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Peach Cobbler with Browned-Butter Cornmeal Biscuits

Fresh peaches tossed with brown sugar, lemon, and warm spices, pre-baked into a bubbling sauce, then topped with dropped browned-butter cornmeal biscuits and baked golden.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Peach Filling
  • 1.4 kg about 3 lbs fresh peaches, pitted and sliced ½ inch thick
  • 100 g ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 35 g 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 24 g 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla paste
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Browned-Butter Cornmeal Biscuits
  • 85 g 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 190 g 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 40 g ¼ cup fine yellow cornmeal
  • 50 g ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt
  • 180 ml ¾ cup cold buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for sprinkling

Equipment

  • 3-quart baking dish (or 9×13-inch)
  • Light-colored saucepan
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and butter a 3-quart baking dish. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  2. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, swirling, until chestnut-brown specks appear and the aroma turns nutty. Pour into a cup and cool for 10 minutes.
  3. Whisk both sugars, cornstarch, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl. Fold in the peach slices until no white patches remain. Spread in the prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for 18–20 minutes, until bubbles appear around several edges.
  4. While the fruit bakes, whisk the cooled browned butter and its solids into the cold buttermilk. Fold the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients just until the flour disappears — the dough should look rough.
  5. Drop 10 dough mounds over the bubbling fruit, leaving open channels between them. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Bake at 400°F for 24–28 minutes, until the tops are deep golden, the filling bubbles through the gaps, and a center biscuit reaches about 200°F. Cover loosely with foil if tops brown before the center is done.
  6. Rest the cobbler for 30 minutes before serving so the sauce thickens and the biscuit bottoms finish setting.

Notes

  • Make ahead: Brown the butter and mix the dry biscuit ingredients up to 1 day ahead, storing them separately. Slice and season the peaches shortly before baking.
  • Store covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat uncovered portions at 350°F for 12–18 minutes until the center reaches 165°F. Freeze cooled portions airtight for up to 2 months.
  • For frozen peaches: use 1.4 kg unthawed slices, increase cornstarch to 4 tablespoons, and pre-bake for 28–32 minutes. For canned peaches in juice: use 1.2 kg drained fruit, reduce brown sugar to 50 g, use 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and pre-bake for 12–15 minutes.