Southern Living Community Tips
According to Southern Living community members, this recipe is easily adapted based on your tastes and preferences. For instance, one person recommends reducing the sugar and flour for a more healthful take that doesn’t compromise the flavor.
Another community member suggests spicing it up. “I added both cinnamon and nutmeg to the recipe and also added some frozen peaches, leaving some of the water in the boiled mixture when done to add moistness,” the member writes. “Then, believe it or not, [I add] a dash of mild chili powder. It’s a bold move but it works great!”
Several members commented they like a higher fruit-to-cobbler ratio, so they added more peaches. Some even added other fruits, including blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.
How To Pick Fresh Peaches
Picking fresh peaches is an important step in making a great peach cobbler. Before you head to the farmers’ market or grocery store, make sure you know how to spot a good one:
- Firmness: A good peach should be firm but not hard. If it gives too much, it’s too ripe. (That peach would be great in a peach milkshake though.) If it gives none at all, it’s not ripe. Just don’t press too hard, or you may leave bruises.
- Skin: Bruised spots will speed up ripening and leave you without great fruit for your cobbler. Skip any that show obvious signs of damage.
- Smell: A ripe peach has a sweet, floral scent. If the peach has no scent, it’s underripe.
- Color: A good peach is yellow-orange with no green spots. Peaches with green spots are edible, but they will lack the flavor and sweetness you want for a cobbler.
- Type: Any type of peach will do, but the best peaches for cobbler are ripe, sweet peaches.
Using Canned or Frozen Peaches
Peach cobbler is unbeaten when you’re using summer-fresh peaches straight from the orchard. But canned and frozen peaches can work too so you can enjoy this dessert any time of the year.
- Canned peaches: Substitute 4 cups fresh peaches for 2 (16-oz.) cans of peaches. Be sure to drain the peaches well before adding them to the saucepan.
- Frozen peaches: Substitute 4 cups fresh peaches for 40 ounces of frozen peaches (that’s 2 1/2 16-oz. bags). Thaw the frozen peaches entirely, and drain them to remove moisture.
Editorial contributions byAlesandra Dubin.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar, divided
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 4 cups fresh peach slices (from about 6-8 peaches)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
Directions
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Prepare oven and ingredients:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Gather your ingredients.
FRED HARDY II; FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN -
Mix batter:
Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
FRED HARDY II; FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN -
Pour batter into melted butter:
Pour melted butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).
FRED HARDY II; FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN -
Cook peaches:
Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly.
FRED HARDY II; FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN If your peaches are very ripe and juicy, cut back on the sugar and add only 1/2 cup.
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Combine peach filling with batter:
Pour peach mixture over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
FRED HARDY II; FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN -
Bake peach cobbler:
Bake at 375°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.
FRED HARDY II; FOOD STYLIST: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLIST: CHRISTINA BROCKMAN