Old-Fashioned Southern Peach Cobbler

Jocelyn Delk Headshot By Jocelyn Delk
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Honey, my big mama made the best Southern peach cobbler I ever tasted. That Mississippi flavor just hit different. She would start by making the pie dough from scratch with butter or lard, whichever was around, then she would get that fresh peach filling spiced up and thickened over the stove before baking the whole thing up. Plus the recipe is so unfussy, you can make it with fresh, frozen or canned peaches. I grew up craving it with her homemade vanilla ice cream and would beg her to make it whenever I visited. Watch the tutorial video below.

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Peach cobbler with canned peaches in a baking dish with a portion missing and the spoon in the dish.

Peach Cobbler Tutorial Video

How to Make Southern Peach Cobbler

  1. Add two cans of drained peaches and one with the light syrup to a large pot along with the butter. When the butter melts, stir in the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Allow the peaches to come to a boil. Then add a slurry made with some of the peach syrup and the flour.
  2. Cook the peaches in the syrup until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 30-40 minutes. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool down and further thicken while you make the pie crust.
  3. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl and whisk together.
  4. Add your butter cubes to the flour and use your pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles various-sized crumbs. Slowly add the cold water to the flour until a ball of dough forms. Knead the dough quickly to bring it together. Let the dough rest in the fridge. 

PRO TIP: Start with a half cup of water and then add more if you need it. You want to add just enough water for the dough to come together.

Collage of images including cooking the peaches in syrup and making the pie crust for the cobbler.
  1. Remove the dough from the fridge and add a bit of flour to your work surface or clean counter and place the dough on top. Roll out one ball of dough using a rolling pin until it’s about ⅓ inch thick. 
  2. Place it on the bottom and up the sides of a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  3. Add the peaches using a slotted spoon. Add the syrup from the pot to the peaches in the crust.

PRO TIP: The amount of syrup you add is completely up to you. You can add less if you like a thicker cobbler. However, I recommend using at least two-thirds of the mixture since it will continue to thicken as it bakes. 

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  1. Roll out the final dough ball and decorate the top of the peach cobbler with a lattice crust, criss-cross pattern, or cutouts. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash then sprinkle the top lightly with ground cinnamon before baking in the oven.
A collage of steps in making peach cobbler with rolling out the bottom crust then adding the peaches and topping with a lattice crust.
Labor Day Recipes - Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe (How to Make Peach Cobbler)

Southern Peach Cobbler Recipe with Canned Peaches

This old-fashioned peach cobbler recipe is a Southern classic made with canned peaches and a homemade pie crust!
4.71 from 174 votes
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Peach Filling:

  • 3 can peaches in lite syrup 29 ounces each (if using fresh peaches- see notes below)
  • ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
  • 1 cup granulated sugar plus more if needed
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 teaspoons all-purpose flour

For the Pie Crust:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup very cold unsalted butter, cut in cubes 2 sticks
  • ½-⅔ cup very cold water
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon of water.
  • Ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

For the Peach Cobbler Filling:

  • Drain two of the cans of peaches and add just peaches to a large pot. Add the remaining can of peaches with lite syrup along with butter to a large pot over medium heat and allow everything to melt together.
  • Once butter completely melts, stir in sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and allow peaches to come to a boil.
  • Once boiling, remove 3 tablespoons of peach syrup from large pot and place in a small bowl. Whisk flour into small bowl of peach syrup until completely combined creating a slurry then stir into the pot of peaches.
  • Cook an additional 30-40 minutes or until syrup thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Taste and see if you need to adjust sugar or any spices then remove from heat and allow to cool down and further thicken while you make pie crust.

For the Pie Crust:

  • In a medium sized bowl, add flour, sugar and salt and whisk together to combine.
  • Next add your butter cubes to flour and using your pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until various sized crumbs appear.
  • Slowly add the cold water into the flour until a ball of dough forms. Start with ½ cup and add more water if you need it. Knead the dough quickly to bring it together. Don’t worry if there is any flour left in the bowl.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl, cut into 2 sections and round into balls. Cover each ball tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 35-45 minutes to rest.

To assemble the cobbler:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Remove dough from fridge and add a bit of flour to a working surface or clean counter and place dough on it. Unwrap one ball of dough. Using a rolling pin, quickly roll dough out to about ⅓ inch thickness and place on the bottom and up sides of a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove just the peaches from the pot and spoon on top of dough. Next pour the remaining syrup to the peaches (if you like less syrup you can use less. Totally up to you but I wouldn’t use less than 2/3s since it will continue to thicken when baked).
  • Roll out the final dough ball and decorate the top of the peach cobbler how you see fit with the dough.
  • Brush the top of the dough with egg wash then sprinkle slightly with ground cinnamon.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes or until crust is beautifully golden brown. Cool down and serve.

Video

Notes

Using Fresh or Frozen Peaches
For the equivalent you will need about 3 3/4 cups of peach slices. To easily peel peaches, drop them in a large pot of boiling water for about 20 seconds then quickly transfer them in ice water to cool them down so they don’t continue cooking. At that point, the skin should easily come off.
You will need to add more butter and sugar and lessen the amount of flour to create more syrup when using fresh peaches. You won’t be starting with the light syrup from the canned peaches so you will need to adjust with a bit more liquid. Make sure you taste the syrup and get it to the thickness and sweetness you prefer when making this adjustment.

How to Store & Reheat

Southern peach cobbler is best eaten the day it’s made, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can enjoy it cold, at room temperature, or reheated. If you want to reheat, place the cobbler in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
How long does peach cobbler last in the fridge?
It will last up to three days after making it. Cover it well or transfer it to an airtight container for best results.
Can I freeze peach cobbler?
I truly believe it’s best eaten on the first day, but if have leftovers and want to store them longer than three days you can freeze it for up to one month as long as it’s wrapped well.

Nutrition

Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 269mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1080IU | Vitamin C: 7.1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1.6mg
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Recipe Tips

  • If you use frozen or fresh peaches, you need to add more butter and sugar when making the syrup since you won’t be getting a head start with syrup from one of the cans.
  • Don’t over-mix: You wanna keep crumb shapes of butter for the pie crust to create some nice flakiness.
  • It is important that you keep all of your ingredients very cold when making traditional cobbler so it comes out exactly like you want it. It’s the key to a flaky pie crust.
Southern-style cobbler featuring canned and fresh peaches served in a large white cooking dish.

Other Peach Dessert Recipes

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Filed Under:  Crisps, Cobblers, Dumplings and Tarts, Dessert and Baking, Father's Day, Oven, Seasonal Recipes, Summer Recipes

Comments

  1. Hello..
    I’m gonna attempt to use your recipe exactly as written except for the dough part. I have bought 2 pie crusts. I cannot make homemade dough to save my life.Can I use your recipe and use your oven temperature and bake time?

    Reply

    1. You can use store-bought pie crusts here. I haven’t tested this recipe with them, but I would still bake the cobbler at 375°F. Since store-bought crust can be thinner than the homemade crust in this recipe, I would start checking it a little earlier rather than relying strictly on the 40-45 minute baking time. You’re looking for a beautifully golden top and a hot, bubbly peach filling.

      Just make sure you have enough crust to cover the bottom of your 9×13 pan and the top.

    2. I wanna thank you for the recipe. It took longer to bake. Let me tell ya honey, It was very delicious!! I’m going to try your easy peach cobbler today…

    3. Thank you so much! I’m so glad you stuck with it and gave it the extra bake time it needed. Ovens can definitely vary, so going by doneness is always the best guide.

      And honey, hearing that it was very delicious makes me so happy! I hope you love the easy peach cobbler just as much.

  2. The pie crust recipe attracted me. I have another that I was in the family and always preferred that over recipes that mix everything together, or put biscuits on the top.

    To be fair, I have never been much of a ‘pie’ baker because I’ve yet to come up with a perfect pie crust recipe. I usually default to cakes. etc.

    I thought that I followed the instructions correctly. When rolling out the pie crust, I had to make it very thin in order to fill the bottom of the 9″ X 13″ pan. There was a little that came up on the edges, but not much. I then proceded to make the top. I couldn’t weave it together, as it wasn’t sturdy enough to pick up and down for that. Just did the best I could.

    I was in a rush toward the end and did not look up egg wash. So I just got an egg, stirred it, and brushed it on. (Maybe the wrong thing to do).

    When I served it, the bottom and top crusts were very difficult to cut. I had invited my sisters to dinner and I realized how much they were struggling to break through the crust (top and bottom) with their spoon. Then when I tried to eat mine, the same thing happened. We all got a good laugh at each other, saying we need a chain saw, or saws all, etc. It was unbelievable how hard it was. Once we got it cut and could take a bite, it was very crunchy and the cobbler tasted delicious.

    Do you have any idea what I may have done wrong with my crust?

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and for such a detailed comment! I’m so glad to hear you all enjoyed the flavor, even if the crust gave everyone a workout.

      From what you described, I don’t think the egg wash was the issue. Beaten egg with a little water is exactly what I use.

      My guess is the crust may have been rolled a bit too thin. Even though it seems like it needs to stretch across the whole pan, rolling it too thin can cause it to bake up very hard and crisp. You also want to handle the dough as little as possible so it stays tender.

      One other thing to check is your bake time and oven. If your oven runs a little hot or the cobbler baked longer than needed, that can also make both the top and bottom crust much crunchier than intended.

      I’m so happy the filling was a hit, and I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. I hope you’ll give it another try. I think with a slightly thicker crust, you’ll get the tender, flaky texture you’re looking for! Happy baking!

  3. Lady, I hunted you down on the internet after seeing your reel on my Google feed to comment on this peach cobbler. This !!!is how my momma made cobbler. And peach is my favorite. . Now to go look at the rest of your recipes ’cause I know the are the bomb!

    Reply

    1. Awww, this absolutely made my day!

      The fact that you tracked me down just to leave this comment means more than you know. And hearing you say, “This is how my momma made cobbler,” is one of the highest compliments I could ever receive. That’s exactly the kind of Southern recipe I hope to share.

      Thank you so much for taking the time to find me and leave such a sweet message. I hope you find lots more recipes that remind you of home. Welcome to the Grandbaby Cakes family, and happy baking!

    2. I’m going to make this cobbler. Along time ago in Indianapolis Indiana I met a lady everyone called mama. She made the best dang peach and cherry cobbler I ever did eat. This recipe seems to go right along with how she made them. I will be sure to comment after preparing this for my family.

    2. How you doing? I’m little slow. All three cans are going in same pot right? One of the cans you are saying just use the syrup as well.

    3. Hi! It’s a great question!

      Yes, all three cans go into the same pot. Here’s how:

      Drain 2 cans and add just the peaches to the pot.
      Do not drain the 3rd can. Pour the peaches and all of the lite syrup from that can into the same pot.

      So you’ll end up with all the peaches from all 3 cans, but only the syrup from 1 can. Later, you’ll scoop out 3 tablespoons of that syrup to mix with the flour for the slurry, then stir it right back into the pot.

      I hope that helps! You’ve got this, and I hope you love the cobbler. Happy baking!

4.71 from 174 votes (66 ratings without comment)

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