Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler with Biscuit Topping

Bake this old fashioned peach cobbler right in your skillet and indulge yourself with a classic southern peach dessert. Crisp yet tender biscuit topping is a must. Serve warm with ice cream (but I don’t have to tell you that).

“This recipe was fantastic! Looked through countless peach cobbler recipes and this one was a winner! Will definitely make again.”

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My peach-loving husband surprised me with a 25 lb. box of Georgia peaches, but now that our youngest child is off to college, it’s just the two of us. And what should I do with all these peaches?

I love baking with peaches. My Peach Kuchen (German Peach Cake) and perfect peach pound cake are some of the summer desserts that I bake very often when I get fresh peaches. It always earns rave reviews.

But, when I think of a baked dessert with peaches, peach cobbler tops the list for me. Sweetened peaches are topped with biscuit topping, then baked and served warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream — that’s a classic peach dessert that no one can refuse.

Classic Southern Peach Cobbler with Biscuit Topping

My favorite peach cobbler recipe has an old-fashioned biscuit topping that’s tender and flaky with a crunchy sugar coating. This classic southern dessert is always a hit with family and guests.

To enhance the flavor, I add a hint of cardamom and nutmeg to the peaches. Cinnamon or mace can also be used sparingly.

A little bit of spice goes a long way in enhancing the peach flavor without overpowering it.

Ingredients List

For peach filling

• Fresh Peaches with skin peeled off
• Sugars: I use a mixture of light brown sugar and granulated sugar.
• Spices: Cardamom (or Cinnamon) and nutmeg
• Cornstarch: Used as a thickener for the peach filling and gives a clear appearance. (Flour often makes the filling cloudy)

For biscuit topping

• All-purpose flour: Basic ingredient for making the biscuit dough.
• Baking powder: Leavening agent that helps the biscuit topping to rise.
• Salt: Enhances the flavor of the biscuit dough.
• Cold butter: Used to create a flaky and tender biscuit topping.
• Milk: Provides moisture and richness to the biscuit dough.
• Egg: Binds the biscuit dough together and adds richness to the texture.

Peeling Peaches

Some people make their peach cobbler without peeling the peaches. It is a personal preference but I like my cobbler without the skin.

Yes, it takes an extra step to remove the skin, but it it super easy to do that. I use either a peach/tomato peeler or the boiling method when I prepare a recipe with peeled peaches.

Option 1. Using a fruit peeler

• Peel off the skin of the peaches, then slice the peaches into segments with a paring knife.
• Be careful using the peeler tool though. The blade is serrated and very sharp.

Option 2. Blanching peaches in boiling water

• Bring a pot of water to boil. Add peaches and boil for 30 seconds.
• Take the peaches out and dump them into a bowl of cold water.
• Using a knife, slit the top of peaches and peel off the skin.

How to make Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler

Prepare peaches

• Peeled peaches can be slippery. Using a paring knife, slice the peaches into segments and put them in a skillet. (or 2.5-qt baking pan)
• Add the sugars, spices, cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Toss well.

Make biscuit topping dough

Cutting the butter into the flour mixture creates a biscuit with a crispy outside and tender crumbs inside. Make sure to sprinkle extra sugar on top of the biscuit topping to create an even crispier texture.

• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
• Cut in the butter pieces to the flour mixture until the flour turns into coarse crumb.

• Whisk egg and milk together in a small mixing bowl and add to the flour mixture.
• Using a fork, stir the mixture until just combined. Drop mounds of biscuit topping on the peach filling.

Recipe Tips and advice

Bake the cobbler in a skillet

Baked this cobbler in a 10-inch skillet or 2-qt baking pan at 400˚F oven for 30-40 minutes. Skillet desserts give a rustic, old-fashioned look and deliver a very homey and comforting feeling.

• Mine is a carbon steel skillet but a cast iron skillet is equally great for baking cobbler. You can also use any 2-qt size baking pan for this recipe.

Can I use Frozen Peaches to make Cobbler?

Yes, frozen peaches are great to make cobbler. However, if your frozen peaches have too much ice on the surface, you will need to thaw them out and drain them first before adding the rest of the filling ingredients.

Storage and reheating tips

To savor the best flavor, enjoy your peach cobbler while it’s still warm and freshly baked. You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

When reheating peach cobbler, you can use either a microwave or conventional oven. If using the oven, take the cobbler out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature while preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Then, bake the cobbler for around 10-15 minutes or until it’s heated through.

Check out these summer dessert recipes

• Perfect Peach Pound Cake
• Peach Custard Pie with Streusel Topping
• Blueberry Dumplings
• Peach Kuchen (German Peach Cake)
• Nectarine Blackberry Crisp