As you may have already guessed – one of my favourite summer activities is to barbecue anything and everything! I love the flavours and the whole process is fun and easy. Summer never truly feels like summer to me until we bust out that bbq and start grilling. My husband usually does all the grilling in the family which I am thankful for because it allows me to finish up a few additional items when company is coming over! Also he just makes it taste better! A few years back I discovered grilling fruits and we were hooked! Have you ever tried grilled pineapple? A MUST try!

This week I wanted to venture down the avenue of grilled peaches – my favourite fruit to grill. The warming of the peach just makes everything extra delicious-  think of peach cobbler or peach pie without the crust! Grilled peaches are an easy dessert to whip up and can be served in many different ways. I’ve compiled a few of my favourites below – I hope you get to try them out at your next bbq!

Grilling peaches is quite simple – overall they do not require much preparation ahead of time. Make sure you buy ripe enough peaches that you can cut in half but not too soft that they fall apart. Ripe peaches are also more sweeter and tastier when grilled vs hard ones. Place the half pieces on the bbq for 3-5 mins cut side down. Once the pieces become soft and warm (grilled marks optional) – remove from bbq and enjoy!

Peaches can be eaten plain straight off the bbq (equally good) but I have come up with a few fun options to make things interesting this summer!

1) ICE CREAM

I’m sure you saw this one coming but how can you not add ice cream?! Think of classic french vanilla or salted caramel with the peaches – perfection! Also I love that the warm peaches melt the ice cream slightly making it a wonderfully delicious.

2) CARAMEL

Have you ever made your own caramel? So easy and so good  – I prefer it to the store bought stuff but if you are in a rush that works too! I followed Ree Drummond’s Easy Caramel Sauce Recipe which only took about 10 minutes to do and it will last you for other desserts also. As the peaches were grilling I warmed the caramel back up and drizzled it right on the peaches once they were done. So good!

JMS TIP: When making caramel make sure you keep an eye on it the whole time. It can burn very easily but only takes a few minutes of your day therefore make sure you pay attention while it cooks. You do not want to be cleaning that burned pot up!

3) CHERRY SAUCE

Cherries are one of my favourite fruits and I wanted to incorporate them into the dessert with peaches. I took a cup of frozen cherries and cooked them on a low heat until they fell apart (10-15 mins) – add a little water if needed when cooking. I then drizzled this sauce onto the peaches – a must try!

JMS TIP: I did not add any additional sugar to my cherries as they were sweet enough but some may need a little pinch.

4) COOL WHIP & MINT

Pick some fresh leaves of mint from the garden (or farmers market!) and add a dollop of cool whip – so refreshing! This option is so easy and takes no ahead prep which is perfect for guests.

All the ideas above take only a few minutes to put together and the prep required for the caramel and cherries can be done the night before you entertain! Just thrown the finished product on the stove to heat up as the peaches are grilling and they will be ready at the same time.

If you have never tried grilling fruits on the bbq I hope this encourages you to try something new. Grilled peaches are a very easy dish to make and do not require advanced skills in the kitchen. If you make too many – add them into tomorrows smoothie or pie recipe!

What are your favourite fruits to grill? Comment below!