Peach Cobbler (Classic Southern, Buttery & Bubbly)

What Makes This Recipe Work

Letting the sliced peaches sit with sugar draws out their juice, which thickens with cornstarch into a glossy syrup, and the drop biscuit topping bakes right on top of the fruit so the edges soak up the syrup while the tops stay light. Cold butter in the dough creates steamy pockets that help the biscuits rise tender and flaky.

Ingredients for Peach Cobbler (Classic Southern, Buttery & Bubbly)

• 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) ripe peaches (about 6 large), peeled and sliced 1/2 inch (about 6 cups), or 2 lb (900 g) frozen sliced peaches
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch, or 2 tbsp if using frozen peaches
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp fine salt, divided
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 6 tbsp (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus 1 tbsp melted for brushing
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk or whole milk

How to Make Peach Cobbler (Classic Southern, Buttery & Bubbly)

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter a 9-inch square baking dish or a 2-quart baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, toss the peaches with 1/2 cup of the sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp of the salt. Let the mix stand 15 to 20 minutes, until the fruit is glossy and sitting in juice.
3. Pour the peaches and all their juices into the prepared dish and spread them evenly.
4. In a bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
5. Add the cold butter and rub it in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Stir in the buttermilk just until a soft, shaggy dough forms.
6. Drop the dough in 8 to 10 mounds over the peaches, then brush the tops with the melted butter.
7. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the peach juices bubble thickly around the edges. The topping should spring back when pressed and a skewer inserted into a biscuit should come out clean.
8. Cool the cobbler 20 minutes so the filling sets, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Tips for the Best Peach Cobbler (Classic Southern, Buttery & Bubbly)

• Use ripe peaches, and if they are very juicy add 1 extra teaspoon of cornstarch so the filling still sets.
• Keep the butter cold and mix the biscuit dough as little as possible for a tender topping.
• Bake the dish on a sheet pan to catch any syrup that bubbles over the edge.

Variations and Substitutions

• For a pantry version, make the Peach Cobbler With Canned Peaches recipe using drained canned fruit and thickened syrup.
• For a three-ingredient shortcut, use the Peach Cobbler With Cake Mix recipe, a dump cake.
• For extra detail on peeling and macerating ripe fruit, follow the Fresh Peach Cobbler recipe.
• Swap the biscuit for a buttery streusel with the Peach Cobbler With Crumb Topping recipe, or add 1 cup blueberries to the filling.

How to Store and Reheat

• Cover and refrigerate leftover cobbler up to 4 days. Re-warm in a 350°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes to refresh the biscuit topping.
• Freeze baked cobbler up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 350°F until warm.

Peach Cobbler (Classic Southern, Buttery & Bubbly) FAQ