Living in Colorado means I have access to the best peaches. I’m talking about the juicy, fragrant Palisade beauties grown on the Western Slope. Sorry, Georgia, but this is a hill I will happily die on. Every summer, I count down the days until peach season arrives so I can make my favorite peach recipes, which include everything from fresh salads to homemade desserts like this old fashioned peach cobbler recipe.
Every August, I find myself stopping at roadside stands along the I-70 corridor after mountain biking with friends or loading up at the farmers market where juicy peaches are sold by the case from the back of a truck. And every September I stock my freezer with end-of-season “seconds” so I can enjoy Colorado peaches all winter long in my oatmeal, smoothies, and homemade crisps.
Recipe Highlights
Fresh peaches truly shine. This simple recipe lets ripe peaches take center stage with just enough brown sugar and warm spices to complement their natural flavor rather than overpower it.
Simple enough for a weeknight. With about 20 minutes of prep time, this dessert comes together surprisingly quickly and feels special enough for guests or a weekend family dinner.
Perfect for seasonal or frozen fruit. Fresh peaches are wonderful during the summer, but frozen peaches make this recipe just as enjoyable throughout the colder months.
Balanced sweetness with a homemade biscuit topping. Instead of an overly sweet cake-like topping, this recipe features tender biscuits sprinkled with cinnamon sugar for just the right amount of sweetness and texture. In fact, when I was testing this recipe, my husband gave it a “10 out of 10,” noting the perfect pairing of warm cinnamon-sugar biscuits and delicate peach filling.
Ingredients To Gather
In addition to fresh peaches, this easy peach cobbler requires just everyday baking staples:
- Fresh peaches: These are the star of the recipe. Peaches create the naturally sweet, juicy filling and also provide vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and fiber.
- Brown sugar: Adds rich caramel notes that complement the peaches without making the filling overly sweet.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the flavor of the peaches and helps balance the sweetness.
- Cornstarch: This helps thicken the fruit juices into a luscious filling instead of a watery sauce.
- Ground nutmeg: This spice adds incredible warmth and depth. I strongly prefer freshly grated whole nutmeg because the flavor is much more vibrant than pre-ground.
- Milk: This liquid helps create soft, tender biscuits. Most often I use 2% or whole milk, though non-dairy milk also works, if that’s the dietary preference.
- Unsalted butter: Cold butter creates flaky, tender biscuit layers as the small pieces of melted butter incorporate into the dough during baking. Salted butter also works if that’s what’s available, just reduce the salt in the biscuit portion to ⅛ teaspoon.
- All-purpose flour: This forms the structure of the biscuit topping. Use an equal amount of gluten-free cup-for-cup baking flour, if needed.
- Granulated sugar: I use a little white sugar to sweeten both the biscuits and the cinnamon topping while allowing the peaches to remain the focus.
- Ground cinnamon: Pairs beautifully with peaches and gives the topping its signature warm aroma.
- Baking staples: Baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt are also needed, and they work together to create light, fluffy biscuits with balanced flavor.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Peach Season
If peach season had an official holiday in Colorado, I would absolutely celebrate it.
Fresh Colorado peaches typically begin appearing in late June with the early clingstone varieties. These peaches are wonderfully juicy for fresh eating, although they aren’t the easiest for baking or preserving because the flesh clings tightly to the pit.
Early August through early September is peak peach season. This is when freestone varieties, including the famous Elberta peaches, become widely available. Their flesh separates easily from the pit, making them ideal for baking, canning, freezing, and using in recipes like this peach cobbler.
But feel free to peel and slice the peaches, if that’s the preference. That’s what I do when I am making jam or preserving peaches for shelf-stable storage. Here’s my easy method for peeling peaches:
- Prepare a large bowl filled halfway with ice water.
- Using a paring knife, carefully cut a shallow “X” into the bottom of each peach, cutting only through the skin.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and gently lower the peaches into the water for 30 to 60 seconds. Very ripe peaches often need less time.
- Immediately transfer the peaches into the ice bath for about one minute.
- Starting at the “X,” gently pull back the skin with my fingers or a small knife. Most of the time, the skins slide right off.
Serve Warm, Top With Ice Cream
Fruit cobblers and crumbles have become one of my family’s favorite desserts because they’re easy to adapt throughout the year using whatever fruit is in season (or whatever frozen fruit I pull from the freezer).
I almost always serve this peach cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. The contrast between the warm peaches and cold, creamy topping never gets old. I think this dessert is just perfect for backyard cookouts, summer dinner parties, holiday gatherings, and even cozy fall or winter evenings when frozen peaches bring a little sunshine back to the table.
Store And Enjoy Later
Leftover peach cobbler should be allowed to cool completely before covering tightly or transferring to an airtight container. Then store it at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
It can be enjoyed cold straight from the refrigerator, but I prefer reheating individual servings in the microwave or warming larger portions in a 325°F oven until heated through. The biscuits soften slightly after storage but remain so flavorful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frozen peaches do work in this recipe, and there’s no need to thaw them first. If using frozen peaches, increase the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons to account for the additional moisture they release while baking. I do not recommend using canned peaches as they will get too mushy in this peach crumble recipe.
The biscuits won’t rise properly and will be much denser. Baking powder, along with baking soda, creates the light, fluffy texture that makes the biscuit topping so delicious.
Yes. I often bake it earlier in the day and gently reheat it before serving. While the biscuits are at their absolute best fresh from the oven, the cobbler reheats nicely.
I’ve already cut back on sugar in this recipe quite a bit compared to similar versions. Peaches, especially ripe ones, provide a lot of natural sweetness. To cut back even more, I’d suggest reducing the brown sugar in the filling to just 3 tablespoons.
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Peach Cobbler Recipe
This homemade peach cobbler celebrates fresh juicy, ripe peaches tucked beneath a tender cinnamon-sugar biscuit topping. It’s an easy and delicious dessert that comes together quickly.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 6 cups fresh peaches, sliced (~8 medium peaches)
- ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (juice of ½ small lemon)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of fine salt
For the Biscuits:
- ½ cup milk of choice
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (150 g) (use gluten free, if needed)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (½ stick)
For the Topping:
- 2 teaspoons cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional for serving: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Grease with butter or mist with cooking spray a 9×9-inch baking dish or a deep 9-inch round pie plate; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the peaches, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt. Toss well to combine, then spread the peach mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.
- In a measuring cup, combine the milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract; set aside for 5 minutes.
- To a medium bowl, add the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt; stir or whisk to combine.
- Add the chilled butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut and work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse pea-size crumbs.
- Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until a thick, wet dough forms.
- Using a lightly oiled spoon, scoop the dough in 9 mounds onto the peach mixture, using a wet finger to slide the dough from the spoon. Don’t worry if the dough mounds don’t touch, as they will spread out during baking.
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 teaspoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the mounds of dough and peaches.
- Bake for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean and the filling is bubbling vigorously. (NOTE: If the topping starts to brown too quickly before the baking time is up, loosely lay a sheet of foil over the top of the dish. I typically do this after about 25 to 30 minutes of baking.)
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
- Cover leftovers tightly or transfer to an airtight container. Then store it at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive so we can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
If using frozen peaches, increase to 2 tablespoons cornstarch in Step 2.
May leave the skins on the peaches (my preference) or peel the peaches. To peel the skin off peaches, refer to my notes in the blog post above.
For gluten free, use an equal amount of gluten-free 1-for-1 baking flour in the biscuits.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/9 of the recipe
- Calories: 197
- Fat: 6 g
- (Sat Fat: 3 g)
- Sodium: 246 mg
- Carbohydrate: 35 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 19 g)
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Kaitlin of Creating Kaitlin.
For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!
By mid-to-late September, many orchards begin selling “seconds” at fantastic prices. These peaches may have small blemishes or be extra ripe, but they’re perfect for jam, freezing, or baking. That’s when I stock my freezer so I can enjoy the taste of Colorado peaches in this easy peach cobbler recipe long after summer ends.
How To Make Peach Cobbler
This summer dessert comes together in two basic steps. After that, it’s straight to the oven for a quick bake time.
- Make the peach filling: Start by tossing fresh peaches with brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. As the cobbler bakes, the peaches release their juices while the cornstarch thickens everything into a perfectly spoonable filling.
- Make the biscuit dough: The cobbler topping comes together much like a traditional biscuit dough. Cold butter is worked into the flour mixture until it’s crumbly, then I mix in the milk to make a wet and sticky dough. The biggest tip is not to overmix the dough. A few tiny streaks of flour are perfectly fine because overworking the dough can make the biscuits less tender.
- Scoop the dough into mounds: Instead of spreading the dough across the entire dish, I scoop nine individual mounds of dough over the peaches. They expand beautifully while baking and allow pockets of bubbling fruit to peek through. Plus, I can easily scoop out a single biscuit plus some peach filling for each serving.
- Bake and let it cool slightly: The filling should be bubbling vigorously before removing the cobbler from the oven and the biscuits should be golden brown. If the biscuit topping is starting to brown too quickly, I loosely cover the dish with foil during the final several minutes of baking. Finally, as hard as it is, I allow the cobbler to cool for at least 15 minutes before I dig in. This gives the filling time to thicken slightly, making it much easier to scoop.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Make It Gluten Free
To make this peach cobbler gluten-free, I suggest substituting an equal amount of gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour in the biscuit topping. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but I always recommend checking ingredient labels to ensure there are no hidden gluten-containing additives.
Peeling Peaches Made Simple
For this recipe, I usually skip peeling the peaches in order to save time. I find that the skins soften nicely while baking and they even add a little extra fiber to the dish.
But feel free to peel and slice the peaches, if that’s the preference. That’s what I do when I am making jam or preserving peaches for shelf-stable storage. Here’s my easy method for peeling peaches:
- Prepare a large bowl filled halfway with ice water.
- Using a paring knife, carefully cut a shallow “X” into the bottom of each peach, cutting only through the skin.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and gently lower the peaches into the water for 30 to 60 seconds. Very ripe peaches often need less time.
- Immediately transfer the peaches into the ice bath for about one minute.
- Starting at the “X,” gently pull back the skin with my fingers or a small knife. Most of the time, the skins slide right off.
Serve Warm, Top With Ice Cream
Fruit cobblers and crumbles have become one of my family’s favorite desserts because they’re easy to adapt throughout the year using whatever fruit is in season (or whatever frozen fruit I pull from the freezer).
I almost always serve this peach cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. The contrast between the warm peaches and cold, creamy topping never gets old. I think this dessert is just perfect for backyard cookouts, summer dinner parties, holiday gatherings, and even cozy fall or winter evenings when frozen peaches bring a little sunshine back to the table.
Store And Enjoy Later
Leftover peach cobbler should be allowed to cool completely before covering tightly or transferring to an airtight container. Then store it at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
It can be enjoyed cold straight from the refrigerator, but I prefer reheating individual servings in the microwave or warming larger portions in a 325°F oven until heated through. The biscuits soften slightly after storage but remain so flavorful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frozen peaches do work in this recipe, and there’s no need to thaw them first. If using frozen peaches, increase the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons to account for the additional moisture they release while baking. I do not recommend using canned peaches as they will get too mushy in this peach crumble recipe.
The biscuits won’t rise properly and will be much denser. Baking powder, along with baking soda, creates the light, fluffy texture that makes the biscuit topping so delicious.
Yes. I often bake it earlier in the day and gently reheat it before serving. While the biscuits are at their absolute best fresh from the oven, the cobbler reheats nicely.
I’ve already cut back on sugar in this recipe quite a bit compared to similar versions. Peaches, especially ripe ones, provide a lot of natural sweetness. To cut back even more, I’d suggest reducing the brown sugar in the filling to just 3 tablespoons.
Peach Cobbler Recipe
This homemade peach cobbler celebrates fresh juicy, ripe peaches tucked beneath a tender cinnamon-sugar biscuit topping. It’s an easy and delicious dessert that comes together quickly.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 6 cups fresh peaches, sliced (~8 medium peaches)
- ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (juice of ½ small lemon)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of fine salt
For the Biscuits:
- ½ cup milk of choice
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (150 g) (use gluten free, if needed)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (½ stick)
For the Topping:
- 2 teaspoons cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Optional for serving: vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Grease with butter or mist with cooking spray a 9×9-inch baking dish or a deep 9-inch round pie plate; set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the peaches, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, nutmeg, and salt. Toss well to combine, then spread the peach mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.
- In a measuring cup, combine the milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract; set aside for 5 minutes.
- To a medium bowl, add the flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt; stir or whisk to combine.
- Add the chilled butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut and work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse pea-size crumbs.
- Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until a thick, wet dough forms.
- Using a lightly oiled spoon, scoop the dough in 9 mounds onto the peach mixture, using a wet finger to slide the dough from the spoon. Don’t worry if the dough mounds don’t touch, as they will spread out during baking.
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 teaspoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the mounds of dough and peaches.
- Bake for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean and the filling is bubbling vigorously. (NOTE: If the topping starts to brown too quickly before the baking time is up, loosely lay a sheet of foil over the top of the dish. I typically do this after about 25 to 30 minutes of baking.)
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
- Cover leftovers tightly or transfer to an airtight container. Then store it at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive so we can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
If using frozen peaches, increase to 2 tablespoons cornstarch in Step 2.
May leave the skins on the peaches (my preference) or peel the peaches. To peel the skin off peaches, refer to my notes in the blog post above.
For gluten free, use an equal amount of gluten-free 1-for-1 baking flour in the biscuits.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/9 of the recipe
- Calories: 197
- Fat: 6 g
- (Sat Fat: 3 g)
- Sodium: 246 mg
- Carbohydrate: 35 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 19 g)
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Kaitlin of Creating Kaitlin.
For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!
