Cornbread Peach Cobbler

Fresh, juicy, and tart summer peaches get tossed with a bit of lemon and brown sugar, then topped with a cakelike cornbread batter. In the oven, the peaches get soft and jammy while still maintaining their shape, and the cornbread cobbler bakes into a lightly sweet, crispy edged cornbread/cake hybrid. Topped with extra cornmeal sugar for sweetness and crunch. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Serves 8-10.

Ingredients:

• For the peaches:
  • 8-9 large ripe fresh yellow peaches (about 2 pounds or 900 grams)
  • 40 grams light or dark brown sugar (add more, to taste, if your peaches are very tart)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 15 grams unsalted butter, melted
  • zest of one lemon, finely grated
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch 
  • a pinch of cinnamon (optional)
• For the cornmeal cobbler batter:
  • 115 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 90 grams granulated white sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 160 grams whole milk
  • 80 grams fine yellow cornmeal
  • 115 grams all purpose flour
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• Cornmeal sugar, for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1. Set your oven to 350 Fahrenheit (175 Celsius).
2. Prepare the peaches:
   1. Cut the peaches into wedges or slices.
   2. Place the peaches, along with the lemon, brown sugar, vanilla, butter, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
   3. Toss to combine – make sure there aren’t any clumps of sugar or cornstarch.
   4. Place the peaches in a large oven safe baking dish (skillet, roasting pan, or anything similar – about 10 inches in diameter)
   5. Set aside while you make the cornbread batter.
3. Make the cornbread batter:
   1. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, salt, and milk. Whisk to combine.
   2. Add the cornmeal and whisk.
   3. Add the rest of the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder). Whisk until fully combined. Once smooth, stop mixing.
   4. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
4. Pour or dollop the cornbread batter on top. You can use a spoon or spatula to spread it out, or leave it uneven – it doesn’t need to be perfect.
5. Sprinkle generously with cornmeal sugar (equal parts cornmeal and granulated sugar).
6. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Cornbread peach cobbler is ready when it is a deep golden brown, with peaches bubbling along the edges, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
   • If the cobbler is browning too much but isn’t fully baked, top with foil and return to the oven to keep baking until ready.
7. Let cool slightly (about 5 minutes). Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Enjoy!
   • Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator, for a few days and reheated before eating, but cobbler is best when warm and freshly baked.

Notes:

• Peeling peaches: I never bother peeling the peaches, as the skins add color and flavor, and their texture is hardly noticeable after baking. However, you can peel them beforehand if desired.
• Individual baking dishes: You can absolutely make this cobbler in individual ramekins or any smaller oven safe dish. Chop the peaches into small cubes to fit your baking dish, and start checking the cobbler after about 20 minutes in the oven. You can also cut this recipe in half for a smaller batch.
• Baking with other fruit: Nectarines are a perfect swap for peaches here. I have not tested this recipe with canned peaches so I can’t recommend it.
• Sweetness: This peach cobbler is overall not too sweet, because I like to let the flavor of the peaches and corn shine on their own, but you can of course adjust for a sweeter dessert. Add more brown sugar to the peaches, to taste, and increase the sugar in the cornbread batter to 110 grams.
• Baking powder: Sometimes when baking with fruit, baking powder will create a blue/green color where batter meets fruit. If this happens, the cobbler is still perfectly edible and delicious, but you can avoid it by using aluminum-free baking powder.