Best Sourdough Peach Cobbler from Scratch {Discard Recipe}
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Sourdough Peach Cobbler is the perfect mix of warm, fresh peaches, a touch of cinnamon, and lightly-sweetened sourdough biscuits. The slight tang from the sourdough discard starter adds a rich depth of flavor that takes this easy peach cobbler to the next level.
Similar to my sourdough berry cobbler, the tender sourdough biscuits bake up golden brown and crisp on the outside, soft in the center, and soak up the sweet peach filling beautifully. This delicious summertime dessert is even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Quick Look: Sourdough Peach Cobbler
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Servings: 8 servings
- Calories: ~357 kcals per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Baked
- Flavor Profile: Warm, juicy peaches with a hint of cinnamon and lemon, topped with golden, buttery sourdough biscuits with a subtle tang. Best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
- Difficulty: Easy — Simple filling and drop biscuit topping come together quickly with no special equipment needed!
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Why You’ll Love This Sourdough Peach Cobbler Recipe
- Comforting flavors with a perfect balance: This sourdough peach cobbler recipe blends sweet, jammy peaches with ground cinnamon and buttery biscuit dough that bakes up crispy outside and soft inside. The warm peach filling soaks into the tender biscuits, making every bite cozy and satisfying. If you love peach desserts, try my Sourdough Peach Pie next, or branch out into other fruit desserts like my sourdough apple crisp.
- Make-ahead convenience for hectic days: This easy recipe is great for busy evenings or when you want to impress guests without the stress. Prep the biscuit dough the night before and store it in the fridge, then simply assemble and pop it in the preheated oven when dessert time comes. This make-ahead step also lets the flavors develop for an even better bake, similar to how my sourdough biscuits benefit from an overnight rest.
- Unique flavor and less waste: Using sourdough discard in the biscuit topping is a delicious way to add a subtle tang and rich depth of flavor to this sweet treat. During the fermentation process, sourdough naturally breaks down phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that can hinder mineral absorption, giving you an added health benefit along with incredible taste. It helps me cut waste while adding complexity to a dessert I love without extra effort.
Ingredients & Substitutions
* To find precise measurements, scroll to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card*
Peach Filling
- Peaches: Fresh peaches are the star of the show. Select peaches that are soft to the touch, not rock-hard or overly soft. Too firm and the filling will be crunchy; too soft, and you’ll wind up with a mushy peach filling. I prefer to chop my peaches rather than slice them, to maintain their delicious texture, and it’s easier to pick up with a spoon.
- Brown sugar: I used light brown sugar, but you could also substitute with dark brown sugar for a more caramel-like flavor.
- Lemon juice: For the best flavor, I suggest using freshly squeezed lemon juice, but if you are in a pinch, store-bought will do!
Sourdough Biscuit Topping
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Leavening agent – Make sure your baking powder and soda haven’t expired. Replace it every 6 months after opening, or your biscuits won’t rise properly.
- Unsalted butter – If you are using salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
- Unfed sourdough starter – For sweet recipes, like this peach cobbler recipe, I prefer to use fresh sourdough discard that is no older than 1-2 days old. You can also use active starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams.
- Heavy cream – The final step is to brush the biscuits with heavy cream for a beautiful golden finish. You could also substitute with milk.
How to Make Sourdough Peach Cobbler
Long Fermentation Tip
If you prefer to long-ferment the sourdough biscuit topping, complete steps 1-3 for the Sourdough Biscuit Topping the day before, then cover and store the dough in the fridge overnight. The following day, continue with the rest of the recipe and bake as normal.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish, and set aside.
- Add the peaches, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon to a large bowl. Mix until combined.
- Pour the peach filling into the prepared baking dish. Par-bake them for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until mixed.
- Grate the cold butter, then add it to the dry ingredients. Mix until the butter has been even coated with flour.
- Lastly, pour the cold sourdough discard over the flour/butter mixture and mix until the flour is just incorporated.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces and form them into rustic discs. Place the discs on top of the warm peaches.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling on the edges. Serve warm and enjoy!
McKenna’s Helpful Tips
- Keep your butter and discard cold: Cold unsalted butter and cold sourdough discard are the secret to tender, flaky biscuit topping. Grate the butter straight from the freezer and use discard from the fridge. This same technique is what makes my sourdough biscuits recipe so light and flaky.
- Par-bake the peach filling first: Baking the fresh peaches in the baking dish for 10 minutes before adding the biscuit dough on top ensures the fruit gets soft and bubbly while the biscuit topping bakes to golden brown perfection. This technique works beautifully for fruit desserts like my sourdough cherry cobbler as well.
- Use fresh sourdough discard for a milder tang: For this sourdough cobbler, I prefer discard that is no older than 1-2 days for less sourdough flavor that lets the peach season sweetness shine. Older discard gives a more pronounced sourdough flavor.
- Brush with heavy cream for a beautiful finish: The last step before baking is brushing the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream. This gives the cobbler topping a gorgeous golden brown color and a slightly crispy exterior. For another delicious recipe that uses this same finishing technique, check out my sourdough strawberry shortcake.
- Serve it warm with a scoop of ice cream: This sourdough peach cobbler recipe is best enjoyed warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top of the cobbler. If you love pairing warm desserts with ice cream, my sourdough ice cream sandwiches are another favorite summer treat worth trying.
How to Store
Cool leftover cobbler to room temperature before storing. Once completely cooled, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil, or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. It’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
When you’re ready to enjoy it again, reheat individual portions in the microwave or pop the whole dish back in the oven at 325°F until warmed through. Expect the biscuits to soften a little in the fridge, but they’ll still taste great, especially with a scoop of ice cream.
Freezing also works well, if needed. Just wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat and serve.
Sourdough Peach Cobbler FAQs
No. I used sourdough discard because I often have some on hand, but you can absolutely use active starter instead. Just use the same amount, measured in grams. It’s an easy swap and works just as well in most sourdough discard recipes.
I recommend fresh, farm-picked peaches (let’s support local farms), but canned peaches can work just as well. Just be sure to drain them well so the peach filling doesn’t get watery. Either way, you’ll still get that sweet, cozy peach cobbler flavor.
Definitely! You can swap peaches for nectarines, plums, or mixed berries. Try coconut cream instead of heavy cream, or vegan butter for the biscuits if dairy-free. Add vanilla or almond extract to the filling, or sprinkle coarse sugar on top for a nice crunchy finish. If you love mixed fruit desserts, my blueberry buckle recipe is another great option.
Yes! A cast iron skillet works wonderfully for this recipe. It distributes heat evenly, giving you a beautifully golden brown biscuit topping and bubbly peach filling. Just make sure to grease it well and use the same oven temperature. I love using a cast iron skillet for fruit desserts like my sourdough berry cobbler too.
If you tried this Sourdough Peach Cobbler recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Peach Cobbler Recipe
Enter your email below, and we’ll send it straight to your inbox! Plus, you’ll get my newest sourdough recipes and best tips every week!
Equipment
- 9 x 13 baking dish
Ingredients
Peach Filling
- 4 pounds peaches (peeled, pitted, and chopped into 1-inch pieces) about 10 cups of chopped peaches
- 55 grams brown sugar 1/4 cup
- 55 grams all-purpose flour 1/3 cup
- 15 grams fresh lemon juice 1 Tablespoon
- 1 gram cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon
Sourdough Biscuit Topping
- 140 grams all-purpose flour 1 cup
- 75 grams sugar 1/3 cup
- 4 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon
- 6 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon
- 1 gram salt 1/4 teaspoon
- 85 grams unsalted butter, cold 6 Tablespoons
- 240 grams sourdough discard, cold *see notes 1 cup
- 15 grams heavy cream 1 Tablespoon
- coarse sugar optional
Instructions
- LONG FERMENT:
- If you prefer to long-ferment the sourdough biscuit topping, complete steps 1-3 under Sourdough Biscuit Topping the day before, then cover and store the dough in the fridge overnight. The following day, continue with the rest of the recipe and bake as normal.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.
Peach Filling
- To a large bowl, add the chopped peaches, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon. Mix until combined, then pour the peach filling into the prepared baking dish and par bake them for 10 minutes.See below tips of how to easily peel and prepare the peaches.4 pounds peaches (peeled, pitted, and chopped into 1-inch pieces), 55 grams brown sugar, 55 grams all-purpose flour, 15 grams fresh lemon juice, 1 gram cinnamon
Sourdough Biscuit Topping
- In the meantime, prepare the sourdough biscuit topping. To a bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined.140 grams all-purpose flour, 75 grams sugar, 4 grams baking powder, 6 grams baking soda, 1 gram salt
- Grate the cold butter, then add it to the dry ingredients. With clean fingers, gently mix until all of the butter has been lightly coated with flour.85 grams unsalted butter, cold
- Lastly, pour the cold sourdough discard over the flour/butter mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until the discard is just incorporated. There will most likely be flour left behind. I like to sprinkle this on top of the biscuit dough, and fold it in half. Continue to do this until all of the flour is incorporated. You can substitute with active starter. Pop it into the fridge so that it is cold before using in the recipe.240 grams sourdough discard, cold *see notes
- Divide the dough into 8 even pieces and form them into rustic discs. Remove the peaches from the oven and place the sourdough biscuits evenly on top of the warm peaches.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar on top, if desired.15 grams heavy cream, coarse sugar
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling on the edges. If you notice the biscuits are browning too quickly, top the cobbler with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
Peach Filling
-
- Peaches: Select peaches that are soft to the touch, not rock-hard or overly soft. Too firm and the filling will be crunchy; too soft, and you’ll wind up with a mushy peach filling. Traditionally, peaches are sliced, but I learned from Sally’s Baking, that chopping peaches helps to maintain their delicious texture. Plus, it’s easier to pick up with a spoon. You can use frozen peaches if you are in a pinch. Thaw, drain and pat them dry before using. You want to remove as much moisture so the filling doesn’t get too watery. I don’t recommend using canned peaches. The peaches’ texture is already so soft, the peach cobbler will taste mushy.
-
- Brown sugar: I used light brown sugar, but you could also substitute with dark brown sugar for a more caramel-like flavor.
-
- Lemon juice: For the best flavor, I suggest using freshly squeezed lemon juice, but if you are in a pinch, store-bought will do!
Sourdough Biscuit Topping
-
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe.
-
- Leavening agent – Make sure your baking powder and soda haven’t expired. Replace it every 6 months after opening, or your biscuits won’t rise properly.
-
- Unsalted butter – If you are using salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe.
-
- Unfed sourdough starter – If you don’t have 240 grams of discard, you can also use 120 grams of cold discard. Increase the flour from 140 grams to 200 grams, then when you add the cold discard, also add 60 grams of cold milk. For sweet recipes, like this peach cobbler recipe, I prefer to use fresh sourdough discard that is no older than 1-2 days old. You can also use active starter, just be sure to use the same amount in grams. If you have time, pop the active starter in the fridge so that it is cold. This will help the biscuits to bake up light and fluffy.
-
- Heavy cream – The final step is to brush the biscuits with heavy cream for a beautiful golden finish. You could also substitute with milk.
Preparing the Peaches
- Boil the peaches for a few seconds in boiling water (about 4 peaches at a time). Remove the peaches with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate. Wait a few seconds before using your fingers to remove the peel. It should come off easily.
- Alternatively, you can also use a sharp peeler like this one. Peaches are juicy, so I often rinsed my peeler and hands while preparing the peaches.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the peaches, remove from the pit, then chop the slices into 1 inch chunks.
Such an easy and delicious recipe to celebrate peaches! My family couldn’t get enough, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.