Grandma’s Fresh and Easy Peach Cobbler

Most of our grandmas were not fussy bakers. They didn’t have the time. Household and farm chores kept them busy through much of the year. When peaches came ripe, grandma took advantage the surplus by canning quart jars of the sweet summer fruit to be enjoyed through the winter. During peach season, Grandma’s simple cobbler was also likely to show up on the dinner table.

Grandma’s peach cobbler may not have been fancy but you won’t find a recipe that’s any tastier or any easier to prepare. It uses basic ingredients that are baking staples in every kitchen. The recipe is foolproof. It can be stirred up quickly by hand — no need to haul out your mixer or dirty the food processor — and it bakes up golden brown and delicious every time.

The final step of this recipe often frightens young cooks and sends them looking for a recipe with more familiar steps. I’ll admit, pouring so much boiling water over your prepared cobbler does sound a bit crazy, but it is a step seen often in vintage cobbler recipes and it works. Try it. Grandma knew what she was doing.

Grandma’s Fresh and Easy Peach Cobbler

• 5 or 6 large peaches, peeled and sliced
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ cup cold butter, cut into chunks
• 1 cup milk

For the topping

• 2/3 cup sugar
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 ½ cups boiling water

Layer the peach slices in the bottom of a greased 13” x9” or similar sized pan. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it forms a fine crumb. Gently stir in the milk just until blended. Don’t overmix your batter. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the sliced peaches.

Stir together cornstarch and topping sugar. Sprinkle the sugar and cornstarch mixture evenly over the batter. Pour the boiling water over all the batter. Much of the cornstarch/sugar mixture will be washed down into the peaches.  

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly around the edges. Makes 12-16 servings.