Homemade peach cobbler is one of my favorite desserts to make during peach season. It’s like an easy combination of peach pie and peach cake! This sweet, flavorful, fresh fruit dessert is so easy to make with simple ingredients and very little effort. Just simmer ripe, juicy peaches with two kinds of sugar before adding it to a basic cinnamon-kissed batter, then bake until golden brown and fluffy.
After the fresh peach cobbler has cooled slightly to let the filling thicken and set, you can dig in! I absolutely love serving this cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate decadence. This is the perfect dessert for when I’m craving something sweet on busy weeknights or when I need a dessert to bring to a gathering. It’s my favorite summer dessert for a reason!
Here’s what some readers are saying about this recipe:
Paola gave it 5 stars and commented: “It was delicious!!! So easy to make, my family loved it too! Thank you so much!”
Havita rated it with 5 stars and says: “Thanks for this recipe! It turned out so good and my family said it tasted heavenly 🙂.”
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
These ingredients are essential for the best peach cobbler! You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
Peaches — ripe fresh peaches are the star of this recipe, with their naturally sweet and vibrant flavor. I used yellow peaches here, but you can use a mixture of yellow and white peaches or only white peaches for a twist!
Sugar — granulated sugar and brown sugar are a must for the juicy cobbler filling and batter. White sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the fresh fruit, while brown sugar adds molasses notes and depth to the flavor of the peach filling.
Cobbler batter — to make the simple cobbler batter, you need flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, and a little ground cinnamon. This batter simply stirs together and bakes up like fluffy cake with a delicious sugary top.
How To Peel, Slice, And Pit Peaches
To peel well ripened peaches, you can easily pull the peach skin away from the flesh with a paring knife or your fingers. For those more stubborn or less ripe fruits, cut a small X on the tip of each fruit and place 2-3 peaches in a pot of boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer them to a large bowl of ice water. Peel the cooled peaches using your fingers or a paring knife and repeat the boiling process as needed.
To remove the pit, cut the peeled peaches at the center until you hit the pits, then rotate the fruit until you’ve cut a full circle around the pit. Gently twist the two halves to separate them and remove the pit, then cut the peach halves into slices. You can cut the peaches into chunks instead of slices if preferred, but I like seeing fresh peach slices in the cobbler. I also found during recipe testing that the slices held up very well when baked!
Do I Need To Peel The Peaches First?
I prefer peeling the peaches for a smoother texture in the peach cobbler filling, but if you don’t mind the texture of the peels, you can certainly leave them on (and save some prep time!).
Can I Use Canned Or Frozen Peaches?
Yes, both types will work in this recipe. For canned peaches, choose peach halves packed in juice and drain the liquid before slicing and cooking them with the sugar. If you can only find peaches packed in syrup, reduce the granulated sugar by 2 tablespoons in the fruit filling.
Frozen peach slices can be substituted directly for fresh ones without any need to thaw them first. Just cook the frozen peach slices in the skillet with the sugar for an extra few minutes or until thawed through.
Pro Tips For Making The Best Peach Cobbler
Use ripe but slightly firm peaches. Ripe peaches will bake up the best in the cobbler. If the peaches are very soft and fall apart when you cut them, they will be very mushy when baked. If they are hard when you slice them, the cobbler won’t be as sweet or soft. If you end up with slightly under ripe peaches, cook the filling for a bit longer to soften the fruit before adding it to the baking pan.
Thicken the filling more if needed. If the peaches are extra juicy or you are using frozen peaches, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the peach mixture to help thicken the juices. You will be able to tell if you need to thicken it once the peach filling is cooked in the skillet–if it appears very liquidy, add the cornstarch. This will prevent the cobbler from being too runny after baking.
Bake the cobbler in a glass or ceramic baking pan. During testing, I found that these pans helped to prevent burning on the edges of the peach cobbler and kept the filling and batter soft and gooey. Avoid a metal baking dish, which gets hot much faster.
Let the cobbler rest after baking. To help the filling set and the peach juices to thicken up, allow the peach cobbler to rest for about 20 minutes after baking. It will be much easier to serve if you give it a little time. Plus, you won’t scorch your mouth on super hot peaches!
How To Make Peach Cobbler
1. Cut the butter into pats and place in a baking dish. Place in an oven heated to 375°F until the butter melts. Leave the oven on. Meanwhile, peel the peaches.
2. Halve and pit the peaches, cut into ¼-inch thick slices, and transfer to a skillet. Add brown sugar and white sugar and stir, then place over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and set aside while you prep the batter.
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Add the milk and mix just until combined.
5. Transfer the cobbler batter to the baking dish. Spread it out towards the edges, but do not mix it with the melted butter.
6. Add the peaches and any juices to the baking pan and spread them out evenly. Leave a few gaps for the batter to rise through. Then bake until the cobbler is golden brown and springs back when pressed.
Peach Cobbler Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 9×13-inch or 3-quart baking dish
Ingredients
For the Peaches
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter (100g)
- 6 large yellow peaches ripe (about 900g)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (55g)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
For the Cobbler
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk (180mL)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut butter into a few pats and place in a 9×13 baking dish then pop the dish into the oven to warm until the butter melts. Set aside.
- Peel the peaches then halve them, remove pit, slice into roughly 1/4 inch pieces, and transfer to a large skillet.
- Sprinkle brown and granulated sugar over the peaches and mix then place on medium heat while stirring occasionally. You’ll cook the peaches for just a few minutes until the sugars dissolve. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl then pour in the milk and mix until just combined.
- Transfer the batter into your baking dish and spread out toward the edges but do not mix with the butter.
- Transfer the peaches with any liquid into your dish and spread out evenly. Leave some gaps for the cobbler topping to rise through.
- Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. It’s done when the cobbler is golden brown and springs back when pressed lightly.
Notes
- Don’t overcook the peaches. Cooking the fresh peach filling on the stovetop should only take a few minutes. Remember, they will cook again in the oven! You don’t want to cook them too much, or the peaches will turn out too soft or mushy after baking. It’s ready when the sugar has dissolved.
- Customize the baking dish size. This recipe works well with a 9×13-inch baking dish, a 3-quart baking dish of any shape, or divided among two 8×8-inch baking dishes. Or divide the batter and topping among individual 8-ounce ramekins for personal servings!
- Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar for a delicious, spiced topping! Simply stir 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon together and sprinkle on top of the cobbler before baking.
Nutrition
Variations To Try
You can make some easy modifications to this recipe to vary the peach cobbler flavor or dietary preference following these suggestions:
- Browned Butter Peach Cobbler: For a bit more complexity and a hint of nuttiness, use browned butter instead of regular butter in the pan in Step 1.
- Biscuit Topped Peach Cobbler: Skip the batter portion of this peach cobbler recipe (Steps 4 and 5) and add the filling to the pan containing the melted butter. Top with flaky biscuits or drop biscuit dough and bake until the biscuit topping is golden brown.
- Grilled Peach Cobbler: Grilling adds a very subtle smokiness and caramelizes the sugar in the peaches. Halve and pit the peaches, brush them with oil, and place them cut-side down on the grill. Cook until char marks appear before allowing them to cool, then use the grilled peaches in the filling.
- Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler: Simply swap the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free baking flour. You may need a tablespoon or two more milk to thin out the batter enough, as gluten-free flour blends tend to need more liquid. Remember to check labels on the other ingredients to ensure they are gluten-free.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Make Ahead: You can do some of the cobbler prep beforehand to save time, but this recipe is best when fully mixed right before baking. Cook the peaches on the stovetop as outlined. Allow the peaches to cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Prepare the dry ingredient mixture and store it in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Then, when you’re ready to bake, combine the dry and wet batter ingredients and assemble the cobbler as outlined in the recipe.
Storing: Once completely cooled, cover the pan or store the leftover cobbler in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few hours before reheating.
Reheating: Pop the cold peach cobbler into a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or 325°F air fryer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference is that cobbler is usually made with a thick, fluffy batter that is almost cake-like. It can also be made with a biscuit topping. Crisps, like peach crisp (another one of my favorite peach recipes!), have a crunchy oat crumble or streusel topping baked on top of the peaches.
Yes, this recipe would work great with plums or nectarines swapped in as written for the peaches. If you want to use other fruits, try making my cherry cobbler, blackberry cobbler, blueberry cobbler, strawberry cobbler, or apple cobbler recipe! While these recipes are similar to peach cobbler, using the other fruit variety require a little bit of variation in technique or amount of ingredients, so it’s best to use the recipe written for those types of fruits.
If you’ve tried this peach cobbler recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
