Maple Cinnamon Baked Peaches

These 5-ingredient Maple Cinnamon Baked Peaches are an absolute treat. Sweet, juicy peaches are halved and drizzled with a maple-cinnamon glaze, before being baked to golden perfection. As they bake, the peaches soften, their natural sugars intensify, and the syrupy glaze caramelises, creating a warm, comforting dessert that’s hard to resist. Served with vanilla ice cream or Greek yoghurt, they make the perfect summer dessert.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Ingredient Breakdown
• Selecting the Perfect Peaches
• Olive Oil vs. Butter
• Baking Tips for Perfect Peaches
• Serving Suggestions
• Can You Use Other Fruits?
• Storing and Reheating
• More Dessert Inspo

Introduction

When it comes to easy yet impressive desserts, these Maple Cinnamon Baked Peaches are hard to beat. They’re the perfect combination of simplicity and flavour, requiring minimal ingredients and effort. This recipe is the perfect way to celebrate the natural sweetness of peaches, enhanced by the warmth of cinnamon and the rich, caramel notes of maple syrup. Whether you’re looking for an easy dessert to impress guests or a comforting treat to enjoy at home, these Maple Cinnamon Baked Peaches are sure to hit the spot.

Ingredient Breakdown

• Peaches: The star of the show! Choose peaches that are ripe but still firm, so they hold their shape during baking. Peaches that are too soft may turn mushy in the oven.
• Maple Syrup: This adds a deep, rich sweetness that pairs beautifully with the natural sugars in the peaches. The maple syrup also caramelises as it bakes, adding a lovely texture and depth of flavour to the dish.
• Brown Sugar: Adding brown sugar to the mix brings an extra layer of sweetness and a hint of molasses, which deepens the overall flavour profile. The sugar also aids in the caramelisation process, giving the peaches a golden, slightly crisp exterior.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Butter: Whether you choose olive oil or butter, this fat component is crucial for achieving a beautifully baked finish. Olive oil lends a subtle fruitiness, while butter adds a rich, creamy note. Both help the peaches develop a gorgeous golden hue.
• Ground Cinnamon: This spice brings warmth and a hint of spice that complements the sweetness of the peaches and maple syrup perfectly. Adjust the amount to your taste.

Selecting the Perfect Peaches

To ensure these maple cinnamon baked peaches are as delicious as they can be, selecting the right peach is key. You want peaches that are ripe but still firm. Here’s how to pick the best ones:

• Feel: Gently squeeze the peach. It should give slightly but still feel firm. If it’s too soft, it may become too mushy when baked.
• Smell: A ripe peach will have a sweet, fragrant aroma. If it smells like nothing, it’s likely not ripe and flavourful.
• Look: Check for a rich, vibrant colour. Avoid peaches with green undertones, as this indicates they are underripe. Also, look for peaches that are free from blemishes or wrinkles.

By choosing the best peaches, you ensure that they’ll hold their shape during baking while still becoming tender and juicy.

Olive Oil vs. Butter

In this Maple Cinnamon Baked Peaches recipe, you have the option to use either extra-virgin olive oil or melted butter. Each choice offers a different flavour profile:

• Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil might seem strange in a dessert recipe, but it’s actually fantastic in baked goods. It adds a fruity, slightly peppery note to the dish, which complements the sweetness of the maple syrup and peaches. It’s a great option if you want to keep the dish a bit lighter.
• Butter: Melted butter, on the other hand, adds a rich, creamy texture and a subtle savoury flavour that pairs beautifully with the caramelised peaches. Butter also helps to create a slightly crispier edge on the peaches as they bake.

Whether you choose olive oil or butter, the fat component is crucial for achieving a beautifully baked finish so don’t skip it!

Baking Tips for Perfect Peaches

Baking peaches might seem straightforward, but here are a few tips to ensure they come out perfect every time:

• Arrange Snuggle: When placing the peaches in your skillet or roasting tin, make sure they are snugly packed. This prevents the juices from spreading out too thinly and potentially burning. The closer they are, the more they can steam in their own juices, enhancing the flavour.
• Flip Halfway Through: To ensure even caramelisation, flip the peaches halfway through the baking time. This allows both sides to absorb the flavours of the maple cinnamon mixture and develop a beautiful golden-brown colour.
• Let Them Cool in the Juices: Once the peaches are done, let them cool in the roasting juices. This step is crucial as it allows the peaches to reabsorb some of the juices, making them even more flavourful and juicy. It also ensures that your ice cream/yoghurt doesn’t immediately melt!

Serving Suggestions

These Maple Cinnamon Baked Peaches are incredibly versatile and can be served in lots of different ways:

• With Ice Cream: The classic pairing of warm baked peaches and cold vanilla ice cream is hard to beat. The creamy, cold ice cream contrasts beautifully with the warm, spiced peaches, making for a decadent summer dessert.
• With Yoghurt: For a lighter option, serve the baked peaches with a dollop of Greek yoghurt. The tanginess of the yoghurt complements the sweetness of the peaches perfectly.
• With Mascarpone: For a rich, creamy option, serve the peaches with a dollop of mascarpone. The subtle sweetness and creaminess of the mascarpone complement the peaches perfectly.
• Yoghurt Parfait: Layer the baked peaches with Greek yoghurt and granola for a breakfast parfait that’s as delicious as it is indulgent.
• On Pancakes or Waffles: Spoon the warm peaches and their syrup over pancakes or waffles for a breakfast treat that feels luxurious but is easy to make.

No matter how you choose to serve them, these baked peaches are sure to impress!

Can You Use Other Fruits?

While peaches are the star of this recipe, you can easily adapt it to other fruits:

• Nectarines: A close cousin to peaches, nectarines work beautifully in this recipe. Their slightly firmer texture holds up well to baking, and their flavour is similarly sweet and juicy.
• Plums: Plums add a slightly tart contrast to the sweetness of the maple syrup. Use firm plums to ensure they hold their shape during baking.
• Pears: Pears bring a subtle sweetness and a creamy texture to the dish. Choose slightly underripe pears for the best results, as they will soften nicely in the oven.

Storing and Reheating

If you have any leftovers (though it’s unlikely!), you can easily store them for later enjoyment:

• Storing: Place the cooled peaches in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The flavours will continue to develop, making them even more delicious.
• Reheating: To reheat, place the peaches in a baking dish and warm them in a preheated oven at 150℃ for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. Alternatively, you can microwave them in short bursts until warm. Be careful not to overheat them, as this could cause the peaches to become overly mushy.

More Dessert Inspo

If you love these Maple Cinnamon Baked Peaches and would like to try some of my other dessert recipes, why not start here?

• Strawberry Galette With Elderflower: This stunning strawberry galette is an easy dessert that combines the natural sweetness of strawberries with the floral notes of elderflower. The result is a dessert that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
• Classic Tiramisu: You can’t go wrong with a classic and this tiramisu is made in the traditional way.
• Strawberry Tiramisu: In this fresh and fruity take on the Italian classic, coffee and chocolate are swapped for fresh strawberries, layered with a delicious homemade vanilla cream and strawberry-infused sponge fingers.
• Coconut Mochi Cake: If you’re a fan of mochi, you’ll love this coconut mochi cake. It’s crispy on the outside and soft and squidgy in the middle.