Eating the Season: Cast Iron Peach Cobbler

As summer progresses, the season’s first peaches are a hotly anticipated treat here in the South. Not much beats that first bite of the year, juices dribbling down your chin. Sheer bliss. And it doesn’t stop there. We freeze them, we can them, we even dry them into fruit leather. Anything to preserve the joy of that first bite. And then, of course, there’s dessert.

First appearing in the time of the colonists, peach cobbler has grown to become a much-loved standard of Southern cuisine. Not to be confused with crisps or crumbles, which use streusel style toppings, or buckles, which put the dough on the bottom, the iconic cobbler tops cooked seasonal fruit with a biscuit-style dough baked to bubbly, sticky sweet, crunchy and crumbly perfection.

While you can make this classic using a baking dish and cooking the peaches in the oven before adding the topping, the silky firm texture that comes from cooking the peaches stove top in cast iron makes all the difference.

A word on serving. Some folks will tell you that cobbler just isn’t cobbler unless served warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. I might argue this point, but it’s impolite to talk with my mouth full.

Cast Iron Peach Cobbler

• 6 cups sliced peaches
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• Pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup milk

Toss peaches, cinnamon, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour together in a bowl and transfer to an 8” or 10” cast iron skillet already warmed on a burner set to medium heat.

Cook at medium heat until juices become bubbly, then remove from heat.

Combine 1 cup of flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt and baking powder in a bowl.

Cut in butter until it resembles coarse meal.

Add milk and stir just until dough comes together.

Spoon dough in lumps over peaches.

Bake in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown.