Warm Peach Cobbler with Cinnamon and Vanilla Ice Cream

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Two classic cobblers in one recipe: choose a tender biscuit topping or an old-school pour-over batter.
• Perfectly saucy, not soupy—peach juices thicken into a glossy cinnamon-vanilla syrup.
• Uses simple pantry staples and a single pan for easy prep and cleanup.
• Works with fresh or frozen peaches, so you can bake it year-round.

Grocery List

• Produce: 3 lb peaches, 1 lemon
• Dairy: Unsalted butter, buttermilk, milk, heavy cream (optional), vanilla ice cream
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, fine sea salt

Full Ingredients

Peach Filling

• 3 lb ripe peaches (8–9 medium; about 8 cups/1.9 L sliced)
• 2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Option A — Buttery Biscuit Topping

• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 6 tbsp (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
• 1 tbsp heavy cream, for brushing (optional)
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar (turbinado), for sprinkling (optional)

Option B — Pour-Over Batter Topping

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

To Serve

• Vanilla ice cream

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Heat the oven and prepare the pan

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Use a 9×13-inch (3-quart) baking dish. For the biscuit-topped version, lightly butter the dish and set aside. For the pour-over batter version, place 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter directly in the baking dish and set it in the oven for 5–8 minutes to melt as the oven heats. Remove the dish as soon as the butter melts to prevent browning.

Step 2: Prep the peaches

Rinse peaches. If you prefer them peeled, score an “X” on the bottom of each peach and blanch in simmering water for 30–45 seconds, then shock in ice water; the skins will slip off easily. Pit and slice into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) wedges. You should have about 8 cups.

Note: You can use 2 1/2 lb (about 1.1 kg) frozen sliced peaches; no need to thaw fully—just break apart any clumps and pat off excess ice.

Step 3: Mix the peach filling

In a large bowl, toss sliced peaches with granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and salt until evenly coated. Let stand 5 minutes to begin releasing juices.

Step 4: Make your topping (choose one)

Option A — Biscuit Topping: In a medium bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add cold butter cubes and cut in with a pastry cutter or fingertips until pea-sized and a few larger flat bits remain. Drizzle in cold buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms; do not overmix.

Option B — Pour-Over Batter: In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk and vanilla; whisk until smooth. If you melted butter in the pan in Step 1, leave it in the dish.

Step 5: Assemble the cobbler

For Biscuit: Scrape the peach filling (and all juices) into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Using a spoon or scoop, drop the biscuit dough in 8–10 mounds over the fruit, leaving small gaps for steam. For extra color and crunch, brush tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

For Pour-Over: Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter in the hot dish; do not stir. Spoon the peaches and all their juices evenly over the batter. Again, do not stir—the batter will rise up around the fruit as it bakes.

Step 6: Bake until golden and bubbling

Bake on the center rack until the topping is deep golden and the filling is vigorously bubbling around the edges. Biscuit version: 35–45 minutes; a toothpick in a biscuit mound should come out clean. Pour-over version: 45–55 minutes, until the top is mahogany-golden with set, crackly edges. If using frozen peaches, add 5–10 minutes.

Step 7: Rest, then serve warm with ice cream

Let the cobbler stand 10–15 minutes so the syrup thickens slightly. Serve warm, spooned into bowls with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream. The contrast of hot cobbler and cold ice cream is the best part.

Pro Tips

• Juiciness varies by fruit. If your peaches are very juicy, use 2 1/2–3 tbsp cornstarch; if they’re firm, stick to 2 tbsp.
• For the fluffiest biscuit topping, keep the butter and buttermilk cold and stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together.
• Don’t skimp on the rest time—those bubbling juices will thicken into a glossy sauce as the cobbler cools slightly.
• For extra crunch and sparkle on biscuit tops, brush with cream and sprinkle turbinado sugar during the last 10 minutes of baking.
• No-peeled shortcut: Peach skins soften in baking and add color and flavor; peel only if you prefer.

Variations

• Peach-Blueberry Cobbler: Fold 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries into the filling; reduce granulated sugar by 1–2 tbsp.
• Bourbon-Pecan: Stir 1–2 tbsp bourbon into the peach filling; sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans over the top in the final 10 minutes.
• Ginger & Cardamom: Add 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger to the filling and 1/4 tsp ground cardamom to the topping.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for 3–4 days. Reheat portions in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes or microwave briefly until warm. To freeze, cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight and warm in a 325°F (165°C) oven until heated through. Make-ahead: Toss the filling up to 2 hours in advance (refrigerated). Biscuit dough can be scooped onto a parchment-lined sheet and frozen; bake from frozen and add 5 minutes. For pour-over, whisk dry ingredients ahead and store airtight; add milk and vanilla just before baking.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1/8 pan without ice cream: Biscuit version ~330 calories; 13 g fat; 54 g carbs; 4 g protein; 230 mg sodium; 28 g sugars; 3 g fiber. Pour-over version ~380–410 calories. Add ~140 calories per 1/2-cup scoop of vanilla ice cream. Values will vary based on brands and topping choice.