Peach Skillet Pie

This peach pie is as rustic as it gets. Pastry dough lines a cast-iron skillet, fresh peaches go in with sugar, cinnamon, and dots of butter, and the overhanging dough folds inward toward the center, leaving the middle exposed like a galette. No crimping, no lattice, no fuss.

That open center lets moisture escape while baking, so the peach juices bubble and concentrate into a thick, syrupy glaze instead of making the bottom crust soggy. The folded dough edges bake up golden and flaky where they overlap, giving you a mix of crisp pastry and soft, jammy fruit in every serving.

Using a skillet as the baking vessel means the bottom crust gets direct heat and crisps up better than it would in a standard pie plate.

Kitchen Tips

• Use ripe but firm peaches. Overripe fruit breaks down into mush during baking and releases too much liquid.
• Skin the peaches before slicing. A quick 30-second blanch in boiling water followed by an ice bath makes the skins slip right off.
• Don’t stretch the dough when lining the skillet. Let it drape naturally with overhang, or it will shrink back during baking.
• Watch the crust edges closely in the last 10 minutes. The folded dough browns faster than the center.

Variations

• Mix in a handful of fresh blueberries or raspberries with the peaches for a mixed fruit version.
• Swap cinnamon for a pinch of cardamom and a squeeze of lemon for a brighter flavor.
• Brush the folded dough edges with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar before baking for extra crunch and shine.