Easy Canned Peach Cobbler

Easy Canned Peach Cobbler is what I make when I want a warm dessert and the fruit bowl is empty. Canned peaches work well here: drain them, keep a little juice for the filling, and spoon a simple biscuit topping over the fruit. The edges bake up golden while the peaches bubble underneath.

Why Make This Recipe

There’s no need to peel peaches or wait for them to ripen. Two cans make enough cobbler for six servings, and the whole thing fits in an 8-inch square baking dish. You can mix the topping with a fork, so you don’t need a mixer or a food processor.

I use peaches packed in juice, not heavy syrup. They’re sweet enough once baked, and you can control how much sugar goes into the filling. A spoonful of cornstarch thickens the juices so you get soft fruit rather than peach soup at the bottom of the dish.

How to Make Easy Canned Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (15 ounces each) sliced peaches packed in juice
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for the filling
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon butter, for the baking dish
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for the topping
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/3 cup cold whole milk
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar or granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking, plus 20 minutes for the cobbler to rest. This recipe makes 6 servings. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.

2. Drain the peaches in a colander set over a bowl. Measure 1/4 cup of the juice and discard the rest, or save it for another use. Put the peaches in the baking dish and gently toss them with the reserved juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Spread them into an even layer.

3. Bake the peaches for 10 minutes. You should see a few bubbles around the edges. Heating the fruit first gives the topping a head start once it goes on, so its underside doesn’t sit against cool, wet peaches.

4. While the peaches bake, stir the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the cold butter and press it into the flour with your fingertips or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-size pieces. Pour in the cold milk and stir just until no dry flour remains. The dough will be thick and a little rough; don’t try to make it smooth.

5. Take the hot dish out of the oven and set it on a heatproof surface. Drop small spoonfuls of dough over the peaches, leaving a few gaps for steam to escape. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon sugar. Don’t spread the dough into a solid sheet or press it into the fruit.

6. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden, feels set in the center, and the filling bubbles through the gaps. If the top browns before the center is cooked, lay a loose piece of foil over the dish for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Let the cobbler rest for 20 minutes before serving so the juices can thicken.

How to Serve Easy Canned Peach Cobbler

Spoon it into shallow bowls while it’s warm. Vanilla ice cream is good with the cinnamon and peaches, though a little plain whipped cream works too. You don’t need either one. The biscuit topping has enough buttery crunch to make a bowl satisfying on its own.

For a simple dessert spread, serve small portions of cobbler alongside something cool that you’ve made ahead, such as easy chocolate pudding pie. Give the cobbler its 20-minute rest before you scoop it. Straight from the oven, the filling is hot and runny, and it’ll burn your tongue before you can enjoy it.

How to Store Easy Canned Peach Cobbler

Let leftovers cool, then cover the dish or transfer portions to a container and refrigerate within 2 hours. They’ll keep for up to 4 days. The topping will soften in the fridge, but it still tastes good. For practical guidance on cooling and refrigerating leftovers, see the FDA’s safe food handling advice and the FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart.

To reheat a portion, put it in a small oven-safe dish and warm it at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes. A microwave is quicker, about 30 to 45 seconds per serving, but the topping stays softer. I don’t bother freezing baked cobbler; once thawed, the peaches release more liquid and the biscuit loses its texture.

Tips to Make Easy Canned Peach Cobbler

• Check the can label. Peaches in juice are the easiest choice for these sugar amounts. If yours are packed in heavy syrup, drain them well and leave the 2 tablespoons of sugar out of the filling. Taste a peach slice before you decide.

• Measure the reserved juice. More than 1/4 cup makes the filling loose, even with cornstarch. If you accidentally pour in too much, spoon some out before the dish goes into the oven.

• Keep the butter cold. The little pieces of butter help the topping bake tender rather than dense. If your kitchen is warm and the dough gets greasy while you work, put the bowl in the fridge for 5 minutes.

• Stop mixing early. Once the milk has moistened the flour, the topping is ready. Stirring until it looks polished makes a tough biscuit, so a few lumps are fine.

• Watch the bubbles, not just the clock. Bubbling fruit around the center gaps tells you the filling has had time to thicken. A golden top alone can be misleading, especially in a glass baking dish.

• Use the right size dish. An 8-inch square dish gives you a good balance of fruit and topping. In a larger dish, the layers spread thin and can bake too quickly.

Variation

For a peach and berry cobbler, replace one can of peaches with 1 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries. Keep the reserved peach juice, cornstarch, and baking times the same. The filling will turn purple in spots and may need a few extra minutes if the berries were cold from the fridge.

If you’d rather use fresh peaches, peel them if you like, or leave the skins on as I do. Use about 4 cups of sliced fruit, skip the canned juice, and add 2 tablespoons of water to the filling. Peaches vary in sweetness, so taste one before adding all the sugar. Cobblers come in several styles, as this overview of cobbler shows; this version uses a spooned-on biscuit topping rather than a cake batter.

Easy Canned Peach Cobbler

A warm canned peach cobbler with cinnamon peaches and a simple biscuit topping. The peaches bake beneath spooned dough until the edges are golden and the filling bubbles.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Rest time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Filling

• 2 cans (15 ounces each) sliced peaches packed in juice drained
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for the filling
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the dish

• 1 teaspoon butter for the baking dish

Topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar for the topping
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small cubes
• 1/3 cup whole milk cold
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar or granulated sugar for sprinkling

Method

 

1. Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 40 minutes of cooking, plus 20 minutes for the cobbler to rest. This recipe makes 6 servings. Heat the oven to 375°F and butter an 8-by-8-inch baking dish.
2. Drain the peaches in a colander set over a bowl. Measure 1/4 cup of the juice and discard the rest, or save it for another use. Put the peaches in the baking dish and gently toss them with the reserved juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Spread them into an even layer.
3. Bake the peaches for 10 minutes. You should see a few bubbles around the edges. Heating the fruit first gives the topping a head start once it goes on, so its underside doesn’t sit against cool, wet peaches.
4. While the peaches bake, stir the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the cold butter and press it into the flour with your fingertips or a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-size pieces. Pour in the cold milk and stir just until no dry flour remains. The dough will be thick and a little rough; don’t try to make it smooth.
5. Take the hot dish out of the oven and set it on a heatproof surface. Drop small spoonfuls of dough over the peaches, leaving a few gaps for steam to escape. Sprinkle the top with 1 tablespoon sugar. Don’t spread the dough into a solid sheet or press it into the fruit.
6. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is golden, feels set in the center, and the filling bubbles through the gaps. If the top browns before the center is cooked, lay a loose piece of foil over the dish for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Let the cobbler rest for 20 minutes before serving so the juices can thicken.

Notes

Use peaches packed in juice and measure exactly 1/4 cup of reserved juice. Keep the butter cold, stop mixing once the flour is moistened, and watch for bubbling fruit through the center gaps. Let the cobbler rest for 20 minutes before serving.

FAQs

Can I make the cobbler ahead of time?

You can mix the peach filling and refrigerate it, covered, for up to a day. Mix the biscuit topping just before baking so the baking powder can do its job in the oven. If the fruit is cold, give its first bake 15 minutes instead of 10, until the edges start to bubble.

Why is my cobbler runny?

It usually needs more time to bake or rest. The filling should bubble through the gaps in the topping, and it thickens further during the 20-minute rest. Too much reserved juice can also be the cause, so measure it instead of pouring by eye.

Can I use frozen peaches?

Yes. Use 4 cups of frozen sliced peaches and add 2 tablespoons of water in place of the reserved juice. There’s no need to thaw them, but bake the fruit for 20 minutes before adding the topping, then check that the filling bubbles in the center before you take the cobbler out.

Conclusion

Keep a couple of cans of peaches in the cupboard and dessert is never far away. For another easy bake on a different day, try brown butter shortbread bars or strawberry brownies. Tonight, I’d make the cobbler and leave it on the counter just long enough for that first warm spoonful to hold together.