Southern Living’s Easy Peach Cobbler Is Everything I Want in a Summer Dessert
When I began my search for peach cobbler recipes to choose for this recipe showdown, Southern Living magazine was one of the first places I checked. After all, you’re just as likely to find issues of the magazine in Southern homes as you are classic community cookbooks.
I knew Southern Living would have something to say about this summertime staple, but what I didn’t know was how easy the recipe could be (just four short steps!). Could simplicity be the key to the perfect peach cobbler? I filled my cart with fresh Georgia peaches and went to the kitchen to find out.
Get the recipe: Southern Living’s Easy Peach Cobbler
How to Make Southern Living’s Easy Peach Cobbler
Start by melting butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish. If your baking dish does not fit in the microwave, melt the butter in a small bowl, then pour into the baking dish. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl, then pour in the milk. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened, then pour the mixture over the butter. Do not stir. Combine sugar, peeled peach slices, and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the peaches over the batter. Do not stir. If desired, sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Bake the cobbler in a 375°F oven until golden-brown, about 40 to 45 minutes.
My Honest Review of Southern Living’s Easy Peach Cobbler
Walk into any meat-and-three restaurant in the South and you’ll find a peach cobbler just like this at the end of the cafeteria line. The combination of tender, sliced summer peaches snuggled under a blanket of golden cake is the ultimate Southern comfort. And with just four steps, turning fresh peaches and a sweet batter into a classic cobbler could not be easier.
Southern Living‘s recipe doesn’t specify whether to peel the peaches or not, but the accompanying video makes it clear the peaches should be peeled. The peaches, sugar, and lemon juice turn into syrup and soft fruit on the stovetop.
The cobbler is kin to dump cakes, where fruit, batter, and butter are added in a specific sequence yet not stirred together. The magic occurs in the oven when the fruit bubbles in the butter and peeks through the golden cake on top. The cake is moist, sweet, and terribly simple to make, requiring no extra equipment or specialty ingredients. This cobbler makes enough to feed a crowd and highlights the best in peak-summer peaches. Simply stated, it’s everything I’m looking for in a summer dessert.
If You’re Making Southern Living’s Easy Peach Cobbler, a Few Tips
- Add more peaches. This recipe calls for 4 cups of peaches, but I’d recommend using 6 to 8 cups for a fruitier peach-to-pastry proportion.
- But reduce the sugar. Juicy, ripe peaches are often sweet enough to not need much sugar. Cut back to 1/2 cup of sugar to let the natural fruit flavor shine through.
Overall rating: 9.5/10
Have you tried Southern Living’s Easy Peach Cobbler? Let us know in the comments!