This fresh peach cobbler has everything you want in a summer dessert. The filling bakes up sweet and syrupy, the biscuit topping turns golden and tender, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top makes it perfect.
Â
Growing up in Canada, peach cobbler was always a summer staple. In Italy, fresh peach crumb cake is more common when peach season hits, but this cobbler still has my heart. It is one of the easiest ways to turn ripe peaches into a sweet homemade dessert.
I love a good fresh peach pie, but when I want something less fussy than making a pie crust, an easy cobbler is the answer. It has a soft, buttery biscuit topping instead of the crisp topping you’ll find on am peach crumble, and it bakes right over the juicy peach filling until golden and bubbling.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh peaches: Use ripe peaches that are fragrant and juicy, but still firm enough to slice. If they are too soft, they can break down too much as the cobbler bakes.
- Sugar: The sugar sweetens the peach filling and adds a little sparkle to the biscuit topping. If your peaches are very sweet, you can slightly reduce the amount in the filling.
- Cornstarch: This helps thicken the peach juices so the filling turns syrupy instead of watery. It is especially helpful when using very ripe summer peaches.
- Lemon juice: A little lemon juice brightens the flavor of the peaches and balances the sweetness.
- Salt: Just a small amount makes both the filling and topping taste better. Don’t skip it.
- All-purpose flour and baking powder: These make the soft biscuit-style topping. Baking powder gives it lift so it bakes up tender instead of dense.
- Cold butter: Keep the butter cold and cut it into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. This gives the drop biscuit topping its buttery, tender texture.
- Milk: Start with a smaller amount and add more only if the dough seems too dry. The topping should be soft enough to scoop and drop over the peaches, but not thin or pourable.
do you need to peel the peaches?
Peeling is optional, but it does make for a smoother, more cohesive filling. To peel peaches easily, score a small X on the bottom of each peach and drop them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to an ice bath. The skins slip right off.
How to Make Fresh Peach Cobbler
Toss the sliced peaches with sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice, then spread them into your prepared baking dish or skillet. Once it bakes, the peaches release their juices and the cornstarch turns everything into a sweet, syrupy filling.
Next, make the biscuit topping. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Cold butter is what gives the topping that tender, buttery texture, so don’t soften it first.
Stir in the milk just until the dough comes together, starting with the smaller amount. You want it soft enough to scoop but not so wet it spreads like batter.
Drop the topping over the peaches in mounds and gently flatten them a little. Leave some space between the mounds so the filling can bubble up around the edges.Â
Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top before baking to give the tobbing a little crunchy sparkle.
Bake until the topping is golden and the filling is thick and bubbling. If it starts to brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil and keep baking. Let it cool a few minutes before serving.
recipe tips
- Slice the peaches about ½ inch thick. Too thin and they break down too much during baking.
- I like to use a pastry cutter to cut in the cold butter, but two forks work just as well.
- Don’t overwork the biscuit topping. Mix just until the dough comes together or it will turn out dense instead of tender. See my homemade biscuit recipe for more tips.
- Swap the milk for buttermilk if you want a slightly tangier, more complex flavor in the peach cobbler biscuit topping.
- For a shiny golden topping, brush the biscuit mounds with a little egg wash before baking.
- Choose the right pan. An 8-inch square dish or similar round skillet gives the cobbler the best balance of juicy peach filling and golden biscuit topping. A larger pan will make it thinner, while a smaller, deeper pan may bubble over.
Variations
This peach cobbler recipe works well with other stone fruits too. Try it with nectarines, plums, or a mix of peaches and berries for a fun twist. Just keep the total amount of fruit the same.
This Peach Cobbler is the ultimate comfort dessert, with sweet, juicy peaches bubbling beneath a golden, buttery topping. Whether served warm on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s an easy homemade treat that’s perfect for summer gatherings, family dinners, or whenever fresh peaches are in season. Enjoy!
- 2 pounds peaches ½ inch / 1 cm thick sliced peaches
- 1 cup sugar (divided)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 5 tablespoons cold butter (unsalted cubed)
- 8-10 tablespoons milk (whole or heavy milk)
-
Pre-heat oven to 375F/190C. Spray or grease and flour an 8 inch square baking dish or round skillet.
-
In a large bowl stir together the peaches, ¾ cup / 150g of sugar, corn starch and lemon juice, pour into the prepared pan.
-
Whisk together the flour, 2 tablespoons / 25g of sugar , baking powder and ¼-½ teaspoon of salt. Cut in the cold butter until coarse crumbs appear. Stir in the milk, start with 8 tablespoons / 120ml if too dry add more milk. Using a large ice cream scoop or heaping tablespoons, drop mounds on the fruit in the pan, slightly flatten the mounds with your hands, sprinkle with the remaining sugar on top.
-
Bake until golden, thick and bubbly, approximately 40-45 minutes, if it starts to brown too much after 30 minutes, then cover with a piece of foil tent style over the pan and continue to bake. Let cool on a wire rack and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Storage: Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350F / 180C until warmed through, or microwave individual portions for a minute or two. The topping will soften in the fridge but will crisp back up a little in the oven.
Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 613IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg | Phosphorus: 120mg
Related
It’s All About Pasta
Amazing pasta recipes to make your mouth water!
Authentic Italian Desserts
75 Traditional Desserts Made Easy