Desserts / Cobblers, crisps & puddings
Peach Cobbler with Cream Biscuit Topping
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Big spoonfuls of cream biscuit dough go on top, and the oven turns them golden while the peach juices bubble up around the edges. Rest it fifteen minutes while the bowls line up on the counter.
The short version
Toss sliced peaches with sugar, cornstarch, lemon and cinnamon, spread them in a 2-quart dish, and drop a quick cream-biscuit dough on top. Bake at 375°F for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and bubbling, then rest 15 minutes.
What makes ours better
small changes, very loud compliments
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Peel the peaches the easy way. Dip them in boiling water for a minute and the skins slide off. Peel-free cobbler has tough bits in every bite.
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Thicken the juices with cornstarch and lemon. Peaches vary a lot in juice. Two tablespoons of cornstarch turn the liquid into a syrup instead of soup, and lemon keeps the flavor bright.
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Make cream biscuits, not batter. Four ingredients and no butter cutting. The dough bakes up tender inside with a crisp, sugary top.
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Sprinkle sugar on the biscuits. A little coarse sugar bakes into a crackly crust over the soft biscuit.
What you need
check the pantry before you promise anyone
- Ripe peaches2½ pounds
- Granulated sugar½ cup
- Finely grated lemon zest1 teaspoon
- Ground cinnamon¼ teaspoon
- All-purpose flour2 cups
- Cold heavy cream1½ cups
Fruit
Biscuit topping
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
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Heat the oven and peel the peaches
Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat it to 375°F. Score a small X on the bottom of each peach, lower them into boiling water for 45 to 60 seconds, then move them to a bowl of cold water. The skins will slip off. Skip this if you're using frozen peaches.
Ripe peaches peel in under a minute. Firm ones may need up to 90 seconds.
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Dress the fruit
Halve, pit and slice the peaches about ½ inch thick into a large bowl. Add the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest and cinnamon, and toss. Spread the fruit in an unbuttered 2-quart baking dish about 2 inches deep. If using frozen peaches, don't thaw them.
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Mix the biscuit dough
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Pour in all the cream at once and stir with a spatula until just combined and shaggy. A few dry streaks are fine.
Stop stirring as soon as the flour is mostly wet. Overmixing makes tough biscuits.
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Top the fruit
Scoop big spoonfuls of dough, about 8 of them, and drop them over the peaches. Leave gaps so steam can escape and the fruit shows through. Sprinkle the coarse sugar over the dough.
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Bake
Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the biscuits are deep golden and the peach juices bubble thickly around them. Frozen peaches can take 10 minutes longer. If the tops brown too fast, tent loosely with foil.
The biscuits are done when a toothpick poked into the thickest one comes out clean.
About 45 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Rest and serve
Let the cobbler rest 15 minutes so the juices thicken. Spoon into bowls and top with vanilla ice cream or cold cream.
About 15 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Ripe peaches should smell sweet and give slightly at the stem. Firm ones will ripen in a paper bag on the counter in a day or two.
- Frozen peaches work straight from the freezer; no need to thaw. Canned peaches in juice, drained well, also work.
- Mix in blueberries or raspberries for part of the peaches, up to 1 cup.
- If your peaches are very sweet, cut the fruit sugar to ⅓ cup. If they're tart, keep it at ½ cup.
- Storage. Covered at room temperature the day you make it. Refrigerated, 4 days; reheat in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes to re-crisp the biscuits. Freezing is not recommended.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Can I use frozen peaches for cobbler?
Yes. Use them straight from the freezer, don't thaw them, and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer. You can keep the cornstarch as written.
Do I have to peel the peaches?
You don't have to, but the skins turn leathery and curl up in the cobbler. The boiling-water dip takes about a minute and is worth it.
Why is my peach cobbler watery?
Very juicy peaches. Make sure the cornstarch is tossed through the fruit, bake until the juices bubble thickly around the biscuits, and let the cobbler rest 15 minutes so it sets.
Can I make peach cobbler ahead of time?
Prep the fruit up to a few hours ahead, but mix the dough and bake right away so the baking powder is at its strongest. You can also bake it early in the day and warm it before serving.
What is the difference between cobbler and crisp?
A cobbler is fruit under a biscuit or batter topping. A crisp (see apple crisp with oat crumble topping) is fruit under a crumbly, buttery oat or flour streusel.
Can I use canned peaches?
Yes. Drain them well and reduce the sugar to ¼ cup, since canned peaches are already sweet. Canned peaches are soft, so they won't have the same texture as fresh.
From the table
Made it? Tell me how it went, and who went back for seconds when they thought nobody was looking.
Made it?
tell me the truth, then tell me who had thirds
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Published October 29, 2026.