Grilled Peaches and Plums With Yogurt and Caramel Sauce

Grilled peaches and plums with yogurt and caramel sauce are a healthy way to lighten up dessert this summer. Try this grilled dessert at your next cookout!

August brings sweet summer peaches and plums here in Virginia. So why not throw some on the grill while the grill is still hot after making your main course?

This grilled stone-fruit recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes. Let me give you a summarized version of how this dessert comes together:

1. Brush the peaches and plums with oil.
2. Grill the peaches and plums until they are about to burst with sweet caramelized juice.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of the fruit and allow it to melt.
4. Remove from grill when bubbling hot.
5. Dollop the fruit with tangy Greek yogurt.
6. Drizzle with homemade caramel sauce.

Lord knows, I sure need to lighten up these days. The beauty of this dessert is that it is healthy but so good you’ll never know it.

When a meal comes off the grill, it seems like the hot grill is practically begging David to put something else on it. Sometimes, he will throw on some chicken for salads to enjoy the next day. Other times he will kiss some country-style pork ribs with smoky grill flavor to finish off in the oven for dinner. It’s a great way to use hot coals, and they don’t require much stoking.

David and I changed things up, experimenting with grilled desserts using the residual heat from a hot grill after cooking. We grilled peaches and s’mores. This recipe is another one I came up with using ripe summer fruit.

What is Stone Fruit?

Stone fruits have seeds enclosed inside a pit with edible flesh and skin. Peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, and cherries all fall into this fruit category, along with coconut, mangoes, dates, almonds, and olives.

Ingredients Needed For Grilled Peaches and Plums

The recipe card at the end of this post lists the complete ingredient list with measurements.

Peaches: You’ll need at least three peaches (skin-on), preferably freestone.

Plums: Fresh firm plums of any variety, preferably freestone.

Oil: extra-virgin olive oil to brush the peaches and plums. Use your favorite cooking oil if the oil’s smoke point isn’t too low.

Sugar: we use brown sugar for the molasses that helps the fruit brown.

Yogurt: thick Greek yogurt is creamy but doesn’t run and drip like regular yogurt.

Caramel Sauce: I use homemade caramel sauce using this recipe. You can substitute with honey instead.

How to Grill Peaches and Plums With Yogurt and Caramel Sauce

Here’s a basic overview of how to grill peaches and plums. The recipe card at the end of this post provides detailed instructions with times and temperatures.

Step #1: Fire up the grill.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Step #2: Prepare the fruit for the grill.

Use a sharp paring knife, and run it down the seam of the peaches and plums. Cut the peaches and plums in half and remove the pits.

Brush the cut side of the peaches and plums with oil.

Step #3: Grill the peaches and plums.

Grill the peaches and plums with the oiled cut-side down over medium-high heat until grill marks form and the peaches and plums begin to brown; about 3 to 5 minutes.

Flip the peaches and plums. Sprinkle each with some brown sugar—Grill for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until the peaches and plums are soft. The fruit should not fall apart or become mushy.

Remove the peaches and plums from the grill.

Step #4: Serve the peaches and plums.

Serve the grilled peaches and plums with a dollop of Greek yogurt on each, and drizzle with homemade caramel sauce. — Paired with port or dessert-style wine of your choice, you will think you have died and gone to heaven.

Recipe Tips

• For best results, use Freestone Peaches with a strong peach aroma and give a little when squeezed by hand.
• If you have already been grilling food on your charcoal grill, you may want to stir up the lit coals and throw on a few fresh pieces of charcoal to keep the fire stoked while you enjoy the main course. When you are ready to grill the fruit, clean the grate, and grill the peaches and plums.
• Grilled peaches and plums can be served paired with a cold glass of dessert wine or port. 
• The peaches and plums should not fall apart or become mushy. Your grill time may need to be adjusted depending on the thickness of the stone fruit.
• It is normal for the peach and plum skin to become loose and fall away from the flesh. You can pull the skin off before serving if desired.

David and I thoroughly enjoyed this dessert. I didn’t even know I liked plums, and David didn’t complain much about the yogurt, which he didn’t care about. It’s probably because it practically melted over the warm fruit like ice cream and provided a nice tang to offset the sugars in the fruit.

Try this grilled dessert at your next cookout. Everyone will love it!

Love Peaches and Plums?

Try these other delicious recipes using peaches and plums:

• Jerk Chicken with Spicy Peach and Plum Coconut Sauce
• David’s Cinnamon Peach Crisp With Fresh Peaches
• Spicy Chipotle Peach Barbecue Sauce
• Grilled Peaches With Cinnamon Ricotta Crème