Featuring juicy sweet peaches and a buttermilk biscuit-like topping, peach cobbler is the ultimate comforting homestyle summer dessert. For the best texture, cut the peaches into chunks instead of slices, and add an egg wash and a sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar on top before baking. Serve warm with cold vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream for the *best* summer dessert experience.
We don’t usually think of summer fruit recipes as “comfort food”—that’s a term typically used to describe cold-weather fare—but if there is one, it’s peach cobbler. Juicy peaches with a hint of cinnamon and ginger… under a buttery biscuit topping… served hot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top… is like a hug at first bite. 😉
I originally published this recipe in 2016, and it’s been a reader favorite since. It even preceded my popular berry cobbler recipe! I haven’t changed this peach version over the years, but I now add a little ginger to the juicy peach filling because peaches + ginger are a seriously underrated flavor combo.
One reader, P&C, commented: “Once again, a flawless recipe. We bake with confidence when we use your recipes, even when we have made slight mistakes, we always get a good result. This peach cobbler is among the best, if not the best, I have ever had. ★★★★★“
One reader, Wendy, commented: “This turned out so delicious and beautiful! I liked that the recipe calls for less sugar than other recipes; it was still sweet enough for me, and the peaches really shined. Definitely do the egg wash and sugar-cinnamon topping, it added a nice crunch…. Thank you for this fantastic recipe! ★★★★★“
Let’s Have High Peach Cobbler Standards
In all of my peach cobbler recipe testing over the years, I’ve learned that there are several standards for this classic summertime dessert:
- The peach filling has to be rich and sweet, but not overly sweet.
- Chunks are best, just like I recommend in peach pie and peach crumble pie.
- Lemon juice balances the sweet peaches and sugar, just like in this peach crisp.
- Use minimal cornstarch to thicken the peach filling, because too much weighs it down.
- The buttery biscuit topping should be crisp on top, but soft and moist underneath.
- An egg wash + cinnamon-sugar on the biscuit topping adds a beautiful golden sheen and a little sparkle (just like we do for pie crust), but also makes for the best texture.
- A hint of ginger (just 1/8 teaspoon!) is the BEST flavor booster for peaches.
So, now that we’ve got that all figured out, it’s actually really easy to make this dessert! No chilling, decorating, or special tools are required for this peach cobbler recipe.
What Are the Best Peaches to Use?
The best peaches for peach cobbler are the same I recommend for other peach recipes including peach pie, fresh peach cake, peach crisp, and peach bread. You want slightly firm (not hard) peaches with zero bruises or soft spots. If your peaches are soft, stringy, and mushy, your filling will taste soft, stringy, and mushy.
#1 Success Tip: Use Chunks, Not Slices
For the best texture, cut your peaches into small chunks. Because peaches are so juicy, slices bake into mush, while chunks retain more of their deliciously soft texture. They’re also easier to eat with a spoon! The same tip applies for peach pie and apple crisp.
Overview: How to Make Peach Cobbler
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through each step and show you some photos so you have success when it’s your turn to make this iconic dessert.
- Mix the filling ingredients together. You need peaches, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a dash of salt. Since peaches are naturally sweet, you only need 1/4 cup of sugar in the filling. Don’t skip the lemon juice—the filling tastes a little flat without it. Spread the filling into a greased 9×13-inch pan.
- Pre-bake the peaches. Pre-baking the peach filling for about 10 minutes before adding the biscuit topping. Without this step, the peaches could remain firm underneath the topping.
- While the peaches pre-bake, make the biscuit topping. Mix a few basic ingredients together. You need flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter until pea-sized crumbs form, like when making for pie crust. These flour-coated butter crumbles promise a flaky soft, but crisp biscuit topping. After that, mix in buttermilk.
- Top peaches with biscuit dough. Using your hands, form the dough into little patties and place them on top of the warm peaches. Add an egg wash and sprinkle of cinnamon-sugar on top.
Then it’s ready to bake! A 9×13-inch pan is best for this recipe, but any baking pan that holds 3-4 quarts volume works wonderfully.
Peach Cobbler Biscuit Topping
You need basic ingredients for the biscuit topping. I recommend using buttermilk for an ultra-rich biscuit flavor. It’s what I use to prepare my homemade biscuits and strawberry shortcake, too.
You can also find recipes that use a cake-like topping, combining cake batter and peaches. The cake batter is actually on the bottom and floats above the peaches as it all bakes.
Of course it’s all personal preference, but I definitely gravitate towards the biscuit. There’s more crunchy texture and the whole thing tastes wholesome, substantial, and rich, especially when the warm sticky peach syrup and vanilla ice cream topping (a must!) cross paths.
Cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients, and then pour in the buttermilk and mix to combine:
The biscuit dough placement on top of the peaches doesn’t need to be exact or perfect. Some peaches can be exposed underneath. It’s a rustic-looking dish that doesn’t require fussy decorating steps.
Before baking, brush the biscuit layer with an egg wash (egg + buttermilk), then sprinkle it with cinnamon-sugar. These little extras add a gorgeous golden sheen and sweet crunch. Trust me, this additional step only takes a minute, and the results are more than worth it!
This biscuit-topped peach cobbler is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy fresh peaches when they’re in season. The peaches are obviously the star of the show, and the whole dessert won’t leave you with a toothache. It’s pure, peachy-keen summer goodness.
When peaches are slightly firm (not hard) with zero bruises, they’re ready for peach cobbler. If your peaches are mushy, your dessert will taste mushy.
While I usually do, you don’t have to peel the peaches when making this dessert.
Fresh peaches are best for cobbler, though you can get away with unsweetened frozen peaches. If using frozen peaches, thaw, chop, and blot them dry before using. Readers have raved about this dessert using frozen, thawed peaches. Canned peaches are not ideal because they’re already too soft and mushy.
Many readers have asked about mixing in blueberries, cherries, plums, pluots, nectarines, etc. You can absolutely swap fruits, or use a mix of fruits, as long as you have a total of about 10 cups (1.5kg). I particularly love equal parts blueberries and peaches here. You may also like this mixed berry cobbler.
I brush the biscuit topping with an egg wash (egg beaten with some buttermilk), so it’s golden-brown, crisp, and shiny. You can skip the egg and brush with just buttermilk if desired.
Fresh Peach Cobbler
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Juicy sweet peaches and buttery biscuits come together in this classic summer dessert. Cut the peaches into chunks for the best texture, and use this easy buttermilk biscuit topping for the best flavor. The egg wash promises a golden crisp topping.
Ingredients
Peach Filling
- 3.5–4 lbs fresh peaches, peeled and cut into 1-1.5 inch chunks (about 10 cups or 1.5kg)
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (7g) cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Biscuit Topping
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, cold*
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk or buttermilk
- optional: 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Any 3-4-quart baking dish works.
- For the filling: Mix all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl, then spread into the baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside as you prepare the topping. Keep the oven on.
- For the topping: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or 2 forks, cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse pea-sized crumbs. A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick! You could also use a food processor. Pour in the buttermilk, and gently mix until evenly combined. Dough should be slightly sticky once completely combined, but if it’s too dry, add 1 more Tablespoon of buttermilk.
- Assemble the cobbler: Take handfuls of dough and gently flatten out. Place dough all over the top of the warm peach filling. There’s no special trick to this—just flatten the dough in sections and cover most of the peaches.
- Brush the top of the biscuit dough with egg wash, then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, if using.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and peach filling is bubbling around the edges. To test for doneness, stick a toothpick into the biscuit topping and if it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Remove cobbler from the oven, and set the pan on a wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: I don’t recommend preparing this recipe ahead of time because the biscuit topping won’t rise as much if it is not immediately baked. You can, however, freeze the prepared peach filling for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator, mix in 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (it will be so juicy, and this helps thicken it, then pre-bake as instructed in step 2. You can also freeze the baked cobbler for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm in the oven before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Vegetable/Fruit Peeler | 9×13-inch Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Pastry Cutter | Pastry Brush | Cooling Rack
- Frozen or Canned Peaches: Fresh peaches are best for cobbler, though you can get away with unsweetened frozen peaches. If using frozen peaches, thaw, chop, and blot them dry before using. Readers have raved about this dessert using frozen, thawed peaches. Canned peaches are not ideal because they’re already too soft and mushy.
- Buttermilk: You can make your own DIY version of buttermilk if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough cold whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, cold lower fat or cold nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the topping won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- To Make Without Egg Wash: The egg wash helps the dessert reach that golden-brown, crisp goodness. You can skip the egg and brush with just buttermilk instead.
- Other Fruits: Many readers have asked about mixing in blueberries, cherries, plums, pluots, nectarines, etc. You can absolutely swap fruits, or use a mix of fruits, as long as you have a total of about 10 cups (1.5kg). I particularly love equal parts blueberries and peaches here. You may also like this mixed berry cobbler.
- Individual Cobblers: Instead of baking as one big dessert, you can make individual peach cobblers by dividing the layers and baking in several oven-safe ramekins. Bake time depends on the amount of food in each ramekin. Bake on a large baking sheet until the filling is bubbling and biscuit topping is golden brown. It’s easier to bake as a whole and simply serve in individual ramekins or even parfait glasses, though!
I am looking forward to making this with my culinary class. I have to use frozen peaches because it’s February in NJ and we don’t have peaches. Do I still prebake the filling for 10 minutes with frozen peaches?
Hi Sue, yes. If using frozen peaches, thaw, chop, and blot them dry before using. All other steps in the recipe remain the same. Hope the cobbler is a hit!
Can I use frozen peaches?
Hi Tanay, Fresh peaches are best for cobbler, though you can get away with unsweetened frozen peaches. If using frozen peaches, thaw, chop, and blot them dry before using.
Only had frozen peaches I processed last fall. Thawed & drained them reserving the juice. Cooked it down to make a thick syrup. Topped the cobbler with ice cream & my peach syrup…YUM!!
Turned out great! This is my new go-to cobbler recipe!
Question: to make a smaller version – like in an 8×8 dish, would I simply half the ingredients or…? And what about cook time? P.S. I made this with peaches and nectarines and my family loved it!
Hi Carolyn, we’re so glad it was a hit with your family! You can halve the ingredients for an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, so keep a close eye on it and start checking for doneness around the 25/30 minute mark or so.
Can you use canned peaches in place of fresh peaches?
Hi Keishia, Canned peaches are not ideal because they’re already too soft and mushy. Fresh peaches are best for cobbler, though you can get away with unsweetened frozen peaches. If using frozen peaches, thaw, chop, and blot them dry before using.
I’d love to try this with golden raisins. I like raisins in my cobblers and crisps. How do you think a crumble coat on top of the biquit would work? I’m trying to get rid of some pecans
Hi Lynn, you can certainly add raisins to the filling. For best results, and so the cobbler bakes evenly and thoroughly, I don’t recommend another layer on top of the biscuit layer. But you could certainly add chopped pecans to the biscuit layer, perhaps 3/4 cup or 100g.
I made this exactly as written which is rare for me. I’ve tried so many of Sally’s recipes and she’s literally the only one that I follow where I don’t have to change anything. I did make my own topping but that’s a preference issue not a recipe issue. This came out AMAZING!! I’m turning it into my go to cobbler recipe for everything. I’m thinking of trying an apple cobbler with it! Thank you Sally!
My goodness, made today.
It is so very delicious!
Keeper!
Thank you for sharing.
I wonder if I could throw in some oats with the topping?
Hi Sue, it would take some testing to incorporate oats into the biscuit topping, as you’d likely need to replace some of the flour with the oats rather than adding them in. If you’re interested, here is our peach crisp with oat topping instead!
Best cobbler recipe I’ve ever made!
Wanted two small cobblers, one for now and another to share later. The one we ate immediately was delicious with a perfect topping. After reading through comments about how to freeze and enjoy later, I followed the recommendation precisely. Defrosted the cobbler in the refrigerator as directed, then reheated per directions. The topping was like raw dough. I was so upset since I was sharing with friends and because I’d made the cobbler with Peach Truck peaches. I DO NOT recommend freezing this cobbler.
This is sooo good! I made this with some extra peaches that were getting a little ripe. Also made it for some any and everyone was clamouring to get every little bit out of the dish. Yummy! Don’t hesitate to try it!
Made this recipe with the peaches from our tree. I like a lot of the fruit and less of the topping, so I simply put the fruit in a smaller dish and 1/2ed the topping. Absolutely delicious!!! Sally, your recipes are always a home run!
It says to serve warm. I’m planning to take this to a bbq. How well does it reheat? And for how long? Thinking about 10 minutes? Thanks!
Hi Heather, you can reheat it in the oven for a few minutes to your liking. Hope it’s a hit!
It’s peach season in Upstate NY (Orleans County – one of the largest farming areas in NYS – fruit and Vegetables). This cobbler is delicious. Followed the recipe exactly and the results were amazing. Thank you.
Our family loved this recipe. Liked that not an overly amount of sugar. I used regular peaches and white peaches. Added some raspberries. The bisquit recipe was how you described it. Crunchy oon the outside and soft on the underneath. Juice was yummy too. Very nice. Did not disappoint. Thank you
Good Lord! I followed this recipe to the T, doubled it, and, this was right on point. I’ve been a chef for 25 years, and even the ones in the industry don’t compare to this. I’m giving this to my doctors office, tried just the outer crust with a little of the juice, and I don’t want to give this away, but I will. Sally, you don’t disappoint. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I love this recipe
Took it to a BBQ and it was loved by all! I used nutmeg instead of cinnamon and used 1/2 wheat 1/2 oat flour.
I only had 3 peaches so I made two smalll dishes. It came out perfect
Loved your recipe. Especially loved making crust this way. Know I’ll be using your recipe again and again! Thank you ❤️
Incredible! I used 16 peaches so doubled the cornstarch. We can’t decide which is better; your peach pie, peach bars, or this cobbler. It’s “peachfest” in Colorado with fresh Palisade peaches – truly the best!
This was a great recipe. I halved it and baked in an 8×8 glass dish and it turned out delicious. Will definitely make this again!
How did you adjust the bake time when you halved it?
I just made this, halved the recipe and put it in an 8×8. At 350, it was done in about 35 minutes!
I recently made another peach cobbler recipe and it wasn’t bad, just a little bit too sweet for me. Like most recipes I’ve found, you place the topping in the pan first. Always looking at Sally’s recipes, I like the fact it had less sugar, and wanted to see how it came out with the biscuit on the top. In the end, it wasn’t great to me. The ratio seemed off, there was way too much topping than fruit and I measured exactly. We wound up taking most of it off.
Hi, do you think this (fresh peach cobbler recipe) would keep well if I assembled it in the morning & baked later in the day?
Thanks
Hi Heather, We don’t recommend preparing this recipe ahead of time because the biscuit topping won’t rise as much if it is not immediately baked. You can, however, prepare the peach filling earlier in the day.
OH MY!!! This cobbler was a hit! I followed the directions and did the cinnamon/sugar topping. Everyone raved at how delicious the cobbler was!! Thank you Sally for another fabulous recipe.
Really great recipe. I made it exactly as the recipe read and it was big hit. Will definitely make again.
Perfect! The hardest thing about this was finding ripe local peaches. Easy to follow recipe and delicious!