The Best Way to Ripen Peaches, According to Our Tests

I grew up eating peaches straight off the tree at my grandma’s house. She called them “trash can peaches,” not because they weren’t worth eating, but rather because they were so juicy that you had to stand over a trash can or sink when eating them to catch the juices running down your arm.

It’s hard to find those same juicy, sweet, and perfectly ripe peaches at the grocery store. Peaches are often shipped unripe to prevent bruising during transit, and they’re still rock-hard by the time they land on the shelves. Luckily, peaches are a climacteric fruit, which means they continue to ripen once harvested. You just need to know the best way to ripen them at home.

To find out, I tested six different strategies. Here are the ripening methods that actually work — and one that I won’t be trying again.

How I tested

• Peaches: For a fair test, I started with peaches at the same stage of unripeness — very firm with no give when pressed. I purchased conventional (not organic) yellow freestone peaches from the grocery store, and I used two peaches per ripening method. To evenly distribute the weight and avoid bruising, I placed the peaches stem side down for each of the methods tested.
• Ripeness gauge: To determine ripeness, I used three indicators — aroma, firmness, and color. The Georgia peach experts at Lane Southern Orchards describe a perfectly ripe peach as one that has a sweet aroma, a slight give when squeezed lightly, and a dark yellow background color. I was surprised to learn that red skin on a peach doesn’t indicate ripeness but just means the peach was directly exposed to the sun.
• Criteria: To evaluate the effectiveness of each test, I analyzed the texture and flavor of the peaches, aiming for an evenly soft (but not mushy) texture, ample juiciness, and sweet, fragrant flavor.
• Timing: I had two weeks to test the different ripening strategies.
• Environment: I tested all of the methods at room temperature, which fluctuates between 70°F and 74°F in my house.

The best way to ripen peaches: in a paper bag with no other fruits

Like many fruits, peaches naturally produce ethylene, a gas that causes produce to ripen. Placing the peaches in a paper bag traps the ethylene while still allowing for breathability so moisture doesn’t build up in the bag.

For this method, I placed two peaches side by side in a paper bag and let them stand at room temperature. The peaches ripened in six days. While this wasn’t the quickest ripening method, it produced the juiciest and most flavorful peaches. Their aroma was sweet and floral, and their skin color was golden yellow with red blush. Once cut, the peaches were deliciously juicy and sweet.

Runner-up method: on the counter

This is a great option if you’re not in a rush. It requires no bags or additional fruits — simply set the peaches on a non-sunny countertop at room temperature. I placed two peaches side by side on a kitchen counter tucked out of the way.

The peaches ripened with this method took two days longer than the winning method, but they were equally flavorful and juicy.

The worst method I tried: in a plastic bag

The idea behind this method was to trap as much ethylene as possible to quickly ripen the peaches. I placed two peaches in a gallon ziplock bag, with no other fruits, and sealed it tightly.

A week later the peaches were still rock-hard, and condensation was forming on the inside of the bag. I let the peaches continue ripening for another four days and noticed one of the peaches starting to form a large brown spot, despite the rest of the fruit still being very firm.

Upon opening the bag, the aroma of the peaches was far from appetizing. It had a chemical-like smell, and when I cut around the rotten spots, I found the flesh of the peach was splotchy brown. While they were juicy, the flavor was very off-putting, and the texture was soft and mealy.

The full list of methods I tested, ranked from best to worst

1. In a paper bag with no other fruits (see above)
2. On the counter (see above)
3. In a paper bag with an apple: The peaches ripened one day quicker than method #1, but the flavor was slightly off, and the texture was on the verge of mealy. Peaches are considered ethylene-sensitivemeaning exposure to too much ethylene can cause them to overripen and start to rot. This is likely the cause of why methods #3 and #4 didn’t perform as well as expected.
4. In a paper bag with a ripe banana: The result was similar to method #3. While it was quicker than method #1, the peaches had an off- flavor with faint chemical-like notes and a mealy, unpleasant texture.
5. In the windowsill: While this method was the quickest (it took the peaches four days to ripen), the peaches were unevenly ripened and had some spots that were soft and mealy. The peaches also lacked juiciness.
6. In a plastic bag (see above)