Homemade Peach Cobbler (Bourbon Spiked)

This mouthwatering peach cobbler is made with cinnamon sugared peaches, topped with a buttery shortbread-like topping, then baked to bubbly perfection.  My recipe is extremely versatile so you can use fresh, frozen, or canned peaches, which means you can make this alllll year round!

This Homemade Peach Cobbler is such a fun, easy dessert, and SO delicious!  We love fabulous summer desserts, like my Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream (no churn), and Funfetti Cake Batter Dip.   This is one of my Dessert recipes you’ll definitely want in your collection!

PEACH COBBLER

Can we just skip ahead a couple of months and get to the fun late-spring/summer?  Normally I like to hang on to the chillier weather, but I am just D O N E with this early Spring.  Too much craziness in the world right now.

So I say, it’s time for a dessert… an ultra-comforting one at that.  Peach cobbler.  Such a homey, smells like Grandma was in your kitchen baking, kind of a dessert!

This cobbler is no exception.  I mix peaches with a little sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch and bourbon (ohhh yeah), then top it with a sweet and butter shortbread-ish topping.  Oh my goodness you won’t believe how amazing this dessert is.

My daughter was sneaking bite after bite – and she’s my picky one!

HOW TO MAKE PEACH COBBLER

Everyone has their own idea of what a cobbler is.  Traditionally speaking though, cobbler is a baked fruit dish that’s topped with a biscuit, pie crust, or shortbread-like top.

When baked, the topping create a “cobbled” look, similar to a cobblestone street.  Some versions also have a cake-like topping.

1. Butter baking dish and preheat oven.  I like to use butter, the way my grandma always did, but if you prefer cooking spray, feel free to use that.
2. Combine peaches, sugar, starch, spices and bourbon.  Using cornstarch gives the final texture of the baked cobbler a thick and jammy sauce, instead of being runny.  Bourbon adds such a beautiful warmth to the recipe, but it’s not a necessity.  I love using cinnamon with my peaches – again, that warmth is just amazing.
3. Transfer peach mixture to baking dish.
4. Combine topping ingredients in a separate mixing bowl.  I like to use a whisk to make sure the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and spices) are combined really well.
5. Add vanilla to melted butter, then add to topping ingredients.  Adding it this way ensures that everything is mixed in really well.  The butter to dry ingredient ratio isn’t even, so the mixture will come together quickly, and you don’t want to have some parts of the topping be very vanilla-y, and some not at all.
6. Crumble topping over the peaches and bake.  No need for fancy tools here, I just use my fingers.
7. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.  This is because first of all, it’s realllllly hot.  And secondly, you want those juices to thicken up a bit before you try to serve it.

ADDITIONAL COOKING TIPS

As I mentioned, you can make this peach cobbler with canned (as written), frozen, or fresh peaches!

If using frozen peaches, you’ll want to thaw them first, otherwise your cobbler will be too runny.

If using fresh peaches, you may be wondering how to tell if a peach is ripe at the grocery store.

• Weight – if the peach feels heavy for it’s size, there’s a good chance it’s juicy and ripe.
• Press – press the top of the peach (by where the stem was).  If it gives a little bit, it’s ripe.  If it’s hard, it’s not quite ripe yet.  If it’s really soft, it’s over-ripe.
  • If you have peaches that are not ripe yet, add them to a paper bag and let them sit on the counter for a day or so, and they’ll soften up.

For fresh peaches, you have a choice of peeling or not peeling your peaches.  This is totally a personal preference.

• To peel – use a paring knife to make a small “X” on the bottom of the peach.  Add them to boiling water for about 30 seconds, then add them immediately to a bowl of ice water (like you would for hard boiled eggs).  The skin should slide off.

VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE

• NON-ALCOHOLIC – even though most of the alcohol is cooked off during the baking process, you may not like the taste of bourbon, or just prefer not to add it.  I would substitute it with an equal amount of liquid from the canned peaches, or an equal amount of lemon juice.
• BROWN SUGAR – try swapping the sugar on the peaches with brown sugar for a more caramel-y flavor.
• GINGER – try adding 1/4 tsp of fresh grated ginger to the peach mixture.
• PECAN – adding about 1/3 cup of chopped pecans to the topping adds beautiful texture and flavor.

MAKING PEACH COBBLER AHEAD OF TIME

Since the topping of this cobbler has baking powder in it, I don’t recommend making it ahead of time (since leavening agents will start reacting immediately).  However, you can mix up the topping ingredients (minus the butter and vanilla), so it will cut down on your prep time.

You can also combine the cornstarch, cinnamon, and sugar in a ziploc, so all you need to do is add the peaches and bourbon (if using).

FREEZING

You can assemble the whole cobbler, cover it tightly, and freeze for 2-4 months.  To cook, don’t thaw, just add an additional 20 minutes or so of cook time.

STORAGE

Leftover cobbler should be refrigerated and consumed within 3 days.

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE

• 2 quart baking dish – the dish I used in these photos is vintage, but this glass dish is a good alternative!

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