When peaches are out of season (most of the time, unfortunately), you can often make do with frozen or canned. The flavor and texture of a processed peach will never equal that of a fresh one, but it can work admirably in the presence of other ingredients, like sugar and spices, that help overshadow any shortcomings. Frozen peaches should be defrosted and patted dry; canned ones should be drained, rinsed, and patted dry.

If the peaches are packed in sweetened syrup, you may need to compensate by decreasing the amount of sugar in the recipe by up to half.