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 vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream for the *best* summer dessert experience.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos, more helpful success tips, and a bit of ginger to the peach filling.
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… it’s like a hug at first bite. 😉
This dessert recipe has been a reader favorite since I first published it a few years ago. 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, blueberry 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), and 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!
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 crumbles form, like we do to make pie crust. These flour-coated butter crumbles promise a soft and flaky biscuit topping. After that, mix in the 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. If needed, you can use my buttermilk substitute instead.
You can also find recipes that use a cake-like topping, combining cake batter and peaches. I use this method when I make my easy cherry cobbler and my apple cobbler.
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.
Don’t Overwork the Biscuit Topping
Like when you’re making any type of biscuits or scones, you should be careful not to overwork the dough. Overworking or over-handling this dough will result in a tough and dense topping. We want to keep it flaky and soft, so mix the ingredients together *just* until combined.
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 (1.5–1.8kg). 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
- 10 cups (around 1.8kg) peeled chopped fresh peaches (1- to 1.5-inch chunks)
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (7g) cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) fresh 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- to 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 crumbles. A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick! You could also pulse in 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 use your hands to gently flatten out into patties. 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; if it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Remove cobbler from the oven, and set the pan on a cooling 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 buttermilk substitute 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 nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the topping won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it 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 (1.5–1.8kg). 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, though!
Reader Comments and Reviews
Absolutely delicious!
Can this recipe be halved? Thanks!
Hi Joni, absolutely, this can be halved for an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time. Enjoy!
I made the recipe filling, then topped it with Pillsbury cinnamon buns with cream cheese icing. I mashed the buns into flatter circles, then placed them on the heated filling. I reduced the baking time to 25 minutes, then when finished, I spread the icing over the cinnamon buns. It was delicious!
Can I substitute using buttermilk for skim milk?
Hi Eliana, we recommend using buttermilk for an ultra-rich biscuit flavor. See recipe Notes about using a DIY buttermilk substitute if needed.
Hello! I made this recipe tonight, however since I have a dairy allergy I subbed (same amounts) butter and buttermilk for a cashew based vegan butter and a vegan buttermilk and it came out AMAZING! Thanks for the great recipe!
Mine was so juicy. Could I use a bit more cornstarch to thicken the sauce?
Hi Ashley, you could certainly try increasing it just a bit, but we caution against too much because it can weigh down the filling. Were your peaches especially juicy? You want slightly firm (not hard) peaches with zero bruises or soft spots. Hope you still enjoyed it!
I made this for a summer dinner party and served with vanilla ice cream. Everybody gobbled it up! Only had cinnamon for spices but it was still delicious!
Made this peach cobbler last night but had to omit the egg wash because it wouldn’t spread. Wondering if I was supposed to use just the egg white?
Hi Sarah, did you beat the egg with milk or buttermilk? See the Biscuit Topping Ingredients – that should help!
Can I make the biscuit topping and store in the fridge for a few hours before baking it?
Hi Sima, yes, you definitely can!
Ok, this was fabulous! I have a peach tree so this is a requirement to make sure they don’t go to waste (or is it waist?) I’ve never tried a recipe where you handled the dough like this and I really enjoyed placing the dough on the fruit. Thank you for this.
Would buttermilk powder work?
Hi Paula, yes, you can use powdered buttermilk. Follow the instructions on the container to yield the 1/2 cup needed for this recipe. Enjoy!
Sooooo good! Easy to make and just delicious. Made it 3 days ago when friends came over. Making it again today.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the biscuit topping had a very nice, firm crust while being soft on the inside. Too bad my biscuits are not like this! I used the food processor to cut in the butter and loved the ease of it. I didn’t use the egg wash due to time constraints. The biscuit was lightly sweet and perfect for the fruit. I used canned peaches and was happy with the results, perhaps because that’s all I have ever used, given where I live. I was generous with the ginger powder and while subtle, it definitely added to the flavor profile. Finally, I added crushed pineapple because I needed a little more fruit and I had some leftover from another recipe. Interestingly enough, the pineapple didn’t stand out but rather took on somewhat of the peach flavor. I think finding a good cobbler recipe is mostly about the biscuit . Getting this right can be difficult to do; the fruit is the easy part, in my opinion. I will definitely keep this recipe around because the biscuit was had such a nice firm top (even after the leftovers were refrigerated it held up)
Super delicious! I didn’t peel the peaches and it was still so good. Whole family loved it! Saving this recipe for sure!!
Hi Sally, Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of buttermilk? I just have it handy in the fridge. Thanks.
You need buttermilk here. You can try using heavy cream in the buttermilk substitute described in the recipe notes, but the topping will be very heavy. We recommend whole milk used in the sour milk substitute instead.
I loved this. I am lazy so didn’t peel my peaches it was fine. I posted it on Facebook and a friend asked what substitutes would work for vegan ? No butter no buttermilk no egg ?
Hi Jane! Glad you enjoyed it. We haven’t tested a vegan version of this recipe.
This cobbler looks amazing and I love the biscuit topping technique. For future cobblers: if I used apples, would you suggest I pre-bake the apples a longer time than for peaches? Until they are soft?
Hi Teresa, apples would be delicious here! You can pre-cook for about the same amount of time. They’ll continue to cook down and soften as the entire cobbler bakes.
I have a 2 lb. bag of fresh peaches. Can I cut all of the ingredients in half?
Hi Elise, yes, you can halve the recipe and use a 9×9-inch square baking pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time.
Bought peaches from the peach truck for the first time. Of course within 3 days they were all ripe so i searched the internet for a peach cobbler recipe. Then I remembered Sally’s website and how everything I have made from her site turns out amazing! The peach cobbler did not disappoint! I followed the recipe to the T and it turned out perfectly! I took the tip about freezing the filling so the rest of the peaches went into the freezer. Can’t wait to make this to share with others!
My cobbler turned out extremely bitter, had to pour sugar on it just to be able to stand it
This is the best cobbler topping ever!! I will never use another.
Could I make this in a toaster oven? We don’t currently have an oven.
Hi Lindsey! We haven’t tested it, let us know if you do – bake time may be a little different.
This recipe was simply delicious…perfect quantity for a 9×13 pan. I froze and grated the butter, to avoid the pastry blender. I also switched out 1/2 cup of cornmeal for 1/2 cup flour for a little extra crunch and texture…a little cornmeal always adds interest.
Can you make this recipe a day in advance?
Hi Betty, 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. However, you can bake the entire cobbler and store overnight in the refrigerator.
If I make this the day before and store o/n in the fridge, how long and at what temp should I put it in the oven to reheat? Thanks!
Absolutely delicious! I added a little bit of lemon zest and maybe 1/2tsp of the juice into the dough!
Made this yesterday and it was so delicious!
It was amazing. I forget to pre-cook the peaches, but it tasted fine.
We had some overripe peaches and mangoes that we used so we skipped the extra prebaking time. I let my 9 year old daughter steer the ship while I supervised and we accidentally mixed up the baking powder and soda measurements but it turned out just fine. Delicious and super easy to make! Smells heavenly
Do you think I could use bisquick? I‘ve made your recipe a few times now, it is absolutely the best!!! Thank you
Hi Rose, a store-bought biscuit topping should work, but keep in mind that it may not be as sweet.
And, thank you for replying so quickly ! It really is a wonderful recipe! I had lunch at a fancy restaurant Sunday for MD. I got the blueberry cobbler for dessert. They used the ‘biscuit’ on top method. But it was nowhere near comparable, and it wasn’t about the fruit used.
Could I replace butter with lard for a non dairy option?
Hi Laura, we haven’t tried, but it should be fine.
I love your peach cobbler so much! Can I use apples and blueberries instead of peaches? I like using fresh fruit but peaches aren’t in season yet. Thank you and thanks for ALL your amazing recipes!
Hi Theresa! Apples work wonderfully. Same sugar amount but we recommend increasing the cinnamon and nutmeg. Maybe 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. You can also add blueberries. As long as you have a total of about 10 cups of fruit you can mix them up.