Peach Blueberry Skillet Cobbler

Posted on June 6th, 2017

I’m a bit scared to publicly admit this to you all: I do not like chocolate at all, not even one tiny bit.  It is not motivated by moral superiority, I do not abstain for health reasons, I simply do not like the way it tastes.  Therefore, summer desserts where fresh produce is the star of the show are my dream.  We hosted an eight person dinner party on Sunday evening, and I was so excited to break out a seasonal favorite using basic pantry staples with farmers market ingredients: the skillet cobbler.

We received our gorgeous Le Creuset skillet as a wedding gift last year, and it immediately became an MVP in the kitchen rotation.  There’s something rustic and comforting about a stove to oven to table dish, whether you’re serving a bubbling dip while watching football on a cozy fall afternoon or serving up a light frittata for loved ones on Saturday morning.  In this case, skillet cobbler set the perfect mood to wind down a casual dinner celebrating summer and friendship.

To time it correctly with dinner, I popped it in the oven as guests were arriving, giving us time to mix and mingle while it was baking, and then allowing it time to set a bit out of the oven during the main course.  I love a streusel cobbler topping, but the top of this featured a hybrid biscuit/cake texture that was the perfect foil for the gooey sweetness of the filling.

Ingredients:

5 peaches, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cup blueberries
12 tablespoons of cold butter (divided), cubed
1 cup granulated sugar (divided)
2 teaspoons vanilla (divided)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
Pinch of salt
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
Egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in your skillet.  Remove from heat and stir in peaches, blueberries, 1/3 cup of sugar, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and a dash of nutmeg.  Evenly coat with cornstarch, and set aside.

In a food processor (or use your fingers!), mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and pinch of salt.  Add butter and pulse to incorporate until pea sized crumbs form.  Transfer to mixing bowl, and add vanilla, egg, and buttermilk, but do not overmix.  Dollop batter over the top of the prepared skillet, and transfer to oven.  Bake for about 35 minutes, and remove when top is golden with a bit of a crust.  Allow to cool for at least five minutes before serving, but best enjoyed warm.

Pair your scoop of cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for summer perfection!  Serves 8ish.

If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, this could also be made in a pie dish or other pyrex dish and will taste just as delicious.  If the idea of revving up your oven sounds like it will make your kitchen impossibly hot and you already have burgers going on the BBQ, I love the idea of baking this on the grill!