Rustic Fresh Peach Cobbler Recipe
Quick and delicious recipe for Peach Cobbler that has an easy-to-roll-out dough for the top. It’s your choice whether to peel the peaches or not!
Peach season. It ranks right up there with strawberry season…or pumpkin season. It doesn’t last long, but while it’s here, life is good. One of my favorite things to do with peaches, other than to eat them leaning over the kitchen sink while the juice runs down my wrist, is to bake them in a cobbler or crisp. The recipe for peach cobbler that I’m sharing today is one of our favorite desserts. It’s not overly sweet, and lets the flavor of the peaches shine through.
The Ripening Process
We all know this, but an occasional reminder never hurts! When you plan to bake with peaches, make sure you purchase the peaches in advance, so they have time to become ripe and soft. Most groceries and farm markets sell peaches that are very hard. The peaches are picked before they are ready, so they are still fresh when they reach the consumer. This is great, except when you want to buy peaches and bake a cobbler all in one day. Unless you are very lucky, that doesn’t usually work! These peaches were beautiful and very firm when purchased. I stored them in a brown paper sack at room temperature for three days. On the 4th day, they were perfect. The flesh came away from the pit with no trouble, and they were firm enough to cut thin slices.
Peeling the Peaches
It’s a personal choice whether to peel the peaches or not. I’m told that in the south, no baker ever puts peaches in a recipe without first peeling them. Personally, I don’t peel apples or peaches when I’m making a baked dessert. I love the taste the peel provides, and it adds extra color and texture. It’s also a huge time-saver when you skip the peeling step. However, do what you like best!
The Peach Cobbler Dough
We’re not going for perfection with this easy peach cobbler recipe. The dough is very rustic, but delicious. It has a crumbling texture in the beginning, but once the whipping cream is added, it comes together quite easily. After mixing, but before rolling, knead it several times to bring the flour, butter, and cream together. Form a disc, and then roll it out a little bigger than your baking pan. This dough recipe can also be used as a rustic pie crust.
Tip: If the cobbler dough passes the golden-brown stage before the end of the baking time, cover it loosely with a piece of foil.
The Whipping Cream
It works deliciously well to purchase one pint of heavy whipping cream when you are shopping for this recipe. Use 1/2 cup for the crust, and then whip the remainder of the pint, and use it as a peach cobbler topping. Just add the whipping cream to a large bowl, and beat on high until it’s fluffy and peaks form. It’s optional (but so good) to add two tablespoons of sugar during the whipping time. A spoonful of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, are the perfect sides to this peach cobbler.
I love that this recipe is baked in an 8 x 8 baking dish. It could also be baked in a deep dish pie pan. It’s not a huge amount of peach cobbler, although the recipe could easily be doubled. It lasts for up to 3 days, covered and stored in the refrigerator.
Variations
- It’s delicious to add blackberries, blueberries, fresh pitted cherries, or strawberries to the peaches. Just sprinkle them on top of the peaches…no need to really mix them in.
- Canned peaches can be substituted for the fresh peaches. Make sure to drain and rinse them before adding the sugar. The sugar amount may need to be reduced. Start small, taste, and then add more sugar if needed.
- For added flavor, stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon or a half teaspoon of nutmeg when you are mixing the sugar and peaches.
- I firmly believe that this recipe can best any southern peach cobbler recipe out there!
If you make this peach cobbler, and love it, I encourage you to come back and leave a comment, along with a 5-star review. It would help me so much, and I would really appreciate it!
Peach Cobbler
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 4 cups thinly sliced fresh peaches (about 6 large peaches)
- 1/2 cup sugar
For the Crust
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine sliced peaches and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix well.
- Pour peach/sugar mixture into 8 x 8 baking pan that has been prepared with non-stick spray.
- Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Cut butter into thin slices. Combine butter and flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your clean hands.
- Slowly add cream until dough holds together and is manageable.
- Put out onto floured surface. Knead a few times until dough holds together.
- Roll the dough out, making sure to turn it often so it doesn't stick.
- Carefully lift the dough and cover the peach-filled baking pan. Tuck under any dough that is hanging over the sides.
- Score the dough in 4 places with a sharp knife.
- Place baking pan on a cookie sheet. (Just in case it bubbles over.)
- Bake 35 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
Nutrition
Until next time…
