I have a rule about grilling fruit, which is that I will grill any fruit at any time regardless of whether it is “peach season” or whatever the produce aisle wants me to believe. Peaches on the grill turn into something else entirely and I just adore them — the sugars caramelize, the edges go deep amber and almost jammy, and suddenly you’re eating dessert but you can also call it breakfast and nobody can stop you!
This parfait started because I had extra peaches, a desperate need for a jar of homemade granola I couldn’t stop eating by the handful (which is what ultimately happened here), and zero interest in making anything complicated. That’s really the whole pitch. Grill the peaches, bake the granola, layer it all into a jar with yogurt, and let the char marks and cinnamon do the heavy lifting. Oh, and this works for meal prepping too.
The granola here is doing double duty: oats, pecans, walnuts, and chia seeds get tossed in maple syrup and cinnamon and baked until they clump together in those good crunchy chunks (you know the ones, the ones you pick out of the bag first). MAKE EXTRA. You will regret it if you don’t, and I say this from experience, having made the exact amount needed for one recipe multiple times and then immediately wished I’d doubled it.
For the peaches, don’t overthink the grill time. A few minutes cut-side down is enough to get real char marks and start pulling out that concentrated sweetness. Flip, give the skin side a minute, then pull them off and let them cool just enough to handle. Chop them up while they’re still warm and toss with a little more maple syrup; this is the step that turns “grilled peaches” into “grilled peaches you’d pay for at a restaurant.”
Layering is where you get to have opinions. I like yogurt on the bottom, a good pile of granola, then peaches, and repeat until the jar’s full, finishing with peaches on top so they’re the first thing you see (and the first thing you eat, if you’re the type to dig for the good stuff immediately, which, no judgment). Assemble it right before you eat it, though. Granola and yogurt are not friends over time, and nobody wants a soggy parfait.
If you make this, come tag @herbyeater! I want to see your char marks!!
Grilled Peach Parfait with Cinnamon Maple Granola
Equipment
- Grill pan or outdoor grill
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- 2 glass jars or serving glasses
Ingredients
For the granola:
- 1 ½ cups 135g rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
- ½ cup 60g pecans, roughly chopped
- ½ cup 60g walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp 20g chia seeds
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup 60ml maple syrup
- 2 tbsp 30ml neutral oil
- ¼ tsp salt
For the grilled peaches:
- 2 ripe peaches halved and pitted
- 1 tsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup for drizzling
For assembly:
- 1 ½ cups 360g plain thick yogurt (Greek or coconut)
- Extra maple syrup or honey for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a bowl, toss oats, pecans, walnuts, chia seeds, and cinnamon together. Add maple syrup, oil, and salt, and stir until every bit of oats is coated.
- Spread the mixture in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 18–20 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden and fragrant. Let cool completely on the pan, as it'll crisp up as it sits.
- While the granola bakes, heat a grill pan or grill over medium-high heat. Brush the cut sides of the peach halves with oil.
- Grill peaches cut-side down for 3–4 minutes, until deep char marks form and they start to soften. Flip and grill another 1–2 minutes on the skin side.
- Remove peaches from heat, let cool slightly, then chop into rough chunks. Toss with 1 tbsp maple syrup while still warm.
- Layer yogurt, granola, and grilled peaches into jars or glasses. Repeat layers until you reach the top, finishing with peaches and a scattering of granola.
- Finish with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey. Serve right away.
Notes
No grill or grill pan? A hot cast iron skillet works fine, you’ll just get less defined char marks and more caramelization, which honestly isn’t a downgrade.
Swap the pecans and walnuts for any nut or seed you’ve got, as almonds and pepitas both work here too.
For a vegan version, use a thick coconut or oat milk yogurt.
Peaches a little underripe? Grilling will soften them up and concentrate the sugars, so don’t stress about picking the perfect one.
Assemble just before serving, as the granola loses its crunch if it sits in the yogurt too long.