Easy Vegan Southern-Style Peach Cobbler

This vegan southern-style peach cobbler is the perfect summer dessert. A guaranteed hit at any family cookout or barbecue,  made with a fresh, sweet, jammy peach filling and topped with a rich, buttery brown sugar biscuit crust.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Not only is this vegan peach cobbler recipe unbelievably vegan, but it’s also unbelievably easy.  A scratch-made decadent dessert that is surprisingly approachable.

Ingredients To Make Vegan Peach Cobbler:

Peach Filling:

• Peaches: I like to use just ripe peaches that are slightly soft, but not mushy.
• Brown Sugar: I prefer this over granulated sugar because the molasses in the brown sugar has a much richer flavor.
• Corn Starch: to thicken the peach filling.
• Spices: cinnamon and nutmeg 
• Vegan Butter: An unsalted vegan butter is ideal. I like to use the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks.
• Vanilla Extract: I love using bourbon vanilla, but any pure vanilla extract will work well.

Brown Sugar Biscuit Cobbler Topping: 

• Flour: I use all-purpose flour, but I have read on other recipes that a 1:1 gluten-free flour can work well for cobbler recipes as well.
• Baking Powder: to help the biscuit topping rise.
• Salt: to balance the flavors.
• Brown Sugar: for subtle sweetness.
• Vegan Butter: helps to give the topping its flaky texture.
• Vegan Whipping Cream: This makes the biscuit topping moist and fluffy. I like to use the Silk Dairy-Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative.

How to Make Vegan Peach Cobbler:

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉.
2. Place the ½ cup stick of vegan butter in the freezer to chill for about 10-15 minutes before making the brown sugar biscuit cobbler topping.
3. To a large skillet over medium heat, add the ¼ cup of vegan butter.
4. When the butter has melted and started to sizzle, add the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Stir just to roughly combine, then add the peaches and continue to stir until the peaches are coated in the sugar mixture.
5. Cook the peaches down for about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the juices start to release and form a loose syrup with the sugar and spices.
6. Remove the peach filling from the heat.
7. To make the cobbler topping, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar.
8. Cut the chilled vegan butter stick into ¼ inch cubes or grate using the fine shredding surface of a cheese grater.
9. Add the cubed or grated butter to the flour mixture and work the butter and flour together by squishing it with your hands between your fingers until the butter chunks are no longer visible.
10. Stir in the vegan heavy whipping cream until just combined. The dough should be thick and sticky.
11. Scoop large spoonfuls of cobbler dough onto the cooked peaches until most of the peaches are covered. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this.
12. To help the biscuit topping brown during baking, brush some of the sugary peach syrup onto the tops of the cobbler topping and sprinkle with raw sugar to finish.
13. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the biscuit top is golden brown and the peaches are soft. 
14. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. The peach filling with thicken more while cooling.
15. Enjoy warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or dairy-free whipped cream.

What Makes the Best Peach Cobbler (Tip):

Fresh Fruit: Though your cobbler will still be great if you use frozen peaches, fresh, ripe peaches will have the best flavor and texture. Especially organic peaches. Fresh peaches will have a more intense flavor and fragrance.

Textures: Cooking the peaches down enough that they are soft, but not mushy will give you the best texture for your filling. Sometimes this means pulling out a peach or two while baking and taste-testing for the desired result (just be sure they’re not too hot). 

Balance of Flavors: The best advice I can give you is to TASTE TEST YOUR RAW PEACHES. Knowing how sweet your peaches are will help you to adjust how much sugar is needed for your recipe. The measurements given are ideal for peaches that are ripe and sweet, but if your peaches aren’t quite sweet enough, you may need to add more sugar for the right flavor. 

The Cobbler Topping:  The ideal cobbler topping complements the fruit filling in taste and texture. The cobbler topping in this recipe is only slightly sweet, buttery, and flaky. To achieve this,  you’ll want to be sure that when mixing your cobbler topping you don’t overwork the dough. Stop mixing when everything is just combined. This should result in a fluffy, moist biscuit top that’s not too dense.

Vegan Peach Cobbler FAQ’s

How ripe should fresh peaches be for peach cobbler?

Peaches that are just barely ripe. Soft enough to dent with a firm squeeze, but not mushy.

Can I use canned or frozen peaches? 

You can definitely use frozen peaches. You’ll just want to thaw them completely beforehand. I don’t recommend using canned peaches.  If they are in syrup they tend to be way too sweet and even if they are in water, because the peaches have been soaking, you’ll end up with very mushy peaches after baking.

Should the peaches be peeled?

This is totally up to you. I personally like to peel mine, as I'm a stickler for textures, but as long as the peach filling is cooked down enough, the skin shouldn’t be too noticeable. 

Do I have to use a cast iron skillet?

Not at all.  You can also use a 9x13 baking dish.

How do I store peach cobbler?

The cobbler should keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.  You can store peach cobbler in the refrigerator in one of two ways: 

1. By tightly covering the skillet or baking dish with aluminum foil.
2. By transferring it to a storage container.

How do I reheat peach cobbler?

Peach cobbler can be reheated in the microwave or, if you’ve got the extra time, it can be reheated in the oven at 350℉ for 5-7 minutes.

More Easy Vegan Desserts You’ll Love:

• The Best Ever Bakery-Style Vegan Blackberry Muffins
• The Best Vegan Strawberry Croissants (Cream Pan Copycat)
• Easy & Unbelievably Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes (Moist & Fluffy)

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