This quick and easy peach bread recipe is absolutely the most delicious way to make the most of summer's favorite juicy peaches! With optional pecans and glaze, it's incredibly versatile as a snack, dessert, or breakfast bread.
Looking for more peach recipes? Try Peach Crumble with butter pecan topping, Caramelized Peaches, Chilled Peach Soup, and Peach Mango Pie!
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There is nothing like fresh peaches - seriously, nothing! You just can't duplicate that special flavor. Sure, canned peaches are fine, and frozen ones have their place, but they're no substitute for the real deal. That fresh flavor you can only get in the summer? That's peach season magic we're talking about!
We already have Hummingbird Muffins, Hummingbird Bread and Blueberry Orange Bread recipes that get tons of love, so creating a peach bread recipe was just natural!
We kept it simple by using self-rising flour (but don't worry - if you don't keep it on hand, check out our 3 Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuit post for the substitution). And yes, we add optional pecans because, well, pecans are the king of nuts around here! Peaches and pecans together? Pure Southern magic that creates the most delicious peach bread you've ever tasted.
Here's the thing that makes this fresh peach bread absolutely incredible - we give you a double punch of flavor from perfectly ripe peaches! Pureed peaches create amazing moistness, while finely diced peaches leave you with no doubt what the star of this peach loaf is.
Plus, that optional glaze? It takes this peach quick bread recipe right over the edge toward dessert territory, though honestly, we love it glazed even for breakfast. A toasted, buttered slice in the morning is pure heaven!
Why You'll Love This Peach Bread Recipe
- It's the perfect way to use up those gorgeous fresh peaches at their peak and nothing beats the satisfaction of homemade peach bread made from scratch
- Double peach power means incredible flavor and moistness in every bite
- Optional pecans add that perfect Southern touch and amazing crunch
- So versatile - breakfast, snack, or dessert? Yes, please!
- Super simple recipe that anyone can master
Peaches and pecans are two classic southern ingredients. If you have an interest in all things southern food you'll want to read Southern Food: Then and Now. It's a look at our favorite cuisine's history and future.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter - Room temperature is key here for proper creaming with the sugar
- Sugar - Plain old granulated sugar does the trick perfectly
- Eggs - Fresh eggs at room temperature blend like a dream
- Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract really makes those peaches sing
- Buttermilk - This is what gives you that tender, moist crumb we're after
- Self-rising flour - Makes life so much easier! No self-rising flour? No problem - check our substitution guide
- Fresh peaches - Use those peach chunks at their absolute peak! We haven't tested this with canned or frozen, so stick with fresh
- Pecans - Totally optional but SO worth it - toast them first for maximum flavor
- Confectioners sugar - For that dreamy glaze
- Milk - Just enough to get the glaze consistency just right
How to Make Fresh Peach Bread
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until it's light and fluffy - this is where the magic starts!
- Beat in eggs and vanilla until everything's perfectly combined and smooth.
- Mix in the flour - blend those dry ingredients well, but don't go crazy here.
- Add the peach puree and buttermilk - blend those wet ingredients until smooth and gorgeous.
- Fold in the good stuff - gently fold in those diced peaches and toasted pecans if you're using them.
- Get it in the pan - pour into your lined and greased loaf pan.
- Bake to perfection - 350° for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool it down - let the bread cool 5-10 minutes in the pan, then onto a wire rack.
- Make the glaze - blend confectioners sugar, vanilla, and milk until it's perfect.
Expert Tips
- Use peaches at their absolute peak - this is crucial for amazing flavor
- Toast those pecans for 5-7 minutes at 350° - trust me on this one!
- Line your pan with parchment paper that hangs over the edges for easy removal (check our Hummingbird Bread recipe for photos!)
- You'll want about 1-1.5 cups of pureed peaches and 1.5-1.75 cups of diced peaches
- This quick bread recipe is forgiving, but don't overbake it! Stop as soon as that toothpick comes out clean for perfectly moist peach bread
- If you're glazing, let it sit out for 30 minutes to an hour before wrapping so the glaze gets that nice little crust
Storage Tips
After glazing your peach bread recipe, let it sit uncovered at room temperature until that glaze forms a light crust before you wrap it up. This keeps everything from getting gooey and messy!
Your peach loaf will stay fresh covered with plastic wrap (or in an airtight container) at room temperature for up to 3 days, or you can wrap it tight and freeze it for up to 3 months.
For an extra special treat, serve warm slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
More of our favorite peach recipes:
- Caramelized Peaches
- Peach Trifle Recipe
- Grilled Peach Bourbon Cocktails
- Chilled Peach Soup with Cucumbers
- Peach-Glazed Grilled Chicken Wings
📖 Recipe
Fresh Peach Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 2¼ cups self-rising flour
- 2-3 peaches, peeled and pureed (2 large or 3 small - see notes)
- 2-3 peaches, peeled and diced (2 large or 3 small - see notes)
- ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted optional
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.
- Add flour and blend well.
- Add pureed peaches and buttermilk and blend well.
- Fold in peaches and pecans (optional).
- Pour batter into a 9x5 loaf pan which has been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with a baking spray like Bakers Joy.
- Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or just until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes and then remove to cooling rack.
- Cool completely before glazing, if desired.
For the Glaze
- Blend sugar, vanilla and milk, adding a Tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Notes
- You should end up with about 1-1.5 cups of pureed peaches
- You should end up with about 1.5-1.75 cups of diced peaches
- After glazing allow peach bread to sit uncovered at room temperature until glaze forms a light "crust" before covering.
Lyn says
I love fresh peaches and this recipe was delicious!
Pam says
Thanks for taking the time to let us know and leave a rating, Lyn!
Joyce says
On the recipe why didn't it say when to add vanilla?
Pam says
Joyce, try as we might to check and double check every detail, we do sometimes miss something. Thanks so much for pointing this out. It's been corrected now. If your Peach Bread turned out well (and honestly, the vanilla could be added at any point and be fine) we would appreciate your rethinking that star rating. Thanks!
Natalie says
Butter, vanilla, and peaches... omg... I can't wait to make this. Looks delicious. I bet my family will devour this one. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Pam says
Hope you enjoy!
Patty at Spoonabilities says
This is on my list to bake up for sure! I'm sure it won't last in our house! So good.
Pam says
Hope you enjoy, Patty!
Dannii says
I am so bored of banana bread now, so this looks like the perfect alternative.
Pam says
Perfect right now while peaches are in season!
Sara Welch says
Made this this afternoon and it does not disappoint! Easy, delicious and a great way to enjoy summer peaches! Easily, a new favorite recipe!
Pam says
Awww... thanks for letting us know Sara!
Joan says
Can this be frozen and if so, can the glaze be added before freezing.
Pam says
Absolutely, Joan! If you glaze first I would freeze it unwrapped and then wrap it tightly once it's well frozen. That way the glaze won't stick to the wrap.
Dina and Bruce says
Oh y’all know we love peach 🍑 everything
Pam says
We do! Thanks for popping in!
Susan says
Was really looking forward to making this. I’ve made this twice and sadly had same results both times. First there is more batter then is required to fill a standard loaf pan. Second, used fresh flavourful peaches and yet this tasted bland, both times. Nothing was omitted from recipe except using nuts. I thought it was me but feedback came back the same. It was a moist bread though. Not sure if using brown sugar instead of white would be better or if you need to add more vanilla, or add spices ...but after two tries I will not make this again.
Pam says
We're so sorry you had this experience, Susan. It does make a full loaf pan (9x5 size), but we have certainly been able to fit it all in. The photos you see are of one loaf made in that size pan. Also hate it that you were disappointed in the flavor. You could add some spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. if you wanted to, but we developed it to be simple and let the peaches be the star.
Thank you for taking the time to leave your comments. It means a lot to us.
Pam says
UPDATE: We have modified the recipe so that it now easily fits in the standard loaf pan. Making it slightly smaller also intensifies the peach flavor.
Emily says
I was excited to try out this recipe for welcoming my mom home since I had some fresh peaches, but it didn't turn out at all. I used a 9 x 5 loaf pan and followed the instructions correctly, but for some reason my bread was extremely soupy in the middle where it just didn't cook. I cut it in half length-wise so that it was only half as thick and laid one of the halves in a separate dish so that the middle was directly exposed to the heat. I had to cook it significantly longer for the batter to not be runnny anymore, and then once it was done I didn't have a loaf, I basically had two long slices. I was determined to make the best of it and just eat it how it was, but it didn't even have a good flavor; it was way too sweet, and the sugar was all I could taste. 🙁 I wish this would have turned out better.
Pam says
So sorry Emily. I have to wonder if your oven temperature is calibrated correctly. After cutting it in half and baking the halves I'm not surprised that you weren't happy with the end results. The recipe was definitely developed to be baked in a loaf pan. Lucky you still having fresh peaches this late in the season!
Rosemary falk says
Have you ever tried adding bourbon to this recipe? If so, how much would you add?
Elicia says
I have a severe milk allergy can this be made with almond or oat milk. No way I can have butter milk ☹️
Pam says
I'm sorry Elicia, but we haven't tested it. I would do a search to see if they can be substituted for buttermilk in baking.
JG says
Can I use fresh canned peached for this recipe?
JG says
Sorry, I didn't see in the notes, that you haven't tried with fresh canned peaches.
Ned says
This was perfect to share with the family! We loved it so much we made a second loaf to share with a neighbor. They loved it just as much as we did. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
Dina and Bruce says
I still had some frozen peaches from last summer, and made this for brunch this am! It smells so good!