Prepare your jars: Start by sterilizing your jars and rings, either by running them through the dishwasher on a hot cycle or by boiling them in water. Be sure to use new, unused caps to ensure a proper seal.
Prepare a water bath: Fill your bath jar with enough water to cover the jars by at least 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil and keep it hot until you are ready to process the jars.
Peel and cut the peaches: To make peaches easier to peel, blanch them by immersing them in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, then immediately transfer them to an ice water bath. The skins should peel off easily. Pro tip: I like to use both sides of my sink for this process – one side to drain the blanched peaches and the other filled with ice water. After blanching, I lift the entire peach colander from one side of the sink and place it directly into the ice water from the other side. This method is much simpler than removing individual peaches and makes peeling them easy. After peeling, slice the peaches and place them in jars.
Add the syrup: Make your syrup by dissolving 2 cups of sugar in 6 cups of hot water. Pour the hot syrup over the peaches in each jar, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace. Tap the jars gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles and wipe the rims clean before sealing with lids and rings.
Process the jars: Carefully place the jars in the canning water bath. Bring the water to a full boil and process the jars for 25 minutes (adjust the processing time if you are at high altitude).
Refrigerate and store: After processing, turn off the heat and let the jars stand in the canner for 5 minutes. Then, use tongs or a jar lifter to transfer the jars to a towel-lined counter. Allow the jars to cool completely before storing in a cool, dark place.
