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Few desserts capture the feeling of warm summer evenings like an old fashioned peach cobbler. The combo of juicy peaches and buttery, cakey topping creates a comforting and indulgent treat. Whether you eat it warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or at room temperature, peach cobbler is a classic dessert that brings a sense of nostalgia and happiness with every bite.
This Southern peach cobbler can be enjoyed any time of year, but it truly shines in summer when peaches are at their sweetest. It’s perfect for family gatherings, barbecues, and holidays like Memorial Day or the 4th of July, right alongside the rest of my 4th of July recipes. For more ideas, browse all my fruit desserts.
It’s also an awesome way to use up any extra peaches you have on hand, along with a pitcher of my homemade peach iced tea. And it’s even good the next morning as a breakfast treat with a cup of coffee!
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple and foolproof. Straightforward steps and easy-to-find ingredients make it doable for beginners and experienced bakers alike.
- The classic butter trick. Pouring the batter over melted butter gives you crisp, golden edges and a soft, cakey center.
- Works year-round. Use fresh peaches in summer, or canned or frozen when they’re out of season.
- Crowd-pleaser. Bring it to Sunday brunch, a summer family gathering, or a BBQ.
Key Ingredients
- Peaches: Ripe fresh peaches are best. They should give slightly when pressed and smell sweet. Canned peaches work too, just drain them first, and any extras are perfect for a Chick-fil-A peach milkshake.
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: They season the peaches and give the filling its cozy, spiced flavor.
- Cornstarch: It soaks up some of the juice the peaches release so the filling thickens instead of turning watery.
- Dark brown sugar: It adds a molasses-y flavor for that traditional Southern-style taste. Use light brown sugar for a milder flavor.
- Unsalted butter: It melts right in the baking dish in the oven, so you can start with cold butter.
Granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, milk, baking powder, and salt round it out. Full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add berries: Blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries all pair beautifully with peaches. Or go all berry with my mixed berry cobbler.
- Vegan and dairy-free: Use vegan butter and swap the milk for oat milk or almond milk.
- Shortcut version: Short on time? My 3-ingredient cake mix peach cobbler takes about 5 minutes of hands-on work.
- Peaches and cream: Top it with lightly sweetened whipped cream, the same combo that makes my Crumbl peaches and cream cookies so good.
How to Make Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler
- Melt the butter. Preheat the oven to 375°F, add the cubed butter to a 9×13-inch dish, and let it melt in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Toss the peaches. Toss the sliced peaches with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, remaining granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in the milk. Mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Layer, don’t stir. Pour the batter over the melted butter, then spoon the syrupy peaches evenly on top. Do not stir.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling, then let it cool slightly before serving.
Expert Tips
- Don’t stir the layers. The batter rises up through the peaches as it bakes. Stirring ruins that classic cobbler texture.
- Melt the butter in the pan. Hot butter under the batter is what gives you those crisp, buttery edges.
- Choose freestone peaches. They pull cleanly away from the pit, which makes slicing much easier.
- Drain canned peaches. Extra syrup makes the filling runny.
- Let it rest. A short rest after baking gives the juices time to thicken before you scoop.
Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler FAQs
Store leftover old fashioned peach cobbler in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be stored a little longer in the freezer.
Transfer the old fashioned peach cobbler to an oven-safe dish and let it come to room temperature. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until warmed through. If the top starts to brown too much, cover the dish with foil.
No. Leaving the skin on is the easiest way to make old fashioned peach cobbler, and it’s fine as long as you wash the fruit well. I enjoy the added texture, but feel free to peel them before tossing with the sugar and spices.
Blanch the peaches in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then move them to an ice-water bath. The skins should slip right off with your fingers, ready for your old fashioned peach cobbler.
There are two types of peaches: clingstone and freestone. If the flesh sticks to the pit, you most likely have clingstone. For old fashioned peach cobbler, look for freestone peaches at the farmers market, and ask the seller if you’re not sure.
Old fashioned peach cobbler is delicious on its own, but a scoop of my homemade vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream takes it over the top. I’ve also had it with vanilla or honey Greek yogurt, and it was so good! For the grown-ups, pair it with a grilled peach margarita.
Old fashioned peach cobbler has a cake or biscuit-like topping. A crisp has a topping made with oats, like my cranberry apple crisp, and a crumble has a streusel-like topping without oats.
Ripe peaches for old fashioned peach cobbler give slightly when gently pressed and have a sweet fragrance. They shouldn’t feel rock hard or mushy.
Absolutely! Blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries all complement the peach filling in old fashioned peach cobbler.
You sure can! Use vegan butter instead of dairy butter, and swap the cow’s milk for oat milk or almond milk in your old fashioned peach cobbler.
More Summer Fruit Desserts
If you baked this Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler, tell me what you served it with! Leave a ⭐ star rating and a comment below. I love hearing from you!
Old-fashioned Peach Cobbler
Ingredients
Peach mixture
- 4 cups sliced fresh peaches or canned peaches, drained
- 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Topping
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar use light brown sugar for a less strong molasses flavor
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F . Add the cubed butter into a 9×13 inch pan and place in the oven to melt while you make the rest of the recipe. This will take 5-10 minutes.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Place the sliced peaches in a large mixing bowl and toss them with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, the ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and cornstarch4 cups sliced fresh peaches, 1/3 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Stir in the milk until the mixture is smooth, and well combined.1 cup milk
- Pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish on top of the melted butter. Spoon the peaches evenly over the batter. Do not stir.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Not stirring after you add the peaches feels wrong, but it’s the whole trick to this cobbler. The batter rises up through the fruit as it bakes and creates those pockets of crust. If you stir it, you will lose that classic texture.