Blueberry Peach Cobbler with Lime + Lavender Biscuit Topping
Blueberry Peach Cobbler with Lime + Lavender Biscuit Topping
FIRST WRITTEN JULY 8, 2014; LAST UPDATED AUGUST 10, 2022
When I first developed this recipe I remember I had just texted Dave a text that read something like " I can't decide between making a betty, a crisp, a crumble, a buckle, or a cobbler!". He, of course, had no idea what I was talking about. And to be honest, I'm not so sure I did either. Of course I had made things with crumb toppings or biscuit topping before, but I never really knew the exact definitions and differentiations of each.
At present time of making this recipe, I just knew I wanted fruit with some kind of crunchy topping. While doing some research to settle the crumble/cobbler debate once and for all, I happened to stumble upon this article which helped me clarify the difference between a 'betty' and a 'buckle' and everything in between. Ultimately, for this dessert, I decided biscuit topping was just what I was looking for (because then it totally counts as a breakfast food, too!). So on that hot summer day I got to work baking up this blueberry peach cobbler (because ovens and 90 degree days make total sense together).
I think I sweated out every liquid ounce in my body, but the results were totally worth it. And while I tend to avoid the oven at all costs on anything above 80, I’ll always make an exception for anything involving juicy summer produce and baked goods. Plus, the way I see it, all that extra sweating from the hot oven being on just means I can justify eating half the pan of cobbler with lots of vanilla ice cream…right?!
Blueberry Peach Cobbler with Lime + Lavender Biscuit Topping
SO, WHAT EXACTLY IS A COBBLER?
When I think of cobblers I think of a good, classic old-fashioned dessert, like something a grandma would make. Be that as it may, whether they’re old-fashioned or not, there’s a reason they’re still popular to this day. Because you don’t mess with a good thing, and let me tell you, cobbler is a good thing! What differentiate cobblers from a fruit pie, a fruit crumble or a fruit crisp? It’s all in the topping. While cobbler, crisp and crumble are all made with fruit, what makes cobbler unique is that, unlike those other desserts that get a buttery topping or a crunchy oat mixture, cobbler has yummy, fluffy biscuits on top of the fruit. And if we’re being honest, I think those biscuits make it the elite fruit dessert (but don’t tell the other ones because I don’t hate a pie or crumble).
INGREDIENTS FOR BLUEBERRY PEACH COBBLER
One of the best parts of a cobbler is how easy it is to throw together and how few ingredients you actually need to make. The fresh fruit really takes center stage and does a lot of the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so everything else is just there to support and accent those flavors.
BLUEBERRIES + PEACHES- I mean, duh! These are the main ingredients of our cobbler, and, in my opinion, the fresher the better. I love getting my fruit at the farmer’s market. However, store bought and frozen can easily be used instead. This recipe is also a great way to use up fruit that’s gotten too soft or is about to run.
CORNSTARCH- This helps to thicken up all those delicious fruit juices. However, you can use flour for this instead.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR- One of two main ingredients that are making up our biscuits.
CORNMEAL- This is the other main ingredient for our biscuit topping. It provides a nice twist in both taste and texture while still ensuring the biscuits are light and fluffy and the cornmeal pairs so well with the fresh summer fruit.
BAKING POWDER + BAKING SODA- The key ingredients for biscuits that rise and are nice and fluffy.
SUGAR- Sugar helps bring out the juices in the fruit and provides a bit of sweetness to the biscuits. I prefer a cobbler that is more tart, and I think summer fruit is sweet enough all on it’s own, however, you can adjust the sugar slightly up or down for your personal preferences.
BUTTER- Yup, you guessed it. For buttery biscuit topping, you’ll need butter. Make sure it’s nice and cold for the ultimate flaky buttery goodness.
YOGURT- This helps the biscuits to hold together and give them a little tang while also ensuring they stay moist and don’t dry out but are still perfectly flaky.
HEAVY CREAM- Just another ingredient to help ensure we have the perfect buttery biscuit topping.
LIME- Both the zest and juice of a lime is used in this recipe to give it a little zest and make it nice and bright for summer.
LAVENDER- The lavender is a summer twist of flavor that just works so well with the other flavors happening here. However, it isn’t totally necessary and ca definitely be omitted if you don’t have it.
HOW TO MAKE BLUEBERRY PEACH COBBLER
Let’s just say this isn’t like making a fruit pie. Aka it’s super simple and not time consuming and basically anyone can do it.
MAKE THE FRUIT LAYER- Add the blueberries and peaches to the pan and toss with the cornstarch, sugar, lime juice and salt. I mix everything right in the baking pan to save a dish, but feel free to mix in a bowl then transfer to a pan. The great thing about this step is that you can make it up to 2 hours ahead. Just be sure to start baking it when you make your biscuits. I like to give the fruit a head start on cooking to make sure it gets nice a juicy and has plenty of time to cook without having to worry about over-baking the biscuits.
MAKE THE BISCUIT TOPPING- Just like any biscuit recipe you mix together your dry ingredients, pulse in the butter, the finish by mixing in the yogurt. The key is not to over-mix!
TOP THE FRUIT WITH THE BISCUITS + BAKE- Use a spoon to divide and drop the biscuit dough on top of the fruit, then finish baking the cobbler until the fruit is bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown.
SERVE WITH ICE-CREAM- And live your best summer dessert life!
TIPS FOR THE BEST COBBLER
USE FRESH FRUIT- Don’t get me wrong, frozen fruit is totally acceptable and will get the job done. But the rich flavors of fresh fruit adds a whole other element to this recipe that just can’t be replicated or substituted in any other way.
PRE-COOK THE FRUIT BEFORE ADDING THE BISCUITS- This helps ensure the fruit gets fully cooked and nice and juicy and bubbly without having to worry about over-baking and ruining the biscuits.
DON’T OVER-MIX THE BISCUITS- Another tip for not ruining your biscuits is to be sure not to over mix the dough. Otherwise they’ll be tough and anything but flaky and soft.
ENJOY IT FRESH FROM THE OVEN- Leftovers are totally acceptable, but nothing beats how this dessert tastes when it’s fresh!
SERVE WITH VANILLA ICE-CREAM- And even more so, nothing beats a serving of warm cobbler with a big scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Life changing, I tell ya!
BLUEBERRY PEACH COBBLER
WITH LIME, LAVENDER, CORNMEAL BISCUIT TOPPING
serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE FILLING
2 pounds ripe peaches (about 6 medium peaches)
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch (you can also use all-purpose flour)
Juice from 1 large lime or 2 small limes
Pinch of salt
FOR THE BISCUIT TOPPING
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup fine stone-ground cornmeal
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 large lime or 2 small limes
1/2 teaspoon of dried lavender
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
INSTRUCTIONS
Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Then cut each half into thin slices. Spread the peach slices evenly across the bottom of a 10-12 inch baking dish or cast iron skillet.
Sprinkle on the blueberries, then the sugar, cornstarch, lime juice and salt. Gently toss to coat the fruit. Let stand for at least 30 minutes (but you can let it sit for up to 2 hours).
When you’re ready to bake the fruit, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the fruit until it begins to bubble around the edges, about 10 minutes.
While the fruit is baking, in a food processor pulse the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lime zest and lavender for a few seconds. Add the butter and heavy cream and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal (should be about ten 1-second pulses). Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl; add the yogurt and mix with a rubber spatula, or mix with your hands, until a dough forms. (Don’t over mix the dough, or the biscuits will be tough). Then, working gently, divide the dough evenly and then form each ball into a biscuit shape. You should have 6-8 biscuits, depending on how big or small you make them.
After the fruit has baked for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and top with the biscuits, spacing them evenly apart so that they don’t touch.
Place the pan back in the oven and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, about 16 to 18 minutes. Cool slightly before serving with ice cream or whipped cream. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and then simply reheat a serving for 30 seconds in the microwave or for a few minutes in the oven before eating it.
NOTES
I chose not to peel the peaches to save time and effort and also because I don't mind the skins, but feel free to peel them if you prefer.
You can store this, tightly covered, on the countertop for 2 days, but the biscuits will get soggier more quickly and beware that fruit flies will want to enjoy your dessert, too! Follow me on Instagram for more updates!
