Golden, crumbly, and irresistibly warm, peach cobbler is the ultimate summer dessert. This classic Southern-style version pairs syrupy peaches with a buttery, biscuit-like topping.
Juicy peaches bake into a bubbling, sweet-tart filling while the topping turns golden and crisp. Every spoonful delivers sweet fruit and soft, spiced pastry—best served with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Key Ingredients That Make Peach Cobbler Irresistible
- Yellow peaches (ripe and juicy) – The heart of this dessert, their natural sweetness and vibrant flavor shine after maceration and baking.
- Caster sugar – Enhances the peaches and sweetens both the filling and biscuit topping without overpowering their natural flavor.
- Cornflour (cornstarch) – Slightly thickens the peach juices into a luscious syrup, creating a glossy, clingy coating.
- Lemon juice – Adds acidity to balance the sweetness and brighten the flavors of the syrupy filling.
- Plain flour – Forms the base of the tender, golden biscuit topping that bakes up beautifully over the fruit.
- Unsalted butter – Rubbed into the flour to create that perfect crumbly texture on the outside and moistness inside.
- Plain yogurt – Provides richness and tang, bringing moisture and softness to the cobbler topping.
- Demerara sugar & cinnamon – Sprinkled over the top for a sweet, crunchy, and warmly spiced finish.
How to Make Peach Cobbler – A Quick Peek Into the Process
Start by macerating juicy, ripe peaches with sugar to draw out their juices. These juices, thickened with cornflour and lemon, become the natural syrup base.
While the peaches bake slightly to soften and release flavor, prepare the cobbler topping by rubbing butter into the flour and sugar mix, then gently folding in yogurt until a rough dough forms.
Crumble the dough across the peaches, leaving space for steam to escape and syrup to bubble through. Sprinkle with cinnamon and demerara sugar before baking until golden and fragrant.
Let it rest for 20 minutes so the syrup thickens—then dive in with a scoop of ice cream melting into the warm cobbler.
Sweet Success Secrets for the Best Peach Cobbler
Use peaches that are ripe but still slightly firm to avoid a mushy filling. If they’re overly sweet, balance with more lemon juice; if tart, add an extra pinch of sugar.
Don’t skip macerating the peaches—this essential step draws out juices that form the base of the peach syrup, giving this cobbler its standout flavor.
Be gentle with the biscuit dough; overmixing makes it dense. Look for a mix that’s just coming together, even if streaks of flour remain—they’ll disappear in the oven.
Sprinkling demerara sugar and cinnamon on top isn’t just for looks. That caramelized crunch and warmth of spice elevate every bite.
Keep It Fresh: Storing and Reheating Peach Cobbler
For leftovers, let the cobbler cool completely before covering and refrigerating for up to four days. To reheat, use a 160°C/320°F oven for about 10–15 minutes until warmed through—this keeps the topping crisp.
Freezing isn’t ideal, as the topping may turn soggy, but if needed, freeze portions in airtight containers and reheat in the oven straight from frozen. Ice cream on the side is still non-negotiable!
Peach Cobbler
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup caster superfine sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cornflour cornstarch
- 1.5 kg / 3lb about 8 ripe yellow peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced into eighths
- 1 tbsp lemon juice plus more to taste
Cobbler Topping
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup caster superfine sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda or substitute with an additional 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 85 g / 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup full-fat plain yoghurt or sour cream
Topping
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp demerara sugar
Serving
- Ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Combine sliced peaches and 1/4 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl, tossing gently. Allow to sit for 40 minutes to draw out the juices.
- While peaches macerate, preheat the oven to 210°C / 410°F (or 200°C fan-forced).
- Once macerated, drain the peaches through a colander, reserving the juice.
- Measure out 1/4 cup of the peach juice and transfer to a large bowl. Add the cornflour, salt, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Stir thoroughly.
- Return the drained peaches to the bowl with the syrup and toss to coat. Adjust sweetness or acidity with more sugar or lemon juice if needed.
- Transfer the peach mixture to a medium-sized glass or ceramic baking dish (approximately 28 x 18cm or 11 x 7 inches). Bake for 12 minutes, then remove from oven.
- For the topping, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Incorporate the butter using your fingertips until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Gently fold in the yoghurt using a rubber spatula just until a soft dough forms; some flour streaks may remain.
- Distribute clumps of the dough over the baked peaches, leaving gaps to allow heat circulation for syrup reduction.
- Sprinkle the top with demerara sugar and cinnamon.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the topping registers 95°C / 203°F internally and is golden brown.
- Allow the cobbler to rest for 20 minutes so the syrup can thicken.
- Serve warm, accompanied by a generous scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.
