Easy Fresh Peach Syrup

1 Wash and pat dry peaches. Chop the fruit and add it to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
2 Add the sugar to the bowl and toss the peaches to coat. Stir gently, making sure as much sugar is on the fruit as possible. Cover the bowl loosely with a dishcloth and let sit for 30 minutes.
3 Check the peach and sugar mixture after 30 minutes, stirring gently. If you’re short on time, you can add the water now. Otherwise, cover and let the syrup sit for another 30 minutes. The mixture should be very syrupy, with most of the sugar dissolved into the liquid in the bottom of the bowl. Add ¾ cup room temperature or warm (but not hot) water and stir gently to dissolve any remaining sugar.
4 If a lot of undissolved sugar remains, let the syrup sit for 10 minutes, gently stirring every few minutes.
5 Strain the peaches from the syrup using a fine mesh strainer. Do not press on the solids unless you don’t mind a cloudy syrup. Reserve the peaches for topping ice cream, pound cake, or oatmeal, if desired.
6 Store the peach syrup in a covered container (like a mason jar) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Extend the shelf life a bit by adding 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of vodka or grain alcohol.