Bourbon Peach Cobbler

This bourbon peach cobbler starts with fresh, juicy peaches baked with brown sugar, bourbon and spices. The buttery dough on top is crisp and golden brown, like the edges of a cookie, but with a fluffy cake-like texture underneath. For a quick and easy peach dessert for summer, peach cobbler is always a crowd pleaser.

You might also love these recipes for peach lattice pie, peaches and cream cake, and brown butter peach crumb bars.

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Easier than Pie. With a peach cobbler, you get all the flavor of a peach pie, but with a fraction of the time and effort. The topping is much simpler to make than pie dough, and comes together easily with just a bowl and spoon. And since cobbler is best enjoyed warm from the oven, there’s no waiting hours for a pie to set up until you can slice into it. Just pop it into the oven when you’re sitting down to dinner, and dessert will be ready by the time you’ve finished.

Delicious in Summer or Winter. June and July is the peak season for fresh peaches in Colorado, and they’re even better if you can get your hands on some Palisade peaches. But the sweet, summery flavor of the peaches is nicely complemented by bourbon, brown sugar and warm spices like ginger, allspice and cardamom. So if you have some frozen peaches on hand, this is also a wonderful dessert to make in the fall and winter.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude. However, with just a little baking powder in the topping to give it a bit of lift, today’s recipe will work at any altitude.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter. You’ll need softened butter to grease the baking pan, as well as melted butter for the topping.
• Peaches. You’ll need fresh, ripe peaches that are sweet and juicy, but not mushy or over-ripe. Whether or not you peel them is up to your own personal preference.
• Brown Sugar. Sweetens the filling and the topping. I used light brown sugar, but you can use dark brown if that’s what you have on hand, and you don’t mind a richer molasses flavor.
• Corn Starch. Thickens the peach juices in the filling. You could also use all-purpose flour as a thickener.
• Bourbon. Adds a bit of flavor to the peach filling, but it’s totally optional if you don’t want to use alcohol.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
• Spices. A blend of ginger, allspice and cardamom adds lovely flavor to the peaches.
• Egg. Adds moisture to the dough, and more of a cake-like texture.
• All-Purpose Flour. Gives the topping structure and strength.
• Baking Powder. Leavening agent, giving the topping lift so it puffs and spreads a bit as it bakes.
• Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
• Granulated Sugar. Sprinkled over the top of the cobbler before baking, it gives the topping a crunchy, sparkly finish.

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Grease your pie pan with the (1 tbsp) softened butter.
• To the greased pie pan, add the prepared peaches, and the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir until well combined.

• To make the topping, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in a bowl, until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and stir into a soft dough.

• Use a spoon, or a small cookie scoop with a release lever, to scoop tablespoon-sized dollops of dough on top of the peaches. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar.
• Bake the cobbler for about 40-45 minutes, until the juices are thick and bubbly, and the topping is baked through and golden brown.

Baker’s Note: If the peach juices don’t fully thicken, it’s not a big deal like it would be if you’re baking a pie that you want to cut into neat slices. The most important thing is that the topping is fully cooked, and not raw or doughy underneath. If the topping needs longer to bake, but is getting too brown on top, simply cover the cobbler loosely with aluminum foil while it finishes baking.

• Let cool for several minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream. If you like, sprinkle the top of the cobbler with ground vanilla bean for a pretty, aromatic finish.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen or canned peaches instead of fresh peaches?

If using frozen peaches, let them thaw completely first. If using canned peaches, rinse the syrup off the peaches, then let them thoroughly drain of excess water.

Will nectarines work instead of peaches?

Yes, you can use nectarines instead of peaches, or a combination of both. You could even add a few apricots, if you like.

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes. For a larger cobbler, double the filling and topping ingredients, and bake in a 9×13 baking dish.

How long can I keep leftover peach cobbler?

Cobbler is best eaten the day it’s made, but you can store leftover cobbler in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  Reheat portions in the microwave at 50% power.

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