Sourdough Peach Cobbler
Looking for a delicious way to use up your sourdough discard? This sourdough peach cobbler is the perfect treat. Sweet, juicy peaches are topped with a soft, buttery biscuit topping made with sourdough discard, giving you a dessert that’s both resourceful and irresistible. It’s one of the best discard recipes to make during peach season, and it just might be the best peach cobbler you’ve ever baked at home.
Why you’ll love this Sourdough Peach Cobbler
- One of the best sourdough discard recipes! It’s the perfect way to use your sourdough discard. No need to feed it first.
- Quick and easy! I love a good Peach Pie with Crumble Topping, but this is so much faster and easier!
- A perfect way to use peaches in season if you love fresh peach recipes!
- Cobbler recipes are great for serving a big crowd! This recipe makes a 9×13 pan that yields 12 generous servings.
- The topping! Not cakey, it’s an old fashioned biscuit peach cobbler! The topping is like a thick, spreadable biscuit, creating a fluffy, but firm top crust! It’s sweet and delicious!
Haven’t started your sourdough journey yet? Check the recipe notes for a non sourdough version of this peach cobbler. You’re missing out on so many yummy recipes! I know it can seem overwhelming, but I can walk you through it. With just 5 minutes a day, you can create your own healthy sourdough starter – opening a new world of baking!
Table of contents
Ingredients
- Peaches – Peel, pit and chop the peaches. I prefer using cubed peaches instead of sliced – they bake up better and are more bite-sized for eating.
- Sourdough Discard – You can use discard that is runny, but fed within the past week. The longer discard remains unfed, even in the refrigerator, the more acidic flavor it develops. Since sourdough peach cobbler is a sweet treat, an overly sour discard isn’t ideal here. If you’re looking for more discard recipes, you’ll love my Sourdough Sugar Cookies too!
- Buttermilk – This adds a tender crumb and rich flavor to the biscuit topping. I love using buttermilk also in my old fashioned buttermilk biscuits.
- Cozy spices – just like my favorite fall dessert, Apple Crumble Pie, this sourdough peach cobbler has cozy spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Find the full list of ingredients in my recipe card below.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sourdough Discard – If you want to make this recipe without sourdough starter, I’ve provided instructions in the recipe notes. You’ll simply add more flour and buttermilk to the biscuit topping.
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own. In a small bowl, combine 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar with 1/2 cup regular milk. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. It will develop a thick texture. This is also called “sour milk”. I also use this in my Soft and Puffy Sugar Cookies. It works just great to develop a baked good with a tender crumb.
- Peaches – Just like my Peach Cinnamon Rolls, I prefer to use fresh peaches for this recipe. However, you can substitute fresh peaches for canned. Just be sure to drain off the juices first. You can also use frozen peaches as well – make sure you thaw them first, and then drain any extra juices.
How to make Sourdough Peach Cobbler
Prepare the peach filling
Step 1: Peel, pit and chop the peaches into 1-inch cubes. Place them into a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients for the peach filling – the brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Stir until combined.
Step 3: Pour the peach cobbler filling into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 10 minutes. This bake time helps get the peaches baked a little bit before adding the biscuit topping. These spiced peaches are so delicious! They remind me of the peach filling in my Easy Peach Bread!
What’s the best pan to use? I love to use a ceramic 9×13-inch baking dish for this recipe. It’s great at evenly distributing heat. Another great option is to bake peach cobbler in a cast iron skillet. A 12-inch cast iron skillet would be large enough for this fruit cobbler. A 9×13-inch pan holds about 3 quarts (or 10-12 cups). You can also make Dutch oven peach cobbler – I’d suggest using a 5 to 7-quart Dutch oven.
Make the biscuit cobbler topping
Step 4: To a medium bowl, add the ingredients for the sourdough biscuit topping – the sourdough discard, flour, baking powder, salt, melted butter, and buttermilk.
Step 5: Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or spatula. I make the peach cobbler biscuit topping while the peaches are baking. If you make it too far in advance, the biscuit mixture will thicken and become too difficult to spread.
Bake
Step 6: Spread the biscuit topping over the warm peaches. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top. This adds such a yummy sugar crust when it bakes! Bake the sourdough peach cobbler for 40-50 minutes.
Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the biscuit topping. It should come out clean. Place on a wire cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving. The cooling period will help the peach filling to set up just a bit more.
Serve this sourdough peach cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! It’s such a yummy summer treat! You’ll love the perfectly spiced peaches, combined with a cinnamon sugar biscuit topping – it’s pure heaven! Late summer peach season is a delicious time for baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow the cobbler to cool completely. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or place leftovers into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
Peach cobbler is best the same day, warm out of the oven. But yes, you can make it a day ahead and refrigerate it. Then reheat it in a preheated 350°F oven. Cover with foil to prevent it from browning too much. Heat until the peaches are warm, about 15-20 minutes.
Yes! You can absolutely use an active starter. No need to change anything in the recipe. However, if needed, you may need to add just a bit more buttermilk to make the biscuit topping spreadable.
More dessert recipes you’ll love
Sourdough Peach Cobbler Recipe
Sourdough Peach Cobbler
Equipment
Ingredients
Peach Filling
- 10 cups peaches peeled and cubed into 1-inch chunks
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Biscuit Topping
- ½ cup sourdough discard
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup buttermilk
Cinnamon Sugar topping
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Prepare the peach filling: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the peach filling. Spread the peach mixture into the baking dish.
- First bake: Bake for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the biscuit topping: While the peaches are baking, mix together all the ingredients for the biscuit topping. Stir them together in a medium bowl. A Danish dough whisk works great for this. The mixture should be thick, but spreadable.
- Add the topping to the peaches: Remove the peaches from the oven. Spoon the biscuit topping over the peaches. Spread with a spoon or spatula to cover the peaches.
- Add the cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle over the biscuit topping.
- Finish baking: Return the cobbler to the oven and bake another 40-50 minutes, until the peaches are bubbling and the cobbler is a light golden brown. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the biscuit topping. If it comes out clean, it's done.
- Place the baking dish on a wire cooling rack. Allow the peach cobbler to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm and add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream – it's so delicious!
Notes
- Storing: Allow the cobbler to cool completely. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or place leftovers into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
- Reheating: Peach cobbler is best the same day, warm out of the oven. But you can reheat it. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover with foil to prevent it from browning too much. Heat until the peaches are warm, about 15-20 minutes.
- You can absolutely use an active starter instead of discard. No need to change anything in the recipe. However, if needed, you may need to add just a bit more buttermilk to make the biscuit topping spreadable.
- Non sourdough version: Remove the discard from the biscuit topping ingredients. Add an additional 50g flour and 50g buttermilk to the biscuit recipe. Make the rest of the recipe as it appears in the recipe card.
This sourdough peach cobbler recipe is such a creative twist on a classic dessert. I love the idea of using sourdough for extra flavor and texture—definitely giving this a try soon!