Brown Butter Peach Cobbler

How to Make Peach Cobbler

What is the difference between peach cobbler and peach crisp?

Cobblers are commonly defined as a sweetened fruit filling encased in some sort of cakey biscuit-like dough. Crisps, on the other hand, feature a fruit filling simply topped with a mixture usually containing butter, oats, sugar, flour, and sometimes nuts and spices to create a crunchy crisp texture.

Peach cobbler filling ingredients:

• Butter – always use unsalted butter in baking! This butter actually gets browned and divided between the filling and the topping.
• Frozen sliced peaches – find out why I use frozen peaches just below, but you can use any kind of peaches you’d like. You can also experiment with adding in other fruits like blackberries, strawberries, or raspberries, if you’d like. Just make sure to not exceed the amount of fruit called for in the recipe.
• Granulated sugar – taste a slice of your peaches and increase the granulated sugar slightly if they are tart.
• Dark brown sugar – provides an amazing molasses flavor in the filling. Use light brown sugar if you don’t have dark brown.
• Spices – salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and cloves create a perfectly spiced filling. If you don’t have cardamom, simply replace it with extra cinnamon!
• Cornstarch – helps the filling to thicken.
• Bourbon – optional, but really packs a punch of flavor that complements the peaches and spices.
• Vanilla extract – always essential!
• Fresh lemon juice – helps to brighten the flavors of the cobbler.

Ingredients for peach cobbler base and topping:

• Brown butter – the butter is browned altogether then divided to use up in both the filling and for the cobbler biscuit.
• Sugar – essential for a sweet base.
• All-purpose flour – measured correctly, so you don’t end up with a dense or chewy cobbler topping.
• Salt – don’t skip this, it brings out the flavors of the dish.
• Baking powder – this creates a light and fluffy texture.
• Buttermilk – learn why I avoid buttermilk substitutes and DIY buttermilk in my Buttermilk 101 article.

Is it better to use fresh, frozen, or canned peaches for easy peach cobbler?

I opted for 32 ounces of frozen peaches for this easy homemade peach cobbler recipe because it significantly cuts the prep time, and I tend to prefer eating fresh locally grown peaches just on their own.

However, this recipe can also be made with fresh or canned peaches. If using fresh peaches during peach season, you’ll need about 12 medium ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced before using.

If using canned, you’ll need four 16-ounce cans of peaches that you’ll drain and measure out 32 ounces of peaches. The liquid takes up a lot of the weight of the can so three cans won’t cut it. You’ll have a little extra but that goes great on oatmeal, waffles, in smoothies, etc.

Can you leave the peels on peaches for cobbler?

This comes down to personal preference. I personally prefer to peel my peaches because I’m not a fan of the cooked skins on fruit, but if that doesn’t bother you, you can leave the skin on your peaches.

How to make Brown Butter Peach Cobbler:

1. Brown the butter. Step-by-step tips for this just below.
2. Make the filling. Cook the peaches and filling ingredients together in the same pan used to brown the butter.
3. Make the batter. Whisk together the cobbler batter ingredients. Reserve ½ cup of the batter. Spoon the remaining batter into a 9 x 13-inch pan.
4. Assemble. Sprinkle the peach mixture over the batter. With a fresh spoon, dollop the remaining 1/2 cup of batter on top of the peaches.
5. Bake. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the peaches are bubbling and the topping is golden brown.

Instructions for how to brown butter:

1. Use a stainless steel sauté pan for best results. Nonstick prevents the butter from browning completely and prevents you from being able to visually see how browned it’s getting. Same with the dark color of cast iron. Something with a wider surface area, like a sauté pan over a saucepan, encourages more browning more quickly.
2. In a medium skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter.
3. Swirling the pan occasionally, continue to cook the butter. It should become foamy with audible cracking and popping noises.
4. Once the crackling stops, continue to swirl the pan until the butter develops a nutty aroma and brown bits start to form at the bottom. Once the bits are amber in color, about 2 to 3 minutes after the popping stops, remove from heat.

What kind of pan is best for baking cobbler?

I prefer a glass or ceramic 9 by 13-inch baking dish for cobbler. I prefer glass so I can see how brown the cobbler is getting at the edges. This also creates a nicer table presentation if you’re serving company than a metal pan would. Be sure not to use a baking dish any smaller, otherwise your cobbler will overflow.

How do you make peach cobbler not runny or mushy?

Don’t skip the cornstarch in the recipe and be sure to cook it fully. Cornstarch doesn’t activate its thickening properties until just over 200°F so you want the filling to bubble in the oven. Underbaked cobbler won’t set properly.

How to store homemade peach cobbler:

To store leftover cobbler, place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Can this peach cobbler recipe be frozen?

I don’t recommend freezing peach cobbler as it would create a soggy and unpleasant texture. Not to mention it’s quite a large pan to freeze! For best results, make peach cobbler the day you plan to serve.

How to reheat peach cobbler:

To reheat leftovers in the oven, bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes. Reheating in the microwave will result in more of a soggy texture.