Peach Cobbler Recipe

Prepare peaches

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel the peaches (blanch in boiling water 30–45 seconds and transfer to ice bath, or peel with a paring knife), pit, and slice them into 1/2-inch thick wedges to yield about 6 cups.

In a large bowl, combine the sliced peaches with 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss gently until peaches are evenly coated and set aside for 10 minutes so juices develop.

Spoon the peach mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish (or comparable oval baking dish). Dot the top evenly with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces.

While peaches macerate, make the biscuit topping: In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt until combined.

Cut 6 tablespoons cold cubed butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, two forks, or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.

In a small bowl whisk 1 cup buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour-butter mixture and stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon just until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.

Using a spoon or an ice-cream scoop, drop generous rounded tablespoons (or 8–10 mounds) of the biscuit dough over the peach filling, spacing them so they will expand. The dough can be placed close together; it will spread during baking.

If desired, brush the biscuit tops lightly with a bit of extra buttermilk and sprinkle 1 tablespoon coarse sugar over the tops for sparkle and crunch.

Place the assembled cobbler on a baking sheet (to catch any bubbling juices) and bake in the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling around the edges.

If the topping is browning too quickly, loosely tent the cobbler with aluminum foil for the last 5–10 minutes of baking.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10–15 minutes to allow the filling to thicken slightly. Serve warm, spooning peaches and biscuits into bowls and topping with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.