Southern Peach Cobbler

Sweet and juicy with plenty of real peach flavor and just the right touch of cinnamon, this cobbler is the last homemade peach cobbler recipe you’ll ever need.

This cobbler is filled with fresh juicy peaches and then topped with a generous cinnamon sugar crust that manages to be both buttery and flaky while never becoming soggy, even after a day or two in the refrigerator.

Almost ten years ago, I made it my mission to find the perfect southern peach cobbler recipe. I tried several that weren’t bad at all, but I wanted a truly perfect one. Peaches are my favorite fruit and peach cobbler rates pretty close to heaven in my book.

Peach Cobbler

It was a hardship, but we ate a LOT of homemade peach cobblers that summer. I think I played with a new cobbler recipe every week for at least 2 or 3 months.

When I finally found this recipe on Allrecipes.com, I made it several times in a row, tweaking it along the way, (eventually adapting it from the original to double the topping to best suit our tastes!) before putting a huge star on it and saving it in my recipe binder.

While I adore a warm fruit cobbler with cold vanilla ice cream, this cobbler truly stands on its own as well.

I’ve made this recipe countless times, and this peach cobbler is simply perfect. I’m updating the recipe I first shared on the blog over 3 years ago with the frequently requested gluten-free substitutions.

To make this peach cobbler gluten free, I substituted the all purpose flour in the original recipe with a combination of brown rice flour, tapioca starch and potato starch

With fresh peaches at my fingertips once again, I can’t get enough of this cobbler. I made peach cobbler twice this past weekend, at our guests’ request, along with several batches of the best and easiest Homemade Ice Cream and it is sure to be made again while the peaches are still in season. Can you have too many fruit cobblers?

In the perfect combination of fresh peach cobbler and homemade ice cream, you’ll want to set aside some cobbler for the most incredible ice cream ever, Peach Cobbler Ice Cream. Or better yet, double the recipe now to make sure you have plenty leftover.

How to Make Peach Cobbler

Peach cobbler from scratch isn’t too difficult to make. Unlike a pie, there’s no finicky crust to roll out or mess with and all it takes is a few steps.

Peach cobbler starts by combining sliced fresh peaches with lemon juice, brown and white sugar, and tapioca starch (or cornstarch) along with cinnamon and nutmeg. While the cobbler filling baked, combine the ingredients for the crust topping.

The crust topping in this recipe is absolutely perfect. In addition to grating cold fresh butter into flour to create the crumb texture I love in cobbler, just a touch of boiling water helps the whole thing attain a crusty texture as it bakes.

A simple cinnamon sugar combination is added to the top of the cobbler crust. This cinnamon sugar topping adds a little crisp to the cobbler that’s so satisfying to bite into.

How To Freeze Peaches for Cobbler

Homemade Peach Cobbler is a classic summer dessert but I love it too much to limit my cobbler consumption to three months of the year.

I try to freeze a few cobblers worth of peaches each year, so we can enjoy this fresh taste of summer year round. To freeze peaches for cobbler, combine the filling ingredients: peaches, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch in a gallon size zipclose freezer bag.

Add the lemon juice to the peach mixture and stir to combine. Alternatively, you can seal the bag and shake gently to coat the peaches. Place the bag flat in the freezer. I like to prepare and stack several bags of the cobbler filling in the freezer each peach season.

When you’re ready to bake the cobbler, thaw the peaches in the refrigerator. Pour the peaches and all liquid from the bag into the baking pan. Bake the fruit and proceed with the recipe as written.

This method of freezing the peaches in advance means it’s even easier to have a cobbler fresh from the oven any time a craving for a perfect peach dessert strikes. It’s also a perfect way to use up leftover peaches aside from the standard canning and preserving methods.

How to Store Peach Cobbler

One of my other favorite things about this peach cobbler aside from the delicious flavor and taste is how well it holds up in the fridge.

I’ve stored the finished cobbler covered tightly in the fridge for up to three days and found it didn’t get soggy.

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Peach Desserts

This Summer Pound Cake with Peaches and Almond Glaze is a showstopper. When this pound cake is in the house, you can bet that I’ll be eating a slice every chance I get.

Baked Peaches and Raspberries with Lemon Curd is a delicious treat when topped with Whipped Cream or served on its own.

How about a pan of these Peach Oatmeal Bars by BakerMama? I bet they’d be even more amazing with a scoop of Honey Roasted Peach Frozen Yogurt on top.

Not in the mood to turn on the oven? Try grilling fresh peaches. The result is a rich, sweet, almost caramelized peach flavor reminiscent of the cobbler filling without any of the effort.

Peach Breakfast Recipes

Craving peaches for breakfast? I’ve got you covered with this Peaches and Cream Oatmeal and the much-loved Peaches and Cream French Toast Casserole.

There aren’t many things I love more than blueberries and peaches, so this Blueberry Peach Bread by Big Bear’s Wife is calling my name. Wouldn’t that bread be great with a cup of coffee in the morning?

And speaking of things that would be great with a cup of coffee, these Almond Peach Scones by Saving Room For Dessert would be divine in the morning or as a late afternoon snack.

That’s not to say that you can’t have Peach Cobbler for breakfast. Because I often do and I highly recommend it.

Cooking Tips for Peach Cobbler

Using a cheese-grater to “grate” cold butter is my favorite hassle-free wait to cut in the butter. It takes just a moment and I think it’s simpler than the more traditional methods. If you choose not to use the grater, simply cut the cold butter into small pieces and then blend it into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender or your fingertips.

It is entirely up to you whether or not you choose to peel the peaches for this cobbler. For years, I took the time to peel the peaches and loved the recipe like mad. About a year ago, I stopped peeling the peaches and I’ve never looked back.

Peach skin is soft enough that it almost melts into the peaches as they bake. I can hardly tell a difference and I doubt I’ll ever again peel the peaches for a dessert. Anything that saves me a few minutes of preparation time on my way to enjoying my favorite dessert is a win as far as I’m concerned.

This southern peach cobbler is equally good served with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream, fresh made Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream or all on its own. My family loves when I bring this dessert out of the kitchen at the end of the meal and it’s also a hit at parties, potlucks and special occasions of all kinds.

Just a warning: if you get a reputation for having fresh peach cobbler in your kitchen you might find that friends start unexpectedly popping over for a bowl full of cobbler and a cup of coffee.

Peach Cobbler Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a large baking sheet covered in foil on the lowest rack in the oven. This cobbler overflows a bit almost every time I make it. The baking pan will catch the drips and prevent a mess in the oven.
2. In a large bowl, combine the peaches and the lemon juice and then add the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir to coat and then pour into a 9×13 baking dish.
3. Bake the peach mixture in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. While the peaches are baking, combine the dry topping ingredients and whisk to combine. Toss the grated butter in the flour mixture. Stir in the boiling water, just until combined, leaving plenty of little lumps of butter.
5. Remove the peaches from the oven and drop the topping over them in spoonfuls. (I like to use my smallest cookie scoop to do this.)
6. Sprinkle the cobbler topping with the cinnamon sugar topping. Bake until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted into the crust comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Can I Freeze Peach Cobbler

The peach filling can be prepared and frozen in advance. I have frozen it for up to a year without any problems.

Combine the peach filling ingredients in a large zip-close bag, press the air out and freeze flat. When you are ready to bake the cobbler, thaw in the refrigerator and then pour into the baking dish and proceed with the recipe.

The whole cobbler can also be frozen, however, the topping may soften a bit when thawed.

Looking for more cobbler recipes? Blueberry Peach Cobbler bursts with juicy, fresh peaches and the sweet pop of blueberries under a tender, golden brown cobbler crust.

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4.88 from 109 votes

Southern Peach Cobbler

Mary Younkin

Sweet and juicy with plenty of real peach flavor and just the right touch of cinnamon, this cobbler is the last homemade peach cobbler recipe you'll ever need.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Peach Filling

• ▢ 8 medium-size fresh peaches sliced into thin wedges or bite size chunks – about 9-10 cups
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ cup white sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot

Crust Topping

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour*
• ▢ ½ cup white sugar
• ▢ ½ cup brown sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 12 tablespoons butter chilled and grated
• ▢ ½ cup boiling water

*Gluten-Free Variation

• ▢ 1¼ cup brown rice flour
• ▢ ⅔ cup tapioca starch
• ▢ ⅓ cup potato starch

Cinnamon Sugar Topping Ingredients

• ▢ ⅓ cup white sugar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a large baking sheet covered in foil on the lowest rack in the oven. This cobbler overflows a bit almost every time I make it. The baking pan will catch the drips and prevent a mess in the oven.
• In a large bowl, combine the peaches and the lemon juice and then add the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir to coat and then pour into a 9×13 baking dish.
• Bake the peach mixture in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. While the peaches are baking, combine the  dry topping ingredients and whisk to combine. Toss the grated butter in the flour mixture. Stir in the boiling water, just until combined, leaving plenty of little lumps of butter.
• Remove the peaches from the oven and drop the topping over them in spoonfuls. (I like to use my smallest cookie scoop to do this.) Sprinkle the cobbler topping with the cinnamon sugar topping. Bake until the crust is golden and a toothpick inserted into the crust comes out clean, about 28 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
• FREEZER DIRECTIONS: The peach filling can be prepared and frozen in advance. I have frozen it for up to a year without any problems. Combine the peach filling ingredients in a large ziploc bag, press the air out and freeze flat. When you are ready to bake the cobbler, thaw in the refrigerator and then pour into the baking dish and proceed with the recipe.

Notes

Using a cheese-grater to “grate” cold butter is my favorite hassle free wait to cut in the butter. It takes just a moment and I think it’s simpler than the more traditional methods. If you choose not to use the grater, simply cut the cold butter into small pieces and then blend it into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender or your fingertips.

It is entirely up to you whether or not you choose to peel the peaches for this cobbler. For years, I took the time to peel the peaches and loved the recipe like mad. About a year ago, I stopped peeling the peaches and I’ve never looked back. I can hardly tell a difference and I doubt I’ll ever again peel the peaches for a dessert.

Nutrition

Calories: 510 kcal | Carbohydrates: 86 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 17 g | Saturated Fat: 10 g | Cholesterol: 45 mg | Sodium: 448 mg | Potassium: 451 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 59 g | Vitamin A: 1015 IU | Vitamin C: 9.9 mg | Calcium: 84 mg | Iron: 2.1 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment below!

{originally posted 5/25/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/17/21}