1. Select the best fresh ripe peaches with yellow flesh. White flesh peaches aren’t acidic enough.
2. Inspect 8-pint jars or 4-quart jars and their canning lids and rings for cracks or dents. Wash them using soap and warm water. Rinse them in warm water.
3. Place a canning rack into your water bath canner and add fresh water to fill the canner halfway. Add a canning rack to the bottom of the canner.
4. Place the canning jars into the canner and apply medium to high heat to bring the canner to a 180°F simmer. Keep the jars in the canner until it’s time to fill them.
5. As the canner heats, get your peaches ready. Rinse them in cool water. Use a sharp knife to make a shallow “X” on the bottom of each peach.
6. Boil several cups of fresh water in a large pot. Blanch the peaches by dipping them into the boiling water for 30-60 seconds to loosen the skins. Use a slotted spoon to draw the peaches from the boiling water and immediately dip them in a prepared ice water bath.
7. Use a sharp knife to remove the loose skins from the peaches. Cut each peach into halves or slices and remove the pits.
8. To prevent the peaches from darkening, dip them for 3-5 minutes in a pre-treatment solution of lemon juice or ascorbic acid. To make the solution, mix ¼ cup lemon juice with 6 cups water or 1 teaspoon of powdered ascorbic acid with 1 gallon of cold water.
9. Make the light syrup by combining the white sugar, water, and spices in a large pot. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring frequently until all the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat. Avoid using brown sugar as this can cause discoloration.
10. Drain the peach slices or halves and add them to the hot syrup. Bring them back to a steady boil to cook the peaches through.
11. Take out one hot jar at a time from the canner, dry it completely, and fill it with the hot peaches and syrup, leaving ½-inch headspace. If you have peach halves, place them in the jars in layers, cut side down.
12. Run a wooden spatula between the slices and the inner walls of the jars to remove air bubbles.
13. Wipe rims with paper towels dipped in warm water or apple cider vinegar. Cover the filled jars with new canning lids. Adjust clean ring bands on the jars until fingertip tight.
14. Place the jars back in the canner. Ensure the canner is at a simmer when loading the filled jars. The water should cover the jar tops by 1 or 2 inches. Have some hot water ready for refilling the canner if needed.
15. Raise the heat to high and bring the water inside the canner to a rolling boil. Close the lid and process pints for 20 – 35 minutes and quarts for 25 – 40 minutes, depending on elevation:

Water Bath Canning Processing Per Elevation

• 0 – 1,000ft: 20 minutes for pints; 25 minutes for quarts
• 1,001 – 3,000ft: 25 minutes for pints; 30 minutes for quarts
• 3,001 – 6,000ft: 30 minutes for pints, 35 minutes for quarts
• Above 6,000ft: 35 minutes for pints; 40 minutes for quarts

Post Processing

1. Take the canner off the heat and open its lid to let off steam. Wait 5 minutes before removing the jars, one by one, using a jar lifter.
2. Place the jars on a counter lined with warm kitchen towels. Ensure at least 2 inches of space between the jars.
3. Let the jars cool naturally and undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Avoid re-tightening the lids.
4. Unscrew the ring bands to check the seal quality. The seals shouldn’t flex if you press them down. If any jars are unsealed, refrigerate them and eat the peaches in a week.
5. Wash the sealed jars with cool water. Dry them and label them with the canning date and contents. Place the jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year.