Crazy Crust Peach Cobbler
Our peach cobbler recipe is a classic Southern dessert. It’s packed with sweetened canned peaches and has cake-like crust that creeps up as it bakes. It’s an old fashioned recipe that’s been in our family for decades.
John and I love making and recreating vintage recipes. We have a folder full of handwritten notes, scraps of paper, and old family favorites. This peach cobbler is one his mom used to make. John loves the combination of the cakey crust and the sweetened and lightly spiced peaches.
His mom used super simple ingredients like self-rising flour, canned peaches, and a few pantry staples. There’s not much to it at all. A lot of folks call it “old fashioned peach cobbler” and others call it “crazy crust cobbler.” The batter for the crust starts out on the bottom and rises up and around the peaches for cobbled look. It’s kind of crazy how it works and really cool to watch.
If you’re a dessert fan, you’re gonna love my strawberry cobbler, too! It has the same style crust and is perfect for the summer’s freshest strawberries.
What to Know So the Cobbler Sets Up Right
- Use the correct flour. My recipe uses self-rising flour which has the leavening agents mixed in, so there’s no need to add more. This means the crust should rise without issue assuming your flour isn’t expired (check the expiration date before you bake!).
- Sauciness: This cobbler is moist but not “saucy” like a cobbler made with pie crust. The crust soaks up some of the liquid as it bakes. It will be a little doughy looking where the peaches touch the crust, but those parts are done. It’s just moisture from the peaches.
- Control the sweetness: You can easily control the sweetness by adjusting the amount of sugar in the filling. I use some of the syrup from the canned peaches plus some brown sugar. If the peaches are sweet enough for you, use a little less brown sugar. You’ll still want some since that’s what makes the sauce.
- Avoid burnt edges: This is a big problem if you’re using a glass baking dish. I use ceramic and get a nice golden brown crust that’s a little crispier around the edges but not overdone. Glass heats more slowly and keeps the dish hotter over a longer period of time. That being said, the heat doesn’t transfer to the center very well. If using a glass dish, reduce the oven temp to 325°F and add an additional 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time. You may need to add a foil tent if the crust begins to brown before the center is done.
Ingredients
- I use canned peaches in syrup for convenience, year-round availability, and they’re economical, too. You’ll also need some of the juice from one of the cans.
- Self-rising flour is the way to go to keep ingredients at a minimum. There’s also no second guessing which to use – baking powder, baking soda, or both. If you don’t have self-rising flour, use 1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour + 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder + a decent pinch of salt.
- I use a tiny bit of almond extract in my filling because it pairs really well with the peaches. If you don’t have it, skip it!
- The rest of the ingredients are pretty standard (sugar, milk, butter, cinamon, vanilla, etc.). I go over them in more detail in the recipe card below.
How to Video
Ingredients
Batter for Crust
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Peach Filling
- 2 cans (29 ounces each) sliced peaches in juice, *See note
- ¼ cup reserved peach juice
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch of salt
💌 Don't forget to save this recipe!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place the butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Transfer the dish to the oven just until the butter melts. Remove the dish from the oven and set aside.¾ cup unsalted butter
- Drain the peaches, reserving ¼ cup of the juice. Add the peaches to a medium mixing bowl, then stir in the brown sugar, reserved juice, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon, and salt.2 cans (29 ounces each) sliced peaches in juice¼ cup reserved peach juice½ cup light brown sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon ground cinnamonPinch of salt¼ teaspoon almond extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Then pour in the milk and vanilla, and whisk until a batter forms. A few small lumps are fine. It will have the consistency of pancake batter.1 ½ cups self-rising flour1 cup granulated sugar1 ¼ cup whole milk1 teaspoon vanilla extract¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour the batter over the melted butter, but don’t stir. Use a spatula to spread it out as best you can. It doesn't have to completely cover the bottom of the pan.
- Use a large spoon to layer the peaches and their juices over the batter. Spoon them on carefully a few at a time. Don’t crowd too many peaches in the center or the batter won’t bake properly. Make sure the peaches are evenly distributed across the dish.
- Return the baking dish to the oven, and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown across the top and the filling bubbles. It will be a little crispy around the edges and the center will look a little softer. Cover loosely with a foil tent during the last 15 minutes of bake time if the crust looks like it's getting too brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Crazy Crust Peach Cobbler
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F, and placing the butter in a 9×13-inch. Transfer the pan to the oven just until the butter melts. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
Drain the peaches, and save about 1/4 cup of their juices. In a large bowl, stir together the peaches, the reserved juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, almond extract, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Then mix in the milk and vanilla. The batter should be the consistency of pancake batter.
Then, in another medium to large sized mixing bowl, combine the rest of the crust ingredients. Whisk together the baking powder, cinnamon, flour, milk, salt, and sugar.
Pour the batter over the melted butter and spread it out as best you can. Do not stir it, though. Carefully spoon the peaches and their juices over the batter in an even layer. Make sure not to pour the peaches on, and don’t place a lot of peaches on top of each other in the same area.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the top is golden brown, the edges crisp, and the filling bubbly. Let the cobbler cool for 15 to 20 minute before serving. The juices will settle and absorb into the crust as it rests.
