I’m sharing my Easy Southern Peach Cobbler that pairs canned peaches with a sweet cinnamon biscuit topping, made entirely from scratch and offered with a gluten-free option.

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I love a dessert that seems simple but hits you in the first bite. My Easy Southern Peach Cobbler with canned peaches is one of those.

Using canned peaches in heavy syrup, drained gives it an unapologetic sweetness and a nostalgia thats kind of addictive. A faint dusting of ground cinnamon lifts the flavor just right, and the biscuit topping gets all golden and flaky.

It feels like a Quick Dessert With Canned Peaches, but somehow better than store bought, and I often say it belongs next to your favorite summer menus. Give it a try you might be surprised.

Ingredients

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Canned peaches bring juicy sweetness, vitamin A and some fiber, syrup adds extra sugar.
Sugar gives the cobbler its sweet flavor but adds mostly empty carbohydrates.
Cornstarch thickens the filling, making a glossy sauce, no real nutrition though.
Lemon juice lends bright tartness and helps balance the sweetness, tiny vitamin C.
All purpose flour builds the biscuit topping, mostly carbs and some protein.
Cold butter creates flaky biscuit layers, adds richness and saturated fat.
Buttermilk reacts with baking powder for tender biscuits, gives slight tang.
Vanilla ice cream melts over warm cobbler, adds creamy contrast and more sweetness.

Ingredient Quantities

2 (15 ounce) cans sliced peaches in heavy syrup, drained or one 29 ounce can

1/2 cup granulated sugar for the filling

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose blend for GF)

1/4 cup granulated sugar for the biscuit topping

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar as a quick sub)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing the biscuit tops

2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar for sprinkling, optional

vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease an 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.

2. Drain 2 (15 oz) cans sliced peaches (or one 29 oz can), but save 2 to 4 tablespoons of the syrup for extra peach flavor if you like it a bit saucy.

3. In a medium saucepan combine the drained peaches, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat and heat over medium, cooking until the mixture just thickens and becomes glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and taste for sweetness, add a bit more sugar if needed.

4. Pour the hot peach filling into your prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly but gently so pieces stay intact.

5. In a bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose blend for GF), 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea sized bits.

6. In a small bowl mix 1 large beaten egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if using. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until combined, dont overmix or the biscuits will get tough.

7. Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough over the peach filling, spacing them so there are little gaps for steam to escape and filling to bubble up.

8. Brush the biscuit tops with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar if you want a pretty crunchy top.

9. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Let the cobbler cool 10 to 15 minutes so the filling sets a bit before scooping.

10. Serve warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Quick hacks: keep the butter cold when cutting it into the flour for flakier biscuits, reserve a little peach syrup to adjust filling consistency, and if the filling seems thin after baking stir in a tiny cornstarch slurry and warm it briefly next time.

Equipment Needed

1. 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish
2. Medium saucepan
3. Mixing bowls (one large for dough, one small for wet egg/buttermilk mix)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Pastry cutter or two forks (for cutting cold butter into the flour)
6. Whisk
7. Wooden spoon or rubber spatula (for stirring the filling and folding dough)
8. Can opener and a colander or fine mesh sieve (to drain peaches)
9. Pastry brush, oven mitts and a cooling rack for resting after baking

FAQ

Can I use fresh or frozen peaches instead of canned? Yes, you can. For fresh use about 4 to 5 large peaches (peeled if you dont like skins), slice them and toss with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon and spices from the recipe. For frozen just thaw and drain well, then treat like the canned peaches but you might want a bit less sugar since frozen are often picked at peak ripeness.

My filling is too runny what do I do? Let it cool a little, it will thicken as it cools. If it stays runny, make a quick slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir into the hot filling and simmer a minute until it thickens, then cool slightly before topping.

Can I make this gluten free? Yes, swap the all purpose flour for a 1 to 1 gluten free all purpose blend (one that contains xanthan or guar). Texture will be a bit different but it bakes the same temp and time, just watch the biscuit tops so they dont overbrown.

How far ahead can I make it or can I freeze it? You can assemble and cover in the fridge up to 24 hours before baking, add 5 to 10 minutes to bake time if it goes in cold. For freezing: freeze unbaked in a freezer safe pan up to 2 months, thaw overnight in fridge then bake; baked cobbler freezes 1 to 2 months, reheat covered at 350 F until warmed through.

Any tips to keep the biscuit topping light and not tough? Keep the butter cold and cut it into the flour only until pea sized pieces remain, dont overmix when you add the egg and buttermilk, drop the dough gently over the filling and leave gaps for steam to escape. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle sugar for a golden top.

Can I cut down the sugar or use peaches in light syrup? Yes. If your canned peaches are in light syrup or youre using very ripe fresh fruit, reduce the filling sugar by 1/4 cup or to taste. If you use a sugar substitute be aware it can change the filling thickness and browning.

Easy Southern Peach Cobbler [with Canned Peaches] Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Canned peaches in heavy syrup: swap with fresh peaches (about 4 to 5 ripe, peeled and sliced, toss with 1/4 cup sugar and a squeeze of lemon) or use frozen peaches, thawed and drained. If you use peaches packed in light syrup, cut the filling sugar a tad.
Buttermilk: use 1/2 cup plain yogurt or kefir thinned with a tablespoon of milk, or the quick sub of 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar works fine. Yogurt gives a bit more tang and makes the biscuit topping extra tender.
Cornstarch: replace with equal parts tapioca starch or arrowroot powder for thickening. Tapioca gives a glossy, slightly chewier glaze, arrowroot sets up quickly so dont overcook it.
Cold unsalted butter: use salted butter and reduce any added salt by about 1/4 teaspoon, or swap to solid coconut oil (same amount) for a dairy free option — texture and flavor will change a bit, but it still bakes up flaky.

Pro Tips

1. Keep the butter rock cold and cut it into pea sized bits, work the dough as little as possible. Cold butter = flaky, tender biscuits, but overmixing makes them tough so stop when it just holds together.

2. Reserve 2 to 4 tablespoons of the peach syrup and stir it into the filling if you want it saucier. If it ends up too thin after baking, whisk a tiny cornstarch slurry and warm briefly to thicken — but do that gently so the peaches don’t turn mushy.

3. Drop the biscuit dough with gaps between pieces so steam and filling can bubble up. That prevents soggy middles and gives you pretty, uneven tops that brown better. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle coarse sugar for extra crunch.

4. Bake on the middle rack and set your dish on a preheated baking sheet to help the bottom cook evenly. If the tops brown too fast, loosely cover with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.

5. Let it rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the filling sets — scooping too soon makes a soupy mess. Serve warm with cold ice cream or whipped cream to balance the sweetness, and taste the filling before baking so you can adjust sugar if needed.

Easy Southern Peach Cobbler [with Canned Peaches] Recipe

Recipe by Dan Coroni

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my Easy Southern Peach Cobbler that pairs canned peaches with a sweet cinnamon biscuit topping, made entirely from scratch and offered with a gluten-free option.

Servings

servings

Calories

375

kcal

Equipment: 1. 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish
2. Medium saucepan
3. Mixing bowls (one large for dough, one small for wet egg/buttermilk mix)
4. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
5. Pastry cutter or two forks (for cutting cold butter into the flour)
6. Whisk
7. Wooden spoon or rubber spatula (for stirring the filling and folding dough)
8. Can opener and a colander or fine mesh sieve (to drain peaches)
9. Pastry brush, oven mitts and a cooling rack for resting after baking

Ingredients

2 (15 ounce) cans sliced peaches in heavy syrup, drained or one 29 ounce can
1/2 cup granulated sugar for the filling
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose blend for GF)
1/4 cup granulated sugar for the biscuit topping
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar as a quick sub)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing the biscuit tops
2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar for sprinkling, optional
vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F and grease an 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Drain 2 (15 oz) cans sliced peaches (or one 29 oz can), but save 2 to 4 tablespoons of the syrup for extra peach flavor if you like it a bit saucy.
In a medium saucepan combine the drained peaches, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat and heat over medium, cooking until the mixture just thickens and becomes glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and taste for sweetness, add a bit more sugar if needed.
Pour the hot peach filling into your prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly but gently so pieces stay intact.
In a bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose blend for GF), 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea sized bits.
In a small bowl mix 1 large beaten egg, 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if using. Pour the wet into the dry and stir just until combined, dont overmix or the biscuits will get tough.
Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough over the peach filling, spacing them so there are little gaps for steam to escape and filling to bubble up.
Brush the biscuit tops with 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons coarse or turbinado sugar if you want a pretty crunchy top.
Bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Let the cobbler cool 10 to 15 minutes so the filling sets a bit before scooping.
Serve warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Quick hacks: keep the butter cold when cutting it into the flour for flakier biscuits, reserve a little peach syrup to adjust filling consistency, and if the filling seems thin after baking stir in a tiny cornstarch slurry and warm it briefly next time.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.