Best Ever Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe + Video
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Our Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe makes the perfect summer dessert! Fresh, sweet Southern peach flavor baked with a crispy cobbler topping. Make this easy Southern peach cobbler recipe for dessert tonight!
There’s nothing like the flavor of fresh peaches! Once peach season rolls around, this simple and fresh peach cobbler recipe is all that is on my mind!
Making this easy peach cobbler recipe is one of my favorite things to do, and the flavor of the ripe peaches is the best.
Not only is this the easiest way to use up a perfectly ripe peach, but it’s a simple and quick bake time and process as well.
Those who love Southern food will agree that a dish of this on warm summer evenings topped with cold vanilla ice cream literally makes the perfect dessert.
The entire dish is made using simple ingredients that you can get easily from the farmer’s market and grocery store.
I urge you to make this traditional Southern peach cobbler the next time you’re craving great recipes.
You’ll see why it’s my favorite dessert!
Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe
This dessert always transports me to a small Southern town, where your neighbor bakes you a fresh cobbler with peaches they picked off their tree.
You sit on your porch drinking iced tea watching the sunset. Your kids play out front with the neighborhood kids, and you haven’t a worry in the world.
While we can’t all live that laid-back lifestyle, you can still enjoy some magical flavors every time you make this easy Southern peach cobbler recipe!
The topping is crisp on the outside and cakey on the inside. Served alongside a scoop of vanilla or frozen banana ice cream, you’re sure to be in heaven.
Can’t get enough of that peach flavor? Try this classic dessert in milkshake form — it’s delicious!
I also have dump cake and slow cooker versions of this Southern peach cobbler recipe, or you can enjoy it in cheesecake form.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Peaches – Fresh fruit is best for this Southern peach cobbler recipe. You’ll be able to create thin slices, which will also soften to perfection in the oven.
Canned fruit is already too soft, though frozen slices could be used in a pinch. Just be sure to thaw and drain them before use. - Sugar – Use a blend of regular granulated and brown sugar. It’s just the right amount of sweetness, plus a hint of caramel flavor that pairs so well with peaches.
You’ll also need some extra granulated sugar to sprinkle over the cobbler topping, though raw or demerrera sugar could add a nice crunch! - Cornstarch – Don’t forget this ingredient! It’s key to getting the perfect texture in your Southern peach cobbler filling — it will be too watery without cornstarch.
- Spices – Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add loads of warmth to the fruit and really put this dessert over the top.
Mace or cloves could be used in place of the nutmeg if needed. - Lemon juice – Adds a touch of brightness to the Southern peach cobbler. Use freshly squeezed citrus juice for the best flavor!
How to Make Southern Style Peach Cobbler
The process is quite simple.
So simple, in fact, that my 7-year-old was able to make this Southern peach cobbler recipe with very little assistance — I just sliced the fruit and cut the butter into the flour mixture.
- Coat peaches thoroughly. Mix together the sugars, spices, and cornstarch until well blended, then toss with the peaches.
This ensures that they are coated in a little bit of everything. - Use very cold butter. The colder, the better. You can even freeze it before cubing if you’d like!
Cut it into the cobbler dough with a pastry blender, a fork, or 2 butter knives. - Don’t overwork the dough. Stir in the water until just combined, then spoon immediately over the filling.
We want it to bake up tender and fluffy, not hard and tough. - Adjust oven temperature as needed. Glass or dark pans heat differently, causing your Southern peach cobbler to bake faster.
If using these, reduce the oven by 25 degrees but keep the baking time the same.
Storing and Reheating Southern Peach Cobbler
Allow the dessert to cool, then cover tightly or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Southern peach cobbler will keep for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
To reheat, you can microwave individual servings or warm them in the oven to get the top a bit crispy again.
Either way, use a low temperature setting (50% power in the microwave) so you don’t overcook the fruit filling before the topping is warmed through.
Don’t want to wait? This Southern style peach cobbler is just as delicious cold!
Easy Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe FAQ
Be sure to use plenty of cornstarch when tossing the fruit with spices. Peaches will release liquid when baked, so when that mixes with the cornstarch, it becomes a thick syrup instead of just juice.
That depends if you’re referring to the fruit or the cocktail! Peaches are grown in China, Spain, Italy, Greece, and the US. A Southern peach would refer to the fruit that is famously grown in the state of Georgia, located in the southern US near the Gulf of Mexican. But there’s also an alcoholic drink by the same name, making use of one of Georgia’s other famous products — bourbon! Combine that with peach schnapps and fresh juice, and you’ve got yourself a Southern Peach drink.
Cobbler is done when the topping is fluffy and golden, with thick fruit filling bubbling through the cracks. Slice into the center of the cobbler topping with a knife, but don’t go all the way through. If it comes out clean, it’s done. If it comes out with any crumbs or gooey pieces, then bake for a few more minutes and try again.
It’s hard to pick! The golden brown crust covering the top of this easy recipe is one major perk! Adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is another…but overall, I would say that the filling ingredients of this old fashioned peach cobbler recipe stand out to me. I love those sliced peaches! This is what makes this traditional dessert one of the best, and my go to personal preference during the summer months.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Easy Recipes Using Peaches
Best Ever Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe + Video
Ingredients
- 8 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For Cobbler Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup boiling water
for sprinkling
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (if you are using a dark or glass pan – 425°F if you are using a light color pan).
- In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare cobbler topping: in a large bowl, combine flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt.
- Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
- Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them.
- Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar. Set your baking dish on a baking sheet (this cobbler can drip into the oven otherwise). Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.
- Top with ice cream if desired. Serve and enjoy!!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published September 2011, updated and republished July 2024
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Do you think this would work using gluten free flour?
I made this about a week ago and it was soooooooo good! My husband ate it every night for a week (stuck it in the microwave to warm it up) with vanilla ice cream – heavenly. I shared part of it with a friend. She immediately asked for the recipe. She was in love too.
Thanks for a great one!
This was delicious. I cut it in half and used an 8×8 dish (although I think next time I'm going to use a pie dish). I can never find good peaches where I am, so I chopped two cans of peaches instead (canned in juice). I nixed the nutmeg since I'm not a big fan, and I added cardamom to both the peaches and the topping because it's my new favorite spice for light baked goods. I checked it at 25 minutes and it was done, but next time I'll start checking at 20 minutes because I think it might've been slightly overdone. Great recipe!
Made this peach cobbler. It was perfect. Wondering if same recipe works with blackberrus or are there changes in ingredient?
Love this cobbler!!!! I have made it repeatedly with peaches, mixed berries and blackberries and all turn out wonderful! I skip the nutmeg in all of them and add a dash of cinnamon to the topping. My family loves lots of “biscuit” on their cobbler so I do a 1 1/2 recipe for the topping and bake it in a 13 x 9” dish.
This peach cobbler is delicious. Want to try with fresh black berry's. Will this recipe work or are there changes in ingredients?
Do you have a recipe for blueberry cobbler?
I made this as a recipe for six servings ten days after the tree-ripe truck was in town and my 2022 case of Georgia peaches were ready to use. This was the best Peach Cobbler I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot of cobblers! The topping was SO good…crispy on top and just slightly gooey underneath. Thanks Donna! Yum!!
Hi Paddler,
Thank you so much! We are so happy you enjoyed it. This is our favorite peach cobbler, we make it often! Have a great day!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
Beautiful! I followed the recipe as written (skipping the nutmeg) and added a little golden brown sugar on top for crunch. I baked at 400° in my French white deep casserole for 25 minutes.
Hi Lori,
We are so happy you enjoyed it!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
Why do you bake the peach mixture beforehand?
Curious
Hi Jackie,
We use fresh peaches in this recipe. If they aren’t cooked first, they would take much longer to cook and soften under the cobbler topping. That extra time would cause the cobbler topping to burn. Hope this helps!
TSRI Team member,
Becca
I am up north peaches aren’t in season but this sounds amazing. Can I use can or frozen?
I know this is late..but I would think you could. Maybe let them thaw a bit first? I only have frozen ones, so I am going to try it with those.
Easiest cobbler ever! My family loved it. Will keep this recipe where I can reach it often. Thanks
Hi Roe,
Thank you so much! We are happy you enjoyed the peach cobbler, it is a favorite dessert here. Have a wonderful day!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
What size baking dish is suggested for this recipe?
Hi Becky,
We used a 9×13 baking dish for the peach cobbler. Hope this helps.
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
The taste of the cobbler was wonderful, but I had a few issues with the recipe instructions. I used a 2-quart dish, but the instructions didn’t specify the dimensions. (I see a comment now from the TSRI team specifying a 9×13 inch dish, but that should have been in the instructions.) I used a round, deep dish, so that made a thick topping, which was brown on top, but completely undercooked underneath. I think also placing a cookie sheet underneath to catch anything that spilled over the dish caused the dough to not cook properly. Next time I would use a 3-quart 9×11 inch dish so the topping wouldn’t be as thick and could completely bake through, and I wouldn’t need to place a cookie sheet underneath because there would be plenty of space and no spill over.
Could I use canned peaches?
I made this in 2014 and its a recipe I keep going back to. so easy and SO delicious. thank you!
can you use can peaches
Made this a couple nights ago. The peaches we purchased were not quite ripe enough; the fruit was more white than yellow, but it tasted sweet so we used them anyway. Great recipe. Easy to make and the end result – delicious!
this peach cobbler is like a slice of heaven on a hot day, easy to make and even easier to devour!
Hi Arden!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Best peach cobbler with topping that is firm, more like a cookie…doesn’t get mushy right away. Flavor is fantastic.
Hi!
So glad that you enjoyed our recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn