Peach Cobbler
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Got ripe peaches? This peach cobbler is the dessert to make—sweet, lightly spiced fruit tucked under a rich buttermilk biscuit topping. Simple, cozy, and perfect for any summer occasion.
Peach cobbler is a rustic dessert made from sweet peaches, warm spices, and a homemade buttermilk biscuit topping dolloped on top of the crust, baked until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden and cobbled, like an old stone pathway. This dessert is a delicious way to use up all your sun-ripened summer peaches, as well as any other fruit you’d like to mix in (a combination of blackberries and peaches would be wonderful).
For more seasonal variations, check out my apple cobbler and blueberry cobbler. And don’t skip the finishing touch—a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a generous dollop of sweetened whipped cream is a must.
“I made this for my husband’s family last night (all from Georgia—the peach state) and they said it was the best peach cobbler recipe ever!”
Cobbler vs. Crisp vs. Crumble vs. Buckle: What’s the Difference?
A cobbler belongs to the same family of rustic fruit desserts as crisps, crumbles, and buckles, but each has its own structure. A crisp or crumble tops fruit with a streusel, like my peach crisp or strawberry rhubarb crisp. A buckle flips things around entirely, with the fruit scattered over a cake batter instead of under a topping. A cobbler sits in between: biscuit dough dropped over the fruit in big, uneven dollops, which bake up golden and craggy—resembling a cobbled stone path, hence the name. The result is a fruit filling with a rich, slightly savory, biscuit-like topping, rather than a sweet streusel or a cakey crumb.
What You’ll Need To Make Peach Cobbler
- Peaches: Fresh, ripe peaches are best, but thawed frozen peaches work great too; just drain off the excess liquid first. Peel the peaches for the best texture.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the peaches and balances the sweetness of the filling.
- Sugar: Sweetens both the peach filling and the biscuit topping.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the peach juices so the filling turns out perfectly saucy, not soupy.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg: Add a cozy, warm spice note to the peach filling.
- Flour: The base of the biscuit topping.
- Baking powder & baking soda: Give the topping lift so it bakes up light rather than dense. (Curious about the difference? Check out my post on baking soda vs. baking powder.)
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and rounds out the flavor of the topping.
- Butter: Cut cold into the dry ingredients, it creates little pockets that steam as the topping bakes, making it flaky and tender.
- Buttermilk: Adds richness and a subtle tang to the topping. (No buttermilk on hand? See my post on how to make buttermilk using milk and lemon juice/vinegar.)
- Vanilla: Rounds out the flavor of the biscuit topping.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the peach filling. Toss the peaches with the sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and spices, then set the bowl aside. As it sits, the sugar and lemon juice will start pulling juice out of the peaches; that’s exactly what you want, since it becomes part of the syrupy filling once baked.
Step 2: Mix the biscuit topping. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter and cut into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Then stir in the buttermilk mixture just until combined.
Pro Tip: Keep the butter cold and don’t overmix once the buttermilk goes in — both are what give the topping its flaky, tender texture instead of a dense one. The dough should look a little rough and lumpy, not smooth like a typical batter.
Step 3: Assemble and bake. Spread the peach filling in the baking dish, then drop the topping over it in big, uneven dollops, leaving gaps between them. A sprinkle of sugar over the top helps it caramelize into a little extra crunch as it bakes.
Pro Tip: Those gaps in the topping allow the peach juices to bubble up and caramelize around the topping as it bakes, which is what gives the cobbler its classic “cobbled” look and craggy texture, rather than one smooth crust.
Step 4: Cool and serve. The cobbler needs a full hour to cool before serving. Resist the urge to dig in sooner. As it sits, the filling firms up from loose and soupy to properly thick and saucy, so you get clean scoops instead of a runny mess.
“The biscuit topping had just the right amount of sweetness…Combined with the warm spices of the peach filling, it was a match made in heaven!”
More Fruity Summer Desserts You May Like
Peach Cobbler
Ingredients
For the Peach Filling
- 3 lb yellow peaches (7 medium peaches), peeled, pitted, and cut into ¼-in (6-mm) slices
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Biscuit Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 7 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, plus more for greasing the pan
- ⅔ cup buttermilk (see note)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
For Serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 9-in (23-cm) square or 2.5-qt baking dish.
- Make the peach filling: In a large bowl, combine the peaches, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until well combined and the peaches are evenly coated. Set aside.
- Make the biscuit topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 6 tablespoons (75 g) of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and rub in with your fingers, or blend with a pastry cutter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the buttermilk-vanilla mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a spoon until evenly moistened. Do not overmix; the batter will look lumpy.
- Assemble and bake the cobbler: Transfer the peach filling to the prepared baking dish and flatten into an even layer. Drop the batter in 6 large, evenly spaced dollops on top of the peaches. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the batter. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool for about 1 hour, then serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
- Cover any leftover cobbler loosely with a kitchen towel. (Do not cover with plastic wrap or the biscuit topping will get soggy.) Reheat in a 325°F oven for about 15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this yesterday and it turned out perfectly! I added the 1/2 tsp of almond extract, and I removed 2-3 Tbsp of the juice as it was very juicy. The topping was cooked perfectly and it looked just like the pictures. Will be using this recipe over and over. Thank you Jenn for another unforgettable recipe.
Absolutely loved this recipe! Reading through the comments I see that some people added almond extract. I re-read the recipe and did not see that mentioned in the ingredients list or recipe instructions. Love almond flavor – can you tell me how much to add?
Hi Gail, Glad you liked it! I’d suggest 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract.
Hi Jen, I made this yesterday for the first time and it was too tangy. I used lime juice instead of lemon. Is that the reason? Otherwise, it was perfect. Thank you!
Hi Sohnia, lemons have a slightly higher sugar content so that may have made the difference. Next time I’d stick with lemon. Glad you enjoyed it otherwise!
Thanks Jenn! Husband loved it!
Hi Jen,
While I’m consulting your recipes, I see in the lower right corner of the screen a blueberry cobbler video that looks very tempting. I tried to find the recipe on your site though but without success. Could you please send me the link, I’d like to try it.
Have a good evening,
Thank you,
Ingrid
Hi Ingrid, That cobbler is in my second cookbook. If you have the cookbook, it’s on page 261 if you have the book. If you don’t, email me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com.
Delicious! Have made twice now and both times it has come out great. I bake for 55 min. – 1 hour. Might be helpful to also list ‘#cups of cut peaches’. I used small organic peaches with bruises and bird pecks so I guessed. Thanks Jen – another winner!
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for the great recipes! We keep baking the late summer plum cake and the french apple cake for family & friends.
For this recipe, can I use frozen peaches instead as I can’t get fresh ones? If yes, do I defrost first or use it frozen? Thanks.
Glad you like the recipes! Frozen peaches are fin here – I’d thaw and drain them before incorporating them into the recipe. Hope you enjoy!
I am planning to try this recipe with overripe white peaches that I have in my refrigerator. Would you recommend reducing the sugar and if so, by how much, since white peaches tend to be sweeter to begin with and what I have is also overripe?
Hi Jina, If you taste them and find they’re especially sweet, you could cut the sugar back a touch. And if you think the peaches are very juicy, you could add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to the mixture. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Peach cobbler is one of my favorite desserts and I’ve probably baked around 10 different ones. This recipe is the best! The subtle hint of spice, the ratio of biscuit to fruit and the sweetness as written is perfect. It seems like a lot of sugar in the filling but the full amount is necessary unless your peaches are super sweet. Even with the sugar this is still healthier than a pie you would buy at the store. Thanks Jenn for another winner!
I forgot to mention that the tip to cover with kitchen towel worked great! The top layer never got soggy and remained fresh tasting for days on the counter. Thanks again
Have just recently found your site and it is wonderful. Have tried several of your recipes and they have all been delicious and keepers. This peach cobbler was the best ever. I had some blueberries so threw them in too but otherwise made the recipe as given. Covered with foil last 10 min as my oven runs hot. Love the slight taste of almond in the topping. My husband loved it too so I know I’ll be making it again. Thank you for the recipe and keep them coming!