All the Types of Peaches You’ll Find at the Grocery Store

‘Tis the season for peaches in all their forms. Whether you’re looking for the perfect peach to eat over the sink or bake into a classic peach pie, you’ll want to verse yourself on a few terms. Freestone peaches are easy to slice for a peach salad or cobbler, for example, while white peaches are great for snacking but should never be canned.  

Beyond the basic types, sixth-generation peach farmer Steve Johnston of Apple Castle in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, suggests visiting farms in your region to learn about specific peach varieties. “Ask questions, because there are some varieties of peaches that are more popular in the southeastern United States versus the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest,” he explains, adding that a creamy-fleshed Redhaven is his personal favorite. 

No matter where you are in the U.S., you’ll likely come across these types of peaches. Here’s a helpful breakdown.  

Freestone vs. clingstone peaches

The most basic distinction between peaches is freestone versus clingstone. Freestone peaches have pits that aren’t attached to the flesh, making them much easier to work with for peach recipes, while clingstone peaches have harder-to-remove pits that are attached to the flesh. Semi-freestone peaches fall somewhere in between. 

Most peaches you’ll find at the grocery store are freestone; clingstone peaches are usually found at farmers markets or orchards. Since clingstones can be tough to work with, Johnston suggests eating them out of hand. If you don’t mind a little extra effort, they tend to hold their shape better for canned peaches or pie fillings, and are also slightly sweeter than freestones; in fact, most commercially-produced canned peaches are clingstone. 

If you find yourself slicing clingstone peaches, Johnston says “you can sometimes trick the peach into popping off the pit” by first cutting the peach horizontally, around its equator. Then twist apart, and slice the remaining pieces vertically. 

Yellow vs. white peaches

Yellow peaches have orange-yellow skin, creamy yellow flesh, and a classic tangy-sweet flavor, while rosy-hued white peaches have white flesh and taste very sweet with floral undertones. 

Interestingly, yellow peaches have a slightly higher sugar content than white peaches, but the latter come across as much sweeter due to their naturally low acidity. 

“A white peach has less of that tang,” says Johnston. “To some folks it comes across as just pure sweetness — unadulterated, uncut sweetness — and they love it. There are other folks for whom the lack of acidity, frankly, comes across as less flavor.”

White and yellow peaches both come in freestone and clingstone varieties, and can be used in the same kinds of recipes. Keep in mind that white peaches have naturally softer flesh, which can cause them to become mushy in baked goods — adjust acid levels as needed, or try them in a white peach tart. Yellow peaches are usually better for savory dishes like honey-glazed pork chops with peach salsa, since white peaches might throw off the balance of the final dish. 

Note that white peaches should never be canned; their low acidity means a water bath or atmospheric steam won’t destroy harmful bacteria, according to Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. White peaches are also more prone to bruising, which is partly why yellow peaches are more popular in the U.S. 

Donut peaches

Also called flat peaches, these irresistible peaches are beloved for their, yes, doughnut-like shape — and their juicy, extra sweet flesh that’s best saved for eating right over the sink. They’re usually freestone, so the flesh comes off the pit easily. The most famous variety, Saturn, a white-fleshed donut peach, was first cultivated in the U.S. in the 1980s, but today you’ll find yellow-fleshed varieties, too. 

Johnston suggests storing donut peaches butts down, but warns, with a laugh, that “you’re probably going to start eating them right away.” While donut peaches have historically been a farmers market find, they’re increasingly available at grocery stores around the country. 

Nectarines

Smooth-skinned nectarines are technically a type of peach, but they’re slightly tangier, and they lack peaches’ trademark fuzz due to a genetic mutation. They can be used interchangeably with regular peaches, and you can even leave the skin on when baking. Nectarines also come in white and yellow-fleshed varieties, and can be freestone or clingstone.