Peaches can go from hard to overripe in a blink of an eye, and while you might not want to take a bite out of a fruit with browned skin and bruised flesh, there are tons of ways to put your peaches to good use. In fact, overripe fruit may be better to use in desserts and dishes, rather than perfect peaches that should be eaten out of hand.

Slice or dice your peaches and freeze them in batches on a sheet tray, to keep them from sticking together. Once the peaches are individually frozen, place them in a resealable container in the freezer, where they'll last for months; you can then toss them into a smoothie whenever you please.

Slice or dice your peaches and freeze them in batches on a sheet tray, to keep them from sticking together. Once the peaches are individually frozen, place them in a resealable container in the freezer, where they'll last for months; you can then toss them into a smoothie whenever you please.

If your peaches are so ripe and soft that they can't hold their shape at all, cook them down into jam, jelly, or preserves. Boil chopped peaches with sugar, simmer until it thickens, then either strain it through a sieve for a clear jelly or leave it as a chunky jam that's perfect for toast, scones, or biscuits.

Cobblers and pies cleverly disguise overripe fruit. To make a cobbler, combine flour, sugar, a leavening agent, milk, and a touch of salt; toss it in a greased pan; then add the peaches on top before baking. For a pie, place sugared fruit inside a pie crust and add a top layer of pastry if you'd like.

Try adding leftover peaches to sweet breads or cake. You can substitute peaches for other fruits in cake recipes, or chop peaches into bite-sized pieces to scatter throughout bread dough; either way, toss the pieces of fruit in flour for a scant coating to keep them evenly dispersed throughout your baked goods.