Growing up in the South, two things were always essential: peaches and butter. My family used butter in nearly everything—from savory butterbeans and succotash to the flakiest pie crusts and the sweetest candied yams. I reached for butter in my morning oatmeal and on steamed vegetables at night. It was simply how we ate.
Why I love peaches 🍑
I’m a Georgia Peach—peaches are my favorite fruit and peach season (typically May through August) is the highlight of my year. There’s nothing like a fragrant, candy-sweet, drip-down-your-arm juicy yellow peach. I snack on them all day, and when the season brings a bounty, I love to cook and bake with them. I’ve used peaches in salads, Buddha bowls, panzanella, savory toasts, cocktails, ice cream, salsas, and now I’ve been craving peach pie.
Whether you’ve long loved peach pie or you’ve never tried it, this vegan version will brighten your day and make your kitchen smell like summer.
How to make a flaky vegan pie crust
Making a flaky vegan crust with plant-based butter follows the same basics as using dairy butter: flour, a bit of sugar, cold fat, and ice-cold water. Chilling the dough for at least an hour before rolling helps with texture and handling. For the best flaky result, use a pastry blender to cut the cold Plant Butter into the flour so the butter stays in pea-sized pieces. If you roll out the dough, assemble a pretty lattice on top, and bake, you’ll be rewarded with a golden, tender crust that perfectly complements the peach filling.
How to find the best peaches for pie
For the best filling use ripe yellow peaches. White peaches tend to be too mild. Farmer’s markets are ideal—ask vendors if they have any overripe or bruised peaches to sell at a discount. Those slightly blemished peaches are usually the sweetest and juiciest and work perfectly in a pie. If you can’t buy them already ripe, let peaches ripen on the counter, stem-side down, until they’re fragrant and soft.
Tips for making this vegan peach pie
The filling is straightforward, but timing helps. Prepare the pie crust and chill it until ready to fill. After slicing the peaches, toss them with sugar and let them sit about an hour so the fruit releases extra juice. While they macerate, cut your lattice strips and have them ready. Plan so the crust and the peaches can rest at the same time—this makes assembly easier. The pie takes a bit of time, but it’s worth every minute and will perfume your home as it bakes.
On to the recipe!
Perfect Vegan Peach Pie
Ingredients
Vegan double pie crust (9” pie dish)
- 2 cups white flour
- 1 tablespoon white cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp Country Crock Plant Butter, cut into little cubes
- ½ cup ice cold water
Vegan peach pie filling
- 8 ripe yellow peaches (about 4 ½ cups), peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp white cane sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Country Crock Plant Butter
- 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk for “egg” wash (optional)
Instructions
Pie crust
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Add the Plant Butter and cut it into the flour with a pastry blender until pea-sized pieces form. (Alternatively pulse briefly in a food processor or cut with knives.)
- Add ice cold water 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon. After about ½ cup the dough should hold together; add up to 2 more tablespoons if needed.
- Divide the dough into two equal balls, wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Pie filling
- Toss the peach slices with the white and brown sugar in a bowl. Let sit for about an hour so the peaches release their juices.
- Drain the peaches, reserving the liquid for the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom. Slowly whisk in the reserved peach liquid to avoid lumps.
- Bring to a simmer, whisking until the mixture thickens. If it becomes too thick, add 2–4 tablespoons of water.
- Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and Plant Butter. Fold in the sliced peaches and pour into the prepared pie crust.
- Top with the second crust in a lattice or preferred pattern and seal the edges. Brush top and edges with non-dairy milk if desired and cover the edges with foil to prevent over-browning.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, then allow the pie to cool for an hour or more before serving. Cooling fully or chilling will make the filling less runny. Serve with vegan vanilla ice cream if you like.
How to peel peaches
- Bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil.
- Cut an X on the bottom of each peach.
- Blanch peaches (as many as fit) for 30–60 seconds.
- Immediately transfer peaches to an ice bath.
- Once cool, peel the skins from the X cut; they should slip off easily.
