Peach season is finally here! These sweet juicy stone fruits are an absolute treat during the summer months. However once you devour the tasty flesh, you’re often left with a hard, inedible peach pit. Before tossing them in the trash, consider these 12 creative ways to make use of peach pits.
Grow Your Own Peach Tree
It’s clear that the best way to use a peach pit is to plant a tree. Peach trees do best in USDA zones 5 through 8. To begin, remove any extra peach flesh from the pit and let it dry completely. After that, put the pit in a plastic bag and keep it in the fridge for 8 weeks. This cold stratification mimics winter conditions and stimulates germination. Fill a pot with soil and plant the pit inside. Water it often and put it somewhere that gets a lot of sun. When there is no longer a chance of frost, move your young tree outside. With the right care and pruning, you could be eating peaches from your own trees in 3 to 5 years.
Make Peach Pit Tea
The peach pit contains a hard almond-like core called a noyaux. This noyaux has a lovely perfumed aroma similar to almond extract. Simmer cleaned, cracked peach pits in water for 15 minutes to infuse the water with flavor. Strain and enjoy this peach pit “tea” on its own or use it to lend a subtle peach essence to baked goods like cakes.
Peach Syrup
You can use peach pits, skins, and flesh to make a sweet syrup. Put pits, skins, and fruit scraps in a pot and fill it with water. Simmer for 45 minutes, then strain out the solids. Measure the liquid, put it back in the pot, and add the same amount of sugar. Boil briefly until the sugar dissolves. Put the syrup in a bottle and use it on pancakes, in drinks, or in desserts.
Peach Pit Jelly
If you have a lot of extra pits consider making a batch of peach pit jelly. Crack the pits open and extract the noyaux. Cover with water and boil for 15 minutes. Strain out the pits. For every 2 cups of liquid add 1⁄4 cup lemon juice and 31⁄2 cups of sugar. Boil until it reaches the gel stage at 220°F on a candy thermometer. Ladle into jars, seal and store. Spread on biscuits, scones and more.
Peach Pit Body Scrub
Peach pits are great for exfoliating skin because they are rough and gritty. Use a food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle to turn the dried pits into a powder. If you want, you can add essential oils to the powder and mix it with coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, or all three. Rub the scrub into rough spots on your body, like your elbows, knees, and feet, to get rid of dead skin. Rinse clean.
Peach Pit Potpourri
This is a nice way to fill your home with peach scent. Clean and dry the pits well, then cut them open to get the noyaux out. Put the nougat in a dish that can go in the oven and bake at 200°F for about an hour, or until it’s dry. Allow to cool completely, then break into smaller pieces. Put it in a jar with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and your favorite dried flowers or herbs. Enjoy the fresh, fruity aroma.
Peach Pit Fire Starters
Peach pits are very flammable when dry due to their high oil content. Save up pits over the season, cracking them open to expose the noyaux Allow pits and noyaux to dry out completely Then place them in cardboard egg cartons and pour melted wax over the top to hold everything together. These make excellent fire starters for your fireplace or campfire.
Peach Pit Beads for Jewelry Making
The oval shape and pretty color of peach pits make them perfect for crafting into beads for necklaces, bracelets or keychains. Clean and dry pits well, then paint or stain them with acrylic craft paint if desired. Glue a jewelry bail to the top of each pit using strong epoxy glue. String together with other beads for a handmade, natural accessory.
Activated Peach Pit Charcoal
Turn your peach pits into activated charcoal, which has many uses. Preheat your oven to 250°F. Place pits on a baking sheet and bake for 2 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Increase oven temperature to 450°F and bake pits for another 30 minutes. The pits will become black and crispy. Grind into a powder and store in an airtight container. Use to whiten teeth or make homemade soap.
Flavor Grilling Glazes
Cherry or peach pits can be used to add flavor to grilling glazes for meat, fish and veggies. Simmer cleaned pits in red wine, sugar and water. Allow to infuse overnight in the fridge. Strain out pits then brush glaze on foods before and during grilling.
Infuse Vinegars
Place cleaned peach, plum or cherry pits in a mason jar and cover with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Allow to steep for 2-3 weeks, shaking periodically. Strain and use to brighten up salad dressings, marinades and sauces.
Boost Nutrition of Garden Soil
Don’t throw away pits when making compost! Adding fruit pits boosts the nutritional value of garden soil. Their nutrients feed beneficial microbes and worms that keep soil healthy. Peach pits take 1-2 years to break down fully.
Natural Dye for Fabrics
The tannins in peach pits make them perfect for dying fabric and other materials. Simmer pits in water for an hour, strain then soak fabric in the liquid for 30-60 minutes. Different natural dyes can be layered for unique effects.
Whimsical Wind Chimes
Let breezes carry peach perfume by crafting wind chimes from pits. Clean and dry pits fully then paint and decorate as desired. Attach several pits to a wooden dowel with string or twine. Hang outside and enjoy the cheerful sound.
Don’t let those peach pits go to waste next time you enjoy some fresh peaches. With a little creativity, you can transform them into something useful for your home, health or kitchen. Growing your own tree, making teas and syrups or crafting jewelry are all great ways to make the most of peach pits this summer.
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Alice Osborne Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006 Email the author! [email protected] Please enable JavaScript to view the
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FAQ
Can I do anything with peach pits?
You can eat them raw, pickle them, macerate in sugar to create a peach syrup. The pits can also be used to make lots of different things, like liqueurs (like amaretto), bitter vinegar, and milk with almond flavor.
Can a peach tree be grown from a peach pit?
Yes, it is possible to grow a peach tree from a peach pit, but the resulting tree may not produce fruit identical to the peach it came from.
Why do people save peach pits?
Oddly enough, peach and cherry pits contain their own form of deadly chemical: cyanide. The Gas Defense Division of the Chemical Warfare Service of the U. S. Army made a plea to American households: SAVE PEACH STONES AND NUTSHELLS FOR UNCLE SAM and incorporating the credo, “Do Your Bit – Save the Pit. ”.
What were peach pits used for?
The government needed a lot of fruit pits (olive, apricot, plum, and cherry pits all worked) to turn into charcoal that could be used to pack gas mask filters. About 200 peach pits were needed to create enough charcoal for each filter canister.