Peach cobbler is the ultimate southern dessert and is perfect for a summer party. If you or a guest is avoiding gluten, try this gluten-free peach cobbler recipe. Made with sweet peaches and an irresistible buttery crust, the cobbler is as easy and tasty as the one your grandma made. And since the recipe uses less than half the bag of gluten-free flour, try these gluten-free dessert recipes to use up the rest!
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler
- Peaches: The tastiest peaches will have smooth skin with a vibrant deep yellow to red-orange color. Peaches are ready to eat when they have a fragrant peach aroma and are firm but yield slightly to gentle pressure. The best types of peaches for baking are Belle of Georgia, Babcock and general yellow peaches.
- Sugar: In this gluten-free peach cobbler recipe, we use granulated sugar to break down the peach filling, and to sweeten and caramelize the cobbler topping.
- Almond extract: Nutty and sweet, almond extract is a great flavor enhancer for stone fruits.
- Butter: Quickly zap the butter in the microwave so it’s smooth, melted and ready to grease the baking dish.
- Gluten-free flour: This recipe was tested using Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, which is a 1-to-1 substitution for regular all-purpose flour. When shopping for gluten-free flour, look for one labeled “cup for cup” baking flour that doesn’t require any additional special ingredients, like gums or other binders. Those are the best gluten-free flour blends to make this peach cobbler gluten-free.
- Baking powder: We use 2 teaspoons baking powder in this gluten-free peach cobbler recipe to give the topping a little lift.
- Milk: While 2% milk is recommended, you can get away with almost any type of milk or cream, like almond milk or heavy whipping cream, in its place.
- Vanilla ice cream: Serve your cobbler with a scoop of one of the best vanilla ice cream brands from the store. It’s worth it!
Directions
Step 1: Make the peach filling
Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, gently toss the peaches with 1/4 cup sugar and the almond extract. Set the mixture aside.
Step 2: Prepare the baking dish
Pour the melted butter into a 2-quart baking dish.
Step 3: Whip up the gluten-free batter
In a small bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in the milk until the batter is smooth. Let the batter stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t worry about overwhisking—there’s no gluten here to make things too dense. Instead, whisk the batter until it’s smooth. Before adding it to the baking dish, we let the batter rest so it has a chance to thicken for a better rise.
Step 4: Pour the batter over the butter
Pour the batter evenly over the butter in the baking dish. Do not stir.
Step 5: Add the peach mixture
Top the batter with the peach mixture.
Step 6: Bake the cobbler
Bake the cobbler until the top is golden brown and the juices bubble around the sides, 50 to 55 minutes. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Editor’s Tip: For best results, let the cobbler stand for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. It will make the dessert easier to cut.
Recipe Variations
- Try another fruit: Swap in blackberries, strawberries, blueberries or pitted cherries for a different spin, or try one of these incredible cobbler recipes.
- Sprinkle in baking spices: Peaches pair perfectly with cinnamon and nutmeg, which is why most peach dessert recipes have at least one of these spices. For this gluten-free peach cobbler recipe, we recommend using 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (bonus points if the nutmeg is freshly grated!).
- Play with the sugar: Swap in brown sugar for the granulated sugar. You’ll get a deeper, more molasses-y flavor. And before closing the cobbler away in the oven, finish the top with turbinado sugar for extra crunch, sweetness and browning power.
How to Store Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler
Have some leftovers? Lucky you—tomorrow’s breakfast is covered! Let the cobbler cool to room temperature, then cover the pan in storage wrap or aluminum foil. Or, transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Leftovers can be kept for up to three days in the fridge.
Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler Tips
Should you use fresh or frozen peaches in this gluten-free peach cobbler recipe?
If peaches are in season in your area, definitely opt for fresh over frozen peaches. If peaches are not in season, your best bet is to use frozen peaches. Also, frozen peaches will eliminate the need for peeling fresh ones. Thaw and drain the frozen peaches before starting the recipe, then use them just as you would fresh.
How do you peel peaches?
If you prefer peeled peaches in a peach cobbler, learning how to peel peaches is easy. Start by scoring an “x” on the bottom of each peach. Place the peaches in boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds (you may have to work in batches). Using a slotted spoon, immediately transfer the peaches to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. With a paring knife, peel the peach skins off, starting at the “x” you created at the bottom of each peach.
Can you leave the peel on?
Yes, you can definitely leave the peach’s skin on; however, many people (including us) find eating peach skin in baked desserts unpleasant. Unless you’re making this gluten-free peach cobbler for peach skin lovers, take the time to peel the peach skin.
Is gluten-free cobbler healthy?
Well, making this peach cobbler gluten-free with special flour doesn’t necessarily make this a healthy dessert. But there is one thing you can do to make a slightly better-for-you cobbler.
First, use the sweetest fruit you can find. Ripe, in-season peaches are often the sweetest. Taste your peaches first and adjust the sugar for your desired sweetness. Then, cut back on sugar in the original cobbler recipe by at least 25%. For the recipe below, that means using 3/4 cup sugar instead of the original 1 cup. You may even be able to go lower! (Your taste buds will tell you.)
But remember that sugar is not just for sweetness. It also keeps the crust soft and moist, and it helps the cobbler topping achieve that beautiful golden brown color thanks to caramelization.
