Cinnamon Grilled Peaches (That “Taste Like Doughnuts”)

Cinnamon grilled peaches

These cinnamon grilled peaches were an experimental accident.

I gravitate toward simply prepared food. My go-to ingredients are olive oil, salt, pepper and produce in season. I don’t have a lot of extra time to spend in the kitchen, so when I am in there, my goal is to whip up delicious food without much fuss. Every now and then, I am inclined to try out the latest food craze bouncing around the web—even if it means more prep time.

What fascinates me is the current trend to grill anything and everything. I tend to be a “meat and fish only” grill gal with an occasional zucchini or red pepper thrown on. Now backyard chefs are grilling pizza, pound cake, cheese, lettuce, and bananas to name a few.

Recently, I had four ripe peaches and wanted to do something different. I cut them in half and popped out the grill. Mirroring the spices used in peach pie, I melted one stick of butter in a saucepan and added 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Once the sugar was completely dissolved, I brushed the peach halves with the sugar and spice sauce. Over medium-low heat (taking care to watch for flare-ups), I grilled those peaches, flesh side down, for about 10 minutes, turning them 90 degrees halfway through the cooking. My grill has never smelled so deliciously sweet.

I carefully pulled them off the grill, brushed them with a bit more of the melted butter for shine, and sprinkled fresh mint leaves on them.

I had no idea that grilled fruit could be so luscious with a deep, earthy intensity. My fourteen-year-old devoured two halves and declared that they tasted like doughnuts. For a boy who can’t eat gluten, it’s good to know we’ve found a doughnut replacement.

In the future, I can see dicing the cinnamon grilled peaches up in a salad of prosciutto, goat cheese, and arugula, or making a peach salsa to serve with grilled fish or roasted pork tenderloin, or simply pairing them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

 

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