“And inside the peach, there’s a stone.”
– Margaret Atwood, Alias Grace.

One of my favorite things about August and September is the peaches. Buy them too early or too late, and they never seem to ripen or develop flavor. But in late summer? Heaven. And the peaches have been particularly good this year, for which I am genuinely grateful. After so many on-going grocery and produce shortages due to coronavirus, it is a wonderful surprise.

I first saw this cobbler recipe from Renee Erickson on Epicurious, who in turn had inherited it from Susan Kaplan, of Seattle’s Boat Street Café. What intrigued me was the hot-water sugar crust – you top the peaches with the batter, sprinkle the batter with sugar, and then pour hot water all over everything. I just had to try it.

With only the two of us cloistered together at home (and sharing beyond that not an option thanks to this ongoing quarantine), I halved the recipe and made it in a square 9×9 pan instead of a long baking dish. It came out perfectly, so just know that this is an easily-adjustable recipe.

The Steps

Slice peaches and lay them in pan.
Sprinkle with lemon zest and juice.
Cream butter and sugar.
Add the dry ingredients and mix.
Add the milk and mix.
Scoop batter over peaches and smooth out.
Sprinkle sugar on top of batter.
Pour hot water over the top, dissolving the sugar.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 350°F.
Let set up for about an hour then serve with ice cream, whipped cream, or yogurt.

Reality Bakes

This was such an easy cobbler to throw together, and I’m still fascinated by that hot-sugar crust. It is a bit on the sweet side, so I preferred it with a dollop of tart Greek yogurt instead of whipped cream. I also wish I’d thought to sprinkle in just a little bit of cardamom – I think it would have complemented the cobbler beautifully.

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Peach Cobbler

Adapted from the Boat Street Café's Susan Kaplan and Renee Erickson, this wonderfully-easy cobbler makes the most of summer's peaches by topping them with a lovely, crackly hot-sugar crust.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Servings 6

Author Jen Leigh, adapted from Susan Kaplan and Renee Erickson

Ingredients

3 to 4 large peaches, unpeeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
5 tbsp whole milk
1/4 cup hot water
Yogurt, ice cream, heavy cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Put the peaches in a 9-by-9 (or similar) baking pan. Arrange the peaches in a fairly even layer and pat them down.
Sprinkle the top with the zest of lemon, then drizzle all over with the lemon juice.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar on medium speed until combined but sandy, about one minute. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and beat again until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture is crumbly.
On low speed, slowly add in the milk. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about two minutes.
Spoon the batter in large scoops over the top of the peaches. With an offset spatula or butter knife, carefully spread the batter evenly over the fruit, no more than 1/2 inch thick in any one place.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup sugar over the batter. Drizzle the hot water evenly over the sugar, melting the sugar into the topping. Be sure to use all the hot water.
Bake the cobbler for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is browned and cracked. A toothpick inserted into the topping should come out dry.
Let the cobbler sit for about an hour to firm up before serving. Serve alone, or with ice cream or yogurt, or with heavy cream poured on top (optional).