Community recipe
Brown-Butter Peach Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuits
Juicy peaches bake under tender, golden cornmeal biscuits, with nutty brown butter adding a cozy, toasty twist. Serve it warm as an easy summer dessert, or make it with good-quality frozen peaches when fresh fruit is out of season.
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
Get ready
Ingredients
- 2 lb ripe peaches, washed, pitted, and sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.33 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 0.25 tsp fine salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.33 cup fine cornmeal
- 0.33 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.25 tsp fine salt
- 0.5 cup buttermilk
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Heat the oven and prepare the fruit
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and set a rack in the center. Set out a 2-quart baking dish. Rinse and dry the fruit, cut around each pit, remove the pits, and slice the fruit about ½ inch thick. In a large bowl, gently toss 2 lb ripe peaches with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and ¼ tsp fine salt until evenly coated. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and scrape in any juices left in the bowl. | Why: The starch thickens the fruit juices as they bubble, while lemon keeps the filling bright.
- 02
Brown the butter and mix the biscuit base
Set a small, light-colored saucepan over medium heat and add 6 tbsp unsalted butter. Melt it, then cook for 3–5 minutes, swirling often, until the foaming subsides and the milk solids turn golden brown with a nutty aroma. Immediately pour it into a heatproof bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup fine cornmeal, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp fine salt. Pour in the browned butter and stir until the mixture looks like coarse, moist crumbs. | Why: Browning the butter builds a toasted flavor, and coating the dry mixture creates a tender biscuit topping.
- 03
Finish the topping and bake
Pour ½ cup buttermilk into the crumb mixture and stir just until no dry patches remain; the dough should be soft and a little shaggy. Drop spoonfuls over the fruit, leaving small gaps for steam to escape. Carefully place the dish on the center rack and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 40–45 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and the fruit juices bubble thickly around the edges. If the topping browns too quickly, loosely lay foil over the dish for the final few minutes. | Why: The gaps let the filling bubble through, and the bubbling is a reliable sign that it has thickened.
- 04
Rest and serve warm
Use oven mitts to transfer the hot dish to a heatproof surface. Let it stand for 20 minutes so the bubbling filling can settle and thicken; the topping will remain crisp at the edges and tender inside. Spoon into bowls and serve warm. | Why: A short rest makes the fruit easier to portion and keeps its juices from running all over the bowl.
