Best Sourdough Peach Cobbler from Scratch {Discard Recipe}
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Sourdough Discard Peach Cobbler is the perfect mix of warm, juicy peaches, a touch of cinnamon, and buttery biscuits. The slight tang from the sourdough discard takes it to next level.
Similar to my Sourdough Mixed Berry Cobbler recipe, the biscuits bake up golden and crisp on the outside, soft and tender in the center, and soak up the sweet peach filling beautifully.
This cozy dessert is even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you’ve got a hectic day coming up, save time by making the biscuit dough the night before and storing it in the fridge until it’s time to bake.
Want To Save This 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!
MY LATEST VIDEO
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
I’ve made a bunch of sourdough recipes over the years. Some of my favorite desserts include this blueberry buckle, this sourdough berry cobbler, this sourdough strawberry shortcake, and more. But this sweet treat won me over, and here’s why:
Comforting flavors with a perfect balance:
This cobbler blends sweet, jammy peaches with a touch of cinnamon and buttery biscuits that are crispy outside and soft inside. The warm fruit filling soaks into the tender biscuits, making every bite cozy and satisfying. It’s a true comfort dessert that works perfectly for any season, not just peach season. Enjoy it fresh from the oven or warm it up later for that homemade feel you love.
Make-ahead convenience for hectic days:
This easy peach cobbler recipe is great for busy evenings or when you want to impress guests without the stress. Prep the biscuit dough the night before and peel and slice the peaches, then stick them both in the fridge. And when dessert time comes, simply pop it in the oven and serve. This make-ahead step does more than save you time; it also lets the flavors develop for an even better bake.
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, taking this delicious summertime dessert to a whole new place. It helps me cut waste while adding complexity to a dessert I love without extra effort.
Easy recipe, big benefits:
During the fermentation process, sourdough naturally breaks down and reduces phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that can hinder mineral absorption. This process helps your body absorb important nutrients like iron, zinc, and calcium better.
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.
Prepare the Sourdough Biscuit Topping
- 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!
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.
FAQs
No. I used sourdough discard because I often have some on hand, but you can absolutely use active sourdough 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. Pop it into the fridge so that it is cold before using. This helps the butter stay cold, making for lighter and fluffier biscuits!
I recommend fresh peaches, but I don’t recommend canned peaches. The texture is already soft and the peach cobbler will taste mushy. In a pinch, you can use frozen, unsweetened peaches. Thaw, drain and dry them before chopping.
Definitely! You can swap peaches for nectarines, plums, or mixed berries. How about using coconut cream instead of heavy cream, and vegan butter or coconut oil 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.
I haven’t tried these myself, except using dark brown sugar, but other home bakers have tested them with good results. Keep in mind that these substitutions might slightly change texture or flavor, but they could work great.
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.