How do you thicken peach pie filling?

Add thickening ingredients such as cornstarch, flour or tapioca to the filling . This is necessary if you want a filling that holds itself a little. The more of these types of ingredients you add, the firmer the filling will be. But don't overdo it because the flavor will not be good. It's best to follow the recipe.

Do you have to peel peaches for pie?

It depends on your taste. I like to peel half of them if their skin is thin and all of them if it's too thick. The average pie uses peeled peaches .

Why is my peach pie runny?

The filling didn't thicken enough or the pie didn't have time to cool enough for the filling to settle and firm up. This can be due to a lack of a thickening agent (cornstarch, flour, tapioca) or you didn't bake it long enough, or you used frozen peaches that released more juice than average so they never thickened as they should.

Peach Pie Recipe (with easy crumb topping)

Ingredients

Units

For the pie crust:

1 recipe for Perfect Flaky Pie Crust
Or Sweet Shortcrust Pastry if you like a sweeter dessert

For the crumble:

3/4 cup flour (all-purpose or cake)
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cold and in pieces

For the filling:

4.5 pounds (about 8 large) fresh peaches
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1/3 cup brown sugar

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Instructions

For the pie crust:

Have ready a 9-inch pie pan with at least 2-inch high sides. I like it with a removable bottom but you can use a nice ceramic or glass pie plate and serve it directly from it.
Roll pastry on a lightly floured surface until it's about 1/4 inch thick and at least 3 inches larger than the pan.
Line the pie pan you're using by folding the dough in half and transferring to the center of the pie plate. Open it and gently fit it into the dish, not forcing or stretching it as you go. If you follow the instructions for the Flaky Pie Crust recipe, you can see the images.
Pre heat oven to 350°F/180°C.
Put the lined pan in the freezer for 15-20 minutes while the oven gets to the right temperature. This will help the dough to shrink as little as possible as it bakes.
Blind bake the crust: Cover it with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Add some weight: small ceramic balls, or use raw rice, chickpeas, lentils, even flour. Any ingredients that will not burn and will weigh the paper down. Bake for 15 minutes until you can remove the paper with the weight. Do this carefully to make sure you don't burn your hands and take out the whole thing at once without tearing the crust. Bake the pastry 5-10 minutes longer, until barely colored and dry. You don't have to completely bake it at this point.

For the crumble:

Mix flour and sugar in a medium bowl.
Add cold butter in pieces and integrate with the dry ingredients. It should be the size of peas and beans.
Put this crumbly mixture in the freezer while you make the filling.

For the filling:

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
Wash, dry and core the peaches.
Cut them in medium wedges. I don't peel all of them, but you can if you want to.
Mix the peaches with the lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl.
Pour into the pre-baked crust distributing as best as you can.
Top the peach mixture with the cold crumble.
Bake for about 55 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbly and the crumble is golden.
Cool on a wire rack until it's at room temperature. I like to refrigerate it, covered, for a few hours before serving. It's easier to cut and the filling has a chance to solidify a bit.

Notes

Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Crust - you can have the pie pan lined and waiting in the freezer. Blind bake it for this pie, it's important so the peach juices don't soak too much into the pie crust and make it soggy.
Peaches - they are the star, so fresh fruit is highly recommended. But you can use homemade canned peaches or a good commercial brand.
Crumble - freeze it before adding it to the pie. It will bake crisper. Brown sugar crumble: I sometimes use just brown sugar for both filling and crumble. It bakes to a more golden brown and adds a more intense caramel tone.
Ratio - when it comes to crumble pies, the amount of filling to topping is important because we need both to bake and be ready at the same time and the fruit flavor to shine. So don't overdo it with the topping.
Make ahead: you can make the crust and keep it in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month, well wrapped, before rolling it. You can line the pan, wrap it with plastic wrap and freeze for a month. The crumble topping keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks in an airtight container. And frozen for a month.
Flavorings: you can jazz up the filling with some grated fresh ginger or a pinch of ground cardamom or cinnamon.

Author: Paula Montenegro
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooling time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Pies & Tarts
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American