How Many Peaches Do You Actually Need For A Single Pie?

Baking a peach pie from scratch is one of the best ways to showcase peak-season fruit. However, before you start slicing, it's worth taking the time to get the measurements right. Make note that a standard 9-inch peach pie recipe may call for 2.5 to 3 pounds of sliced peaches — that's about 6 to 8 medium peaches, or roughly 5 to 6 cups of fruit. It's the perfect amount to fill a 9-inch pie pan with just the right balance of juicy filling and structure.

That number can shift slightly, though, depending on a few small details. Larger peaches will naturally give you more fruit per piece, while smaller ones might leave you short. Even the way you cut them — as thick wedges or thin slices — can affect how much fruit fits in the pan and how much it cooks down in the oven. From there, it's just a matter of mixing in the classics: brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and a bit of quick-cooking tapioca to help the filling set. It's a simple, reliable formula and a delicious way to put fresh peaches to work.

Even with a clear recipe in hand, the exact number of peaches you'll need isn't always set in stone. It may also depend on what variety of peach you're using and the type of pie you're making. Let's start with the peaches themselves. Freestone varieties are the easiest to prep, since the pit slips out cleanly and leaves you with more usable fruit. Clingstone peaches, on the other hand, tend to hold onto their pits, which can lead to more waste. If you're using clingstones, it's a good idea to grab an extra peach or two just in case.

The style of pie you're making also plays a big role. A deep-dish or Dutch-style peach pie can easily require closer to 3 pounds of fruit to fill it properly. And don't forget ripeness — the more ripe the peach, the more it may break down in the oven, which can leave you with less filling than you thought. Think of 2½ pounds of peaches as your starting point for a standard 9-inch pie. From there, adjust based on your peaches, the depth of your pan, and your personal preferences. That kind of flexibility — and the freedom to adapt as you go — is part of what makes baking with peaches so rewarding.