Sourdough Peach Cobbler
Sourdough peach cobbler is made with fresh, sweet peaches baked with lightly sweetened sourdough biscuits for the perfect sweet treat the whole family will enjoy. Using sourdough starter in the biscuits adds a depth of flavor to the buttery cobbler that complements the sweet, jammy peaches. Save this recipe to enjoy all summer long!
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Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter, so don’t throw it away! Instead, use it in delicious Sourdough Discard Recipes where it adds moisture and amazing sourdough flavor. I use 100% hydration sourdough discard in discard recipes.
Use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like Easy Sourdough Discard Bread and younger, fresh discard in sweeter recipes like these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Summertime is marked by lazy, unscheduled days and loads of fresh produce for simple, flavorful meals. But the best part is fruit-forward desserts, whether it’s loading macerated berries over biscuits in sourdough strawberry shortcake or baking fruit with a crisp topping or between pie crusts, like my blueberry rhubarb crisp and peach pie.
This peach sourdough discard cobbler is no different. With loads of fresh peaches tossed with brown sugar to create a rich, caramelly peach syrup, topped with light, tender sourdough biscuits finished with a crisp, sugary crust. Yum! After one bite, you’ll be hard-pressed not to go back for seconds.
What is a Cobbler?
A cobbler is a fruit dessert with a jammy fruit filling topped with a layer of drop biscuits or scone-like dough and baked until bubbly. It gets its name from the cobbled biscuit appearance, similar to cobbled streets.
Unlike pie, it has no bottom and is baked in a large baking dish rather than a shallow pie pan.
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Peach Cobbler Recipe
- Easy – This easy peach cobbler recipe is made with drop biscuits to keep it simple, so there’s no need for a biscuit cutter or any fancy tools.
- Flavor – Baked peaches with buttery cobbler make a delicious summertime dessert that the whole family loves. Want to make it extra special? Serve with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.
- Sourdough Goodness – Adding sourdough discard to the biscuits adds a subtle, unique flavor and is a great way to use up leftover starter.
- Casual – Serve this family-style in the baking dish with a big spoon and let people help themselves. It’s not a plated dessert. It’s a communal, dig-in-and-fight-over-the-corner-pieces kind of situation, ideal for backyard picnics and low-key gatherings.
Ingredients
the peach filling:
- Fresh peaches – Be sure to use fresh, juicy peaches for the best flavor and texture. Choose ripe, fragrant peaches that give slightly when you press them but aren’t mushy. Underripe peaches are often rock hard with little to no scent. If you have unripe peaches, let them sit out at room temperature for a few days to ripen.
- Sugar – Brown sugar adds a caramel note for a jammy fruit filling.
- Cornstarch – This thickens the juices without making them gluey.
- Lemon juice – Adding a splash of lemon juice brightens the peaches and keeps them from oxidizing while you prep the topping. Bottled lemon juice is fine here since it’s getting baked.
- Salt – Flavors the peach filling and balances its sweetness.
sourdough biscuit topping:
- Sourdough discard starter – This recipe is formulated to use your leftover sourdough discard, sometimes referred to as unfed starter. You can use active sourdough starter, but be sure to measure by weight and not volume since it has more air. Older sourdough starter has a more pronounced sourdough flavor. I like to use starter that’s been fed within the past week and has less sourdough flavor.
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour to give the biscuits the right balance of structure. Bread flour makes the topping too chewy. Cake flour makes it too tender, and it won’t hold up to the juicy fruit.
- Sugar – Sweetens the topping and helps it brown. The extra 2 tablespoons on top create a crunchy crust that’s worth every calorie.
- Baking powder – Gives the biscuits lift. Make sure it’s fresh. Old baking powder won’t puff and you’ll get dense, flat topping.
- Baking soda: Reacts with the acidity in the sourdough discard to create even more lift and browning. Don’t skip it.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and makes everything taste more like itself. Kosher salt or sea salt both work.
- Butter – Use cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes, to create steam pockets as it melts in the oven, which makes the topping flaky and crisp. Room temp butter will just blend into the dough and you’ll get a dense, cakey texture instead.
- Cream – Heavy cream brings the dough together and adds richness.
Tools You’ll Need
- 9×13-inch baking dish – The shallow, wide shape gives you maximum crispy topping surface area. Alternatively, you can use a 12-inch shallow braiser.
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry blender or fork – For cutting cold butter into the dry ingredients.
- Sharp paring knife
- Kitchen scale – An optional tool, but a useful tool when baking.
- Measuring spoons
- Slotted spoon – Makes blanching the peaches quick and easy
- Pastry brush –
How to Make Sourdough Peach Cobbler
The exact measurements and detailed instructions are below in the recipe card.
1. Prep
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C with the rack in the middle position.
Peel and slice the peaches into 1/2-inch wedges, and toss them in the baking dish with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt.
Easy Way to Peel Peaches
Prep the peaches. First, drop the peaches into boiling water for 30 seconds, or until the skins loosen and can easily slide off. Then, transfer the peaches to an ice bath. Next, peel off the peach skins and discard them.
2. Mix the Biscuit Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients before cutting in the cold butter using a pastry blender until there are pea-size butter chunks of butter.
Combine the cream and sourdough discard, and stir into the dry ingredients until just combined.
3. Assemble the Cobbler
Drop spoonfuls of cobbler dough evenly over the peaches before brushing the tops with heavy cream and coarse sugar.
4. Bake
Place the cobbler in the oven and bake for 45 – 55 minutes.
The cobbler is done when the undersides of the biscuits are baked through, the tops are golden brown, and the center reads 200°F/93°C on a digital thermometer.
Let the cobbler rest for 20 minutes for the filling to cool and thicken before serving.
Storage
Like most fruity desserts, the peach cobbler is best the day it’s baked. Let it cool completely, place leftovers in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you can cover the baking dish with foil or plastic wrap. If you cover while it’s still warm, condensation will form and cause the topping to become soggy.
To warm, reheat the cobbler in individual servings in a 350°F/177°C oven for 10 minutes.
Variations of Peach Cobbler
Make some simple swaps to make the cobbler your own.
- Swap the fruit – Nectarines work just as well as peaches, and you don’t have to peel them. Plums bring a deeper, more complex sweetness. A mix of peaches and blackberries or blueberries adds tartness and makes the color pop. Just keep the total weight of fruit around 3 pounds.
- Add spice to the filling – A 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or cardamom folded into the peaches gives warmth without making it taste like pie. Fresh grated ginger adds a warm, peppery bite that’s delightful with stone fruit.
- Make it individual – Divide the filling and topping among 8 to 10 small ramekins and bake at 375°F/190°C for 20 to 25 minutes. Perfect for dinner parties or when you want portion control.
- Swap the thickener – Flour works but can leave a chalky taste. Tapioca starch works too and gives a glossier finish, but cornstarch is easy to find and foolproof.
Toppings to Serve With Peach Cobbler
This cobbler is rich, sweet, and delicious on its own. However, if you want to take it up a notch, try some tasty toppings that complement its fruity flavor.
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic pairing. The cold creaminess contrasts with the warm, jammy fruit.
- Whipped cream with a little bourbon or almond extract folded in.
- Crème fraîche if you want something tangy that plays up the sourdough.
- A dollop of mascarpone is also delightful, especially if you add a pinch of cinnamon to it.
Helpful Tips for Peach Cobbler
- When buying peaches, look for ones that smell fragrant at the stem end. No smell means no flavor. And if the peaches are too firm, put them in a paper bag with a banana overnight. The ethylene gas will help ripen them faster.
- Be sure to mix the dry ingredients well to distribute the baking powder throughout the mixture before adding the wet ingredients. Then, mix until just combined to avoid too much gluten development and tough biscuits.
- Leave space between the biscuit cobbler dough. Smothering the entire top with a solid sheet of dough traps the steam and gives the underside a gummy texture.
FAQs About Sourdough Peach Cobbler
What are some common mistakes to avoid when making peach cobbler?
Common mistakes when making sourdough peach cobbler include skipping the thickener, resulting in the peach juices pooling into a thin liquid instead of a rich sauce.
Another mistake is not properly preparing the fresh fruit. By using unripe fruit and cutting it too thick or too thin results in a flavorless, mushy, or hard, chunky filling.
I’d love to hear from you! If you made the Sourdough Peach Cobbler recipe and loved it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Peach Cobbler
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Equipment
- 1 9×13 baking dish 12 " shallow braiser or cast iron skillet
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 pastry cutter
- 1 paring knife
- 1 slotted spoon
- 1 kitchen scale
- measuring spoons
- 1 pastry brush
Ingredients
Peach Filling
- 6 cups peaches 7-8 peaches
- 200 g brown sugar 1 cup
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 2 T corn starch
Sourdough Biscuits
- 188 g all-purpose flour 1½ cups
- 50 g sugar ¼ cup
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 85 g unsalted butter 6 T
- 125 g sourdough starter discard ½ cup
- 160 g heavy cream ¾ cup
Topping
- 2 T heavy cream
- 2 T turbinado sugar
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C with the rack in the middle position.
- Prep the peaches. First, drop the peaches into boiling water for 30 seconds, or until the skins loosen and can easily slide off. Then, transfer the peaches to an ice bath. Next, peel off the peach skins and discard them.6 cups peaches
- Slice the peaches into 1/2-inch wedges and toss them in the baking dish with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt.200 g brown sugar, 2 T corn starch, ½ tsp lemon juice, and ¼ tsp salt
Mix the Biscuit Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.188 g all-purpose flour, 50 g sugar, 1½ tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt
- Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture and use a bench scraper, pastry cutter, or your fingers to work it in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter chunks still visible throughout the dough.85 g unsalted butter
- Stir the sourdough discard and cream together in a small bowl, then pour it into the flour-butter mixture. Use a fork to stir just until the dough comes together. At this point, the dough should look shaggy and sticky.125 g sourdough starter discard and 160 g heavy cream
Assemble the Cobbler
- Scoop the biscuit dough using two spoons and drop the biscuit dough over the peaches, leaving some gaps so steam can escape and the biscuits can expand.
- Finally, brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream using a pastry brush, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.2 T heavy cream and 2 T turbinado sugar
Bake
- Place the cobbler in the oven and bake for 45 – 55 minutes.
- The cobbler is done when the undersides of the biscuits are baked through, and the tops are golden brown. Alternatively, use a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the biscuits. They’re done when it reads 200°F/93°C.
- Let the cobbler rest for 20 minutes for the filling to cool and thicken before serving.
Storage
- Like most fruity desserts, the peach cobbler is best the day it’s baked. Let it cool completely, place leftovers in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Alternatively, you can cover the baking dish with foil or plastic wrap. If you cover while it’s still warm, condensation will form and cause the topping to become soggy.
- To warm, reheat the cobbler in individual servings in a 350°F/177°C oven for 10 minutes.
Notes
Helpful Tips for Peach Cobbler
- When buying peaches, look for ones that smell fragrant at the stem end. No smell means no flavor. And if the peaches are too firm, put them in a paper bag with a banana overnight. The ethylene gas will help ripen them faster.
- Be sure to mix the dry ingredients well to distribute the baking powder throughout the mixture before adding the wet ingredients. Then, mix until just combined to avoid too much gluten development and tough biscuits.
- Leave space between the biscuit cobbler dough. Smothering the entire top with a solid sheet of dough traps the steam and gives the underside a gummy texture.