Red Haven Peach Pie is made with fresh, ripe peaches tucked in a delicate all butter pie crust with a sprinkle of crunchy sugar on top for a classic peach pie to remember.
We’re all probably daydreaming about brisk fall days that envelop us in the feelings of the season like a cozy old sweater. With it comes the yearning for spiced apple cider and crunchy, cinnamon sugar encrusted baked apple doughnuts . I’m ready to hunker down and eat my fair share of iced pumpkin cranberry muffins with the rest of you. Truly I am. However, just like my propensity to eke out the last perfect blueberry pie after Labor Day, so too do I need one last summer fruit pie before embracing the #PSL madness of the season.
Consider it my contribution to balance in our world of rushing seasons and the appearance of retail Halloween displays around the fourth of July.
I recently happened upon a couple of quarts of late season Red Haven peaches peeking through bushels of apples at a local farm market. The poor little things must have missed the memo that it is the season of fall fruits. The little Red Haven’s were still every bit as round and firm as I’d expect in the middle of August. Seems like I’m not the only one dragging my feet on embracing the fall.
I was doubly surprised to see the Red Havens so late in the season. Peach trees do not typically produce as abundantly as other fruits in northern Michigan. Our climate more closely resembles the milder growing regions of the south of France. Fruits that require an abundance of sunshine and heat usually do better in the southern part of the state. Upon chatting with the wizard-like farmer, he said that Red Haven peaches were originally developed for our climate at Michigan State University. The variety does well here and regularly produces for up to seven weeks. Since we had such a hot, dry summer this year, his peach harvest extended by three weeks.
Always one to admire tenacity, I felt a kinship with these little peaches. Since they so obviously mastered the arduous task of producing far longer than expected, I figured it only proper to send them off in style in a summery pie. Upon seeing the peaches on the counter, Son #1 declared that he didn’t really love peaches, especially in peach pie.
Wait. What?!
How did I not know this about my first born? What kind of pie-loving-pie-baking-apprentice am I raising if he doesn’t care for peach pie? Peach pie is a classic! I have clearly failed my family by not serving them a decent peach pie.
Consider the gauntlet thrown. I had a new mission.
To be fair, I most often use frozen peaches for pie because our growing season is so short. Frozen store brand peaches haven’t even a sliver of the flavor found in a fresh, ripe peach. So, if you’re lucky enough to find ripe peaches, always choose them over the frozen variety for pies.
My mission to bake a swoon-worthy peach pie has been realized with this Red Haven Peach Pie. Red Haven Peach Pie is made with fresh, ripe peaches tucked in a delicate all butter pie crust with a hefty sprinkle of coarse sugar on top for added crunch. Son #1 declares this to be the best peach pie that he’s ever eaten. Since he’s an official Peach Pie Convert, I can rest easy knowing that I haven’t failed him in the pie department. Phew! Now I can ease into fall with a clear conscience.
Bake a swoon-worthy Red Haven Peach Pie at home:
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Kirsten Kubert
Yields One 9-inch Pie
Red Haven Peach Pie is made with fresh, ripe peaches tucked in a delicate all butter pie crust with a sprinkle of crunchy sugar on top for a classic peach pie to remember.
1 hrPrep Time
1 hrCook Time
2 hrTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- For the Pastry:
- 1 recipe 5 Minute Food Processor Pie Crust (or your favorite double crust pastry recipe)
- For the Filling:
- 4 lbs. fresh Red Haven peaches (5 C. sliced)
- 2/3 C. granulated sugar
- 3 Tbs. cornstarch
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- For the Topping (Optional):
- 1 whole egg
- 1 Tbs. water
- 1-2 tsp. of coarse granulated sugar or sugar-in-the- raw
Instructions
- Peel, pit, and cut the peaches into ¼-inch thick slices. Place the sliced peaches into a large bowl. Sprinkle the peaches with sugar and cornstarch and stir to coat; set the peaches aside to macerate while attending to the pie dough.
- Roll out one disk of chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness; gently roll dough around a rolling pin to transfer to the pie plate, ensuring a 1 ½ inch overhang. Spoon the macerated peaches into the pastry lined pie plate.
- Roll out the other disk of dough to cover the filling, leaving a 1 ½ inch overhang.
- Fold both edges over to create a ½ inch rim around the pie. Seal, crimp, and vent top crust as desired. Alternately, a lattice weave crust may be used. Chill the assembled pie for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Whip egg with water to create egg wash. Brush egg wash over the pie, and sprinkle the coarse sugar over top.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F to “set” the crust. After the initial baking, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, and continue baking the pie for an additional 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown all over.
- The filling will set as it cools, so be sure to allow ample time for the pie to cool completely on a wire rack before serving. I highly recommend serving Red Haven Peach Pie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
Notes
If fresh, ripe peaches are is short supply in your neck of the woods, frozen peaches will do in a pinch. I recommend dicing them into bite size pieces and letting them thaw before proceeding with the recipe. Add an additional tablespoon of lemon juice and a drop of vanilla to the filling to round out the flavor.
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