Savor the essence of summer with this delightful Peach Buckle Recipe, your new favorite dessert that perfectly marries the sweetness of peaches with the spice of cinnamon.
Unlike a traditional cobbler that uses biscuit dough, this buckle features a soft, cake-like batter beneath a layer of juicy, cinnamon-tossed peaches.
Ideal for serving on warm evenings, this treat is best enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, making for a sublime flavor combination that highlights the natural sweetness and robust texture of the fruit.
This recipe simplifies the classic buckle by eliminating the crumbly topping, focusing instead on the harmony between the buttery batter and the succulent peaches, which are layered above the batter and allowed to sink slightly as it bakes.
Buckle or Cobbler?
A buckle is similar to a cobbler, but instead of biscuit dough, a buckle uses a cake-like batter. Classic buckles include a crumbly topping, but to keep things simple, I decided to omit it from this recipe.
To learn more about the difference between a buckle and a cobbler, check this out.
Everyone has their own technique for a buckle, and this recipe uses the cake first, peaches second method.
Ultimate Layering
I use an easy buttery batter, adapted from this recipe. The batter is poured in first, then skinned peaches tossed in brown sugar go on top.
This way, as the buckle bakes, the batter rises up around the peaches, soaking up all that delicious peach juice and making for the best, sturdiest slice. Serve with some vanilla bean ice cream to cool off the warm summer nights.
I buy my peaches (and a myriad of other stone fruit and berries) from the Okui Fruit Stand in Grover Beach.
I may be biased, but something about Okui fruit just stands out above the rest. That being said, the peaches I used in this recipe were huge, bigger than I could hold in one hand, and may be larger than the peaches you find in your local supermarket.
For this recipe, the bigger the better! If you can only find medium sized peaches, adjust the blanching time when you boil the peaches to peel them.
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 4-5 large peaches, about 4½ cups peeled and sliced
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated or turbinado sugar for sprinkling
For the batter:
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cup milk (almond milk works great)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Skin the peaches
- Over high heat, bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Gently rinse the peaches and score an X on the bottom of each peach with a paring knife.
- Once the water is boiling, carefully drop the peaches in and cover with a lid for 1-2 minutes, depending on the size of your peaches. Larger peaches will take longer than smaller peaches.
- Remove from boiling water and place in a glass bowl in the sink. Run cool water over the peaches.
- When they are cool to the touch, peel the skin off starting at the X mark. If ready, the peach skin should come right off, detaching from the peach evenly and easily. If the skin seems stuck, try boiling again for another minute.
- Slice the peaches in half and remove the pit. Cut into quarters, then slice the quarters in half. This should give you sixteen peach cubes per peach.
- Place all sliced peaches in a large bowl and set aside.
Prep the filling.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To the bowl with the sliced peaches, add ½ cup brown sugar. Stir to combine. Set aside while you prep the batter.
Prepare the batter.
- Melt the butter using a microwave safe bowl in the microwave, using 15-30 second intervals to ensure the butter does not spill over. (If you don’t have a microwave, you can use a toaster oven or melt it in a small pot on the stove.)
- In a clean bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- Allow the butter to cool to the touch, so that it is still liquid but not too hot.
- Once the butter is cool, add it to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the milk. Stir to incorporate well. Set aside.
Bake the buckle.
- Grease a 9×13” baking pan
- Pour the prepared batter into the pan, and smooth out to cover evenly.
- Add the peaches on top of the batter. If your peaches are extra juicy, use a slotted spoon to scoop the peaches into the pan. This way, you will retain some of the juice but don’t have to use all of it.
- Sprinkle sugar on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until edges are beginning to brown and the batter in the middle of the cobbler is no longer runny.
- Allow the buckle to cool before serving. This gives the batter time to soak up any juices left behind by the peaches in the baking process, making for an extra tasty buckle!
- Serve with vanilla ice cream and a bit of whipped cream. Enjoy!
FAQs
1. What is the difference between a buckle and a cobbler?
A buckle involves a single layer of cake-like batter with fruit added on top, which buckles as it bakes, whereas a cobbler is made with biscuit dough or pie crust on top of the fruit.
This Peach Buckle uses a smooth batter base with peaches layered above, allowing the fruit to blend deliciously with the batter as it cooks.
2. How do I prepare the peaches for the buckle?
For the best flavor and texture, use fresh, large peaches. Blanch the peaches in boiling water for a few seconds to make peeling easier, then peel, pit, and slice them.
Toss the slices in brown sugar and cinnamon before layering them over the batter to enhance their natural sweetness.
3. Can I use canned peaches instead of fresh?
Yes, canned peaches can be used for this recipe, especially outside of peach season. Drain the peaches thoroughly and pat them dry before using; however, fresh peaches are recommended for the best flavor and texture.
If using canned, you may want to reduce the added sugar, as canned peaches are often pre-sweetened.
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