola oil: The primary fat in this peach bread recipe, canola oil improves the crumb and helps keep it moist for several days.
• Peach whiskey or whiskey: A splash of whiskey, both in the bread and the glaze, adds tang and sharpness to give dimension to the flavor of this peach bread. Feel free to substitute a teaspoon of rum or vanilla extract if you like.
• Peaches: Chopped fresh peaches, folded into the batter, give the bread its peachy flavor. You can use clingstone or freestone peaches, and this recipe calls for peeling the peaches.
• Pecans: Chopped pecans add a delightful crunch to peach bread, but you can leave them out if you like.
• Confectioners’ sugar and milk: A quick confectioners’ sugar glaze made with milk and a splash of whiskey makes a sweet and slightly boozy topping for peach bread.

Directions

Step 1: Start the peach bread batter

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar and baking soda.

Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients

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In another bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, oil and whiskey until blended.

Step 3: Combine the batter

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Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Fold in the peaches and pecans.

Step 4: Bake the peach bread

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Transfer the batter to a greased 8×4-inch loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 5: Make the glaze

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Combine the confectioners’ sugar, milk and whiskey. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bread, and let it stand until set.

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Peach Bread Variations

• Swap out the nuts: Pecans fit the Southern vibe of the peaches and whiskey in this quick bread, but walnuts or chopped almonds are excellent options too.
• Add frosting: Dress up peach bread with a topping of cream cheese frosting in place of the glaze.
• Spice it up: Add a little ground nutmeg or cinnamon to the batter. Really, anything you would use in a peach pie would be delicious in peach bread.
• Use a different pan: Divide the batter into greased and floured mini loaf pans or muffin tins instead of the loaf pan. Follow the same doneness cues, but note that because the batter is in smaller containers it will bake faster.

How to Store Peach Bread

This peach bread does not need to be refrigerated if it will be consumed within a few days. You can leave it on the counter wrapped in plastic wrap or covered with a cake dome (find more tips on how to store baked goods). If it won’t be eaten right away, place it in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to about a week.

Can you freeze peach bread?  

Freeze leftover slices of peach bread individually wrapped in plastic wrap or waxed paper, then transfer them to a freezer bag for storage. You can also freeze an entire peach bread, but if you know you want to make it ahead of time, hold off on adding the glaze until it’s defrosted, as the moisture released in the freezing and thawing process can make the glaze runny. Before eating it, thaw it at room temperature.

Peach Bread Tips

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What type of peach is best for peach bread?

This recipe for peach bread is adaptable enough that you can use any type of peaches you like, whether clingstone or freestone, white or yellow. The most important thing is that they are deeply fragrant and have a slight give when gently pressed.

Can you use frozen peaches to make peach bread recipes?

Absolutely, and it’s easy to chop them while they’re still partially frozen. Use the same quantity as fresh peaches, and don’t worry about defrosting them before folding them into the batter.

How do you ripen peaches?

To ripen peaches, place them in a paper bag, and fold down the top. This traps the ethylene gas that the peaches naturally emit, which helps them to ripen. Leave the bag of peaches on the countertop for a few days, and check on them from time to time. If they are especially fragrant and have a slight give when you gently press them with your finger, they’re good to go for baking into your peach dessert recipes.