Fresh Peach Cobbler

Built for a haul of ripe summer peaches, this cobbler bakes up with a golden batter that rises around the fruit and pools with syrup underneath. It works because the butter melts in the dish first and the batter never gets stirred into the peaches.

Ingredients

• 6 cups sliced fresh peaches (about 8 medium peaches)
• 1 cup plus 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Toss the sliced peaches with 1 cup of the sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl. Let them sit for 15 minutes so they release their juice.
2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the stick of butter in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set it in the oven until the butter melts, about 6 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. Stir in the milk and vanilla until you have a smooth, pourable batter.
5. Pull the hot dish from the oven. Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter but do not stir them together.
6. Spoon the peaches and their juice over the batter, again without stirring. The batter will rise up around the fruit as it bakes.
7. Sprinkle the cinnamon over the top.
8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the batter around the edges is set and crisp.
9. Let the cobbler rest 15 minutes before serving so the syrup thickens. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Tips

• Frozen peaches work in winter. Thaw and drain them first, or the cobbler runs watery.
• If your peaches are very sweet, cut the fruit sugar back to 3/4 cup so the dessert does not turn cloying.