Biscochito Peach Cobbler Recipe

Prepare peaches

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Peel, pit, and slice peaches into 1/2-inch thick slices until you have about 6 cups. Place slices in a large bowl.

Add sugars, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, anise, and salt to the bowl with the peaches. Toss gently until peach slices are evenly coated and the cornstarch is dissolved. Let sit 10–15 minutes for juices to release.

Transfer the peach mixture into a 9x13-inch (or equivalent) shallow baking dish, spreading into an even layer and scraping any accumulated juices into the dish.

Dry mix

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, anise, and salt until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining (about 6–8 short strokes).

Make biscuit dough

In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg with the cold buttermilk and cold whole milk (or use 1 cup total of buttermilk if you prefer a richer dough). Drizzle the liquid into the flour-butter mixture and gently fold just until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overwork; there should be visible pieces of butter.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Using a biscuit cutter or a 1/4-cup measuring scoop, cut rounds or drop biscuits (about 8–10 portions) depending on the shape you want. Alternatively, you can drop spoonfuls for a more rustic cobbler topping.

Arrange the biscuit rounds or spoonfuls of dough spaced roughly 1/2 inch apart over the peach filling. They will expand while baking; leave small gaps so peach juices bubble up between them.

Brush the tops of the dough with the melted butter. If using, brush a little vanilla bean paste over the butter or sprinkle lemon zest for brightness. Combine turbinado sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the biscuit tops.

Place the assembled cobbler on a sheet pan (to catch any drips) and bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked through. If the topping browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15–20 minutes; this helps the filling set and makes slicing easier.

Optionally, sprinkle a little extra turbinado sugar or a light dusting of cinnamon over the warm biscuits for a pretty finish. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.