Grilled Peaches with Honey and Mascarpone
To grill peaches for dessert, halve and pit firm-ripe peaches, brush the cut sides with a little oil or melted butter, and place them cut-side down on a hot, clean grill for 3–4 minutes until char marks form and the fruit softens. Flip and grill another 2 minutes. Serve warm, cut-side up, with a spoon of mascarpone or whipped cream in the hollow and a drizzle of honey. It takes about 15 minutes and turns ripe peaches into a warm caramelized dessert.
When peaches are at their peak, the best dessert barely counts as cooking. A few minutes on the grill caramelizes their natural sugar, deepens the flavour, and turns a ripe peach into something that tastes like it took real effort. It’s the easiest way to end a summer barbecue — and it uses the grill that’s already hot.
The method in one line
Halve, oil the cut sides, grill cut-side down until charred and soft, top with something cool and creamy, drizzle with honey. That’s it.
Getting good char without a mess
- Firm-ripe peaches. Soft ones fall apart and stick. You want fruit that’s fragrant and gives slightly, but still holds its shape.
- Clean, hot grates + a little oil. This is what stops sticking.
- Don’t fidget. Lay them cut-side down and leave them for a full 3–4 minutes. They release on their own once the caramelized crust forms. Move them early and they tear.
Freestone peaches (the pit pops right out) make this easiest, but any ripe peach works.
The topping
Warm caramelized fruit wants a cool, creamy contrast. Mascarpone is luxurious and barely needs sweetening; whipped cream, Greek yogurt, ricotta, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream all do the job. A drizzle of honey, a squeeze of lemon to cut the sweetness, and a scatter of pistachios or mint for crunch and colour.
More ways to enjoy them
- Savoury: skip the honey and cream; serve grilled peaches with prosciutto, burrata, and basil as a starter or salad.
- Boozy: brush with a little bourbon or amaretto before grilling.
- Breakfast: grilled peach over yogurt and granola.
- Other fruit: nectarines, apricots, plums, and pineapple all grill the same way.
Fifteen minutes, one hot grill, and the ripest peaches of the year become the dessert everyone remembers.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop the peaches sticking to the grill?
Three things: use firm-ripe (not soft) peaches, make sure the grill grates are clean and hot, and brush the cut sides with a little oil or melted butter. Then leave them alone — don't try to move them for the first 3 minutes. They release naturally once the char marks form; if you fight them early, they tear.
Can I make these without a grill?
Yes. Use a grill pan on the stovetop the same way, or roast the halves cut-side up at 200 °C for 15–20 minutes, or broil them cut-side up for 5–6 minutes until bubbling and caramelized. You lose the char lines but keep the warm, jammy fruit.
What if I don't have mascarpone?
Whipped cream, Greek yogurt, vanilla ice cream, ricotta whipped with a little honey, or even a spoon of crème fraîche all work beautifully. The idea is a cool, creamy contrast to the warm caramelized peach.