Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler With Sugared Crust

I’m not much of a sweets person, and I’m not much of a baker. But when you come home with a huge box of hand-picked fresh peaches straight from Fredericksburg, TX, you have no choice but to make peach cobbler. It’s practically the law. So in true Southern style, I whipped up this peach cobbler after going peach picking with my fam. And in true Texas style, I topped it with Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, which melted into every warm, gooey bite. And everyone lived happily every after. This peach cobbler recipe uses brown sugar, white sugar, AND turbinado sugar to create an awesomely deep, warm, molasses flavor and a super crispy crunchy crust. It’s the best peach dessert EVER. And as a self-proclaimed non-baker, I can definitively say this peach cobbler is one of the easiest, no-fuss baking recipes ever! The key is to layer the peaches ON TOP of the biscuit dough. Read on to find out how easy it is to make this delicious peach cobbler!

How to make peach cobbler with fresh peaches

First, you’ll slice a whole bunch of fresh peaches. Get super ripe ones- this is a great way to use bruised, almost too ripe peaches. You’ll need about 4 cups total, but that amount is flexible. I sliced mine about 1/4 inch thick. My peaches were small, so I used about 10. You may only need about 5 large ones. Then, add the sliced peaches to a medium pot with some brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook it over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the peaches have softened a bit and their juices are starting to come out. This will only take a couple of minutes.

While the peaches are cooking, put a stick of butter in a 9×13 baking dish (slightly larger or smaller would work just fine). Put it in the oven while it’s preheating until the butter completely melts. Alternatively, you can melt it in the microwave. Mix up the biscuit batter- flour, baking powder, sugar, and milk– in a large bowl. Stir it until only just combined. It will be thin, almost like pancake batter. Pour the biscuit batter over the melted butter. You can smooth it out a bit with a wooden spoon, but no need for it to be perfect. Pour the peaches over the biscuit batter, and then sprinkle with cinnamon and turbinado sugar. The turbinado sugar (also known as sugar in the raw) will give it a super crunchy topping, like you’d find on a good blueberry muffin. Bake and serve! Easy as pie. Actually, WAY easier.

How to make peach cobbler with canned peaches

It’s really easy to substitute canned peaches for fresh in this peach cobbler recipe. Just use them instead of the peach/brown sugar mixture- add them, along with the syrup, directly on top of the biscuit batter.

What’s the difference between a cobbler and a crisp and a crumble?

A cobbler is a fruit dessert with a biscuity, fluffy dough. A crisp has fruit topped with a mixture of butter, flour, oats, and sometimes nuts and spices like cinnamon, baked until crispy. A crumble is similar to a crisp with a more traditional streusel topping, usually without any oats or nuts. Just in case you’re wondering :-) The more you know!

Do I need to peel the peaches?

I do NOT recommend peeling the peaches. It will take way too much time for very little payoff. Plus, the skin of the peach has bunches of nutrients and fiber. Which makes this peach cobbler healthy… right? RIGHT? Do yourself a favor and leave the peels on the peaches- just make sure you give them a good wash.

How to make a healthier peach cobbler

This recipe boasts a whole stick of butter and a liberal amount of three sugars. If I’m going to go through the trouble of baking from scratch, I usually go all in and make it fairly decadent. But you can easily cut some of the fat by reducing some of the butter, and you can certainly reduce the sugar, especially if you are using very ripe peaches which will naturally be sweeter. You can even substitute the brown sugar for maple syrup or honey!

Can I make cobbler with other fruits?

YES! You can use other stone fruit, such as plums or apricots. You can also use blueberries, strawberries, cherries, apples… almost anything you want!