The short answer: This peach cobbler recipe is the easy Southern kind, with a buttery batter that bakes up golden and cake-like around sweet, cinnamon-spiced peaches.
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Melt a stick of butter in a baking dish, pour in a quick batter of flour, sugar, baking powder and milk, spoon the sweetened peaches over the top without stirring, and bake at 350°F until it's golden and bubbling. It works with fresh peaches in summer and canned or frozen peaches the rest of the year, which makes it a cozy fall and holiday dessert too. Below are exact amounts, step-by-step directions, fruit swaps and how to store it.
It's a good Thanksgiving dessert when everyone's tired of pie. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.
Peach cobbler ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Peaches, sliced | 6 cups | About 8 fresh, two 29-ounce cans drained, or 2 pounds frozen |
| Sugar (for the peaches) | ½ cup | Use less for peaches in syrup |
| Ground cinnamon | 1 teaspoon | Plus a pinch of nutmeg |
| Lemon juice | 1 tablespoon | |
| Cornstarch | 1 tablespoon | For frozen or very juicy peaches |
| Butter | ½ cup (1 stick) | Melted in the baking dish |
| All-purpose flour | 1 cup | |
| Sugar (for the batter) | 1 cup | |
| Baking powder | 2 teaspoons | |
| Salt | ½ teaspoon | |
| Milk | 1 cup | Whole milk is best |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | |
| Coarse sugar (optional) | 1 tablespoon | For a crunchy top |
How to make peach cobbler, step by step
- Heat the oven and melt the butter. Put the stick of butter in a 9x13 baking dish and set it in the oven while it heats to 350°F.
- Cook the peaches briefly. Simmer the peaches, ½ cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in a saucepan for 5 minutes, then stir in the cornstarch if you're using it.
- Make the batter. Whisk the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt, then stir in the milk and vanilla just until smooth.
- Pour the batter over the butter. Take the hot dish out and pour the batter evenly over the melted butter. Don't stir.
- Add the peaches. Spoon the peaches and their juice evenly over the batter. Again, don't stir.
- Top and bake. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the juices bubble at the edges.
- Let it rest. Cool for at least 20 minutes so the juices can thicken before you scoop.
The batter sinks under the fruit and then rises up around it as it bakes. That's how you get the crisp, buttery edges.
Fresh, canned or frozen peaches
| Peaches | How much | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh, ripe | About 8 medium | Peel if you like, slice ½ inch thick |
| Canned in syrup | Two 29-ounce cans | Drain, keep ½ cup syrup, cut sugar to ¼ cup |
| Canned in juice | Two 29-ounce cans | Drain, keep ½ cup juice, use the full ½ cup sugar |
| Frozen slices | 2 pounds | Thaw and drain, add the cornstarch, bake 5 to 10 minutes longer |
Peach cobbler variations
- Bourbon peach cobbler. Add 2 tablespoons of bourbon to the peaches as they simmer.
- Mixed berry and peach. Swap 2 cups of the peaches for blueberries or blackberries.
- Biscuit-topped cobbler. Drop spoonfuls of buttermilk biscuit dough over the hot fruit instead of using the batter.
- Holiday spice. Add ¼ teaspoon each of ginger and cardamom for a warmer winter flavor.
- Smaller batch. Halve everything and bake it in an 8-inch square dish for 35 to 40 minutes.
How to store and reheat peach cobbler
Refrigerate leftover cobbler, covered, within 2 hours of baking, as the FDA's food storage tips recommend. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. FoodSafety.gov's cold food storage chart is a handy reference for how long other leftovers from a holiday meal will keep.
To reheat, warm single servings in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or reheat the whole dish, uncovered, at 350°F for 15 minutes. Baked cobbler freezes for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a chilled dessert alternative, make banana pudding instead of a baked fruit dessert.
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- Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Keep this peach cobbler recipe, with grandma's notes, alongside the rest of your family favorites.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. Plan the holiday menu and shop from one aisle-sorted grocery list.
For more desserts, try our classic cheesecake, strawberry shortcake or apple pie, or browse the Thanksgiving desserts list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest peach cobbler recipe? The easiest peach cobbler recipe melts a stick of butter in a 9x13 dish, pours a simple batter of flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and milk over it, and spoons sweetened peaches on top without stirring. As it bakes at 350°F, the batter rises up around the fruit into a buttery, golden, cake-like crust in about 45 minutes.
Can I use canned peaches for peach cobbler? Yes, canned peaches make a great peach cobbler, and they're the easiest choice in fall and winter. Use two 29-ounce cans of sliced peaches, drain them, and keep about ½ cup of the syrup to add to the fruit. Peaches canned in juice are less sweet, so you may want to add an extra 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Can I make peach cobbler with frozen peaches? You can make peach cobbler with frozen peaches. Thaw them in a colander so the extra juice drains off, or use them frozen and add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time. Toss them with sugar, cinnamon and a tablespoon of cornstarch so the juices thicken instead of making the batter soggy.
Should peach cobbler be runny? Peach cobbler should be juicy but not soupy. The filling thickens as it cools, so let it rest at least 20 to 30 minutes before serving. If yours is runny, the peaches were very juicy or it was underbaked; next time add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the fruit and bake until the juices bubble thickly around the edges.
Do you have to peel peaches for cobbler? You don't have to peel peaches for cobbler, but the skins can turn chewy. To peel them easily, cut a small X in the bottom of each peach, drop them in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, then move them to ice water. The skins will slip right off with your fingers.
How do you store leftover peach cobbler? Cover leftover peach cobbler and refrigerate it within 2 hours of baking. It keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Warm individual servings in the microwave for 30 seconds, or reheat the whole dish at 350°F for 15 minutes so the top crisps up again. You can also freeze baked cobbler for up to 3 months.
What's the difference between a cobbler, a crisp and a crumble? A cobbler has a biscuit or batter topping that bakes into a soft, cake-like crust over the fruit. A crisp has a streusel topping made with oats, flour, butter and sugar that bakes up crunchy. A crumble is similar to a crisp but usually skips the oats, so its topping is more like shortbread crumbs.