The Story
Cobbler is the easygoing cousin of pie. Early American cooks who had fruit but no time or tools for a proper crust dropped spoonfuls of biscuit dough over the top and baked it, and the bumpy, cobblestone look gave the dish its name.
In the American South, where peach trees grow by the orchard-full, peach cobbler is the star of church suppers, family reunions and long summer evenings on the porch. A cast-iron skillet is the classic pan, and ice cream is not optional.
Ingredients
- 6 cups (about 1.2 kg) peeled, sliced ripe peaches, from about 6 large peaches
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for the topping, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Steps
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Toss the peaches with the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Let them sit for 10 minutes, then pour them and all their juice into the skillet.
- Whisk the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the biggest pieces are the size of peas.
- Pour in the buttermilk and stir with a fork just until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
- Drop the dough over the peaches in big spoonfuls, leaving small gaps for the juice to bubble up. Sprinkle the last tablespoon of sugar over the top.
- Set the skillet on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch drips. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the biscuits are deep golden and the juice is bubbling thickly around the edges.
- Let it cool for at least 20 minutes so the juices thicken. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
FAQs
Can I use frozen or canned peaches?
Yes. Thaw frozen peaches and drain them first. For canned peaches, drain them well and cut the granulated sugar in the filling down to 1/4 cup, since they are already sweet.
Do I have to peel the peaches?
You can leave the skins on if you like a more rustic cobbler. To peel them easily, drop them in boiling water for 30 seconds, then into ice water, and the skins slip right off.
