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Cornbread Peach Cobbler with thyme infused honey butter is a rustic Southern-inspired dessert made with juicy fresh peaches and tender, golden cornbread with crisp, buttery edges.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect finishing touch. For more cobbler recipes, check out this blackberry cobbler and Southern blueberry cobbler.
Table of Contents
This cornbread peach cobbler is so good and my family absolutely loves it. The sweet peaches with the buttery cornbread topping are such a delicious combo. It’s super cozy, easy to make, and perfect for the holidays!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- If you love peach cobbler and cornbread, this recipe gives you the best of both worlds. The peach filling is sweet, juicy, and lightly spiced with cinnamon, while the cornbread topping is buttery and tender.
- My favorite part is the thyme-infused honey butter that gets spread over the cornbread while it’s still warm. The thyme flavor is subtle, but it pairs so well with the peaches and honey.
- It also makes a beautiful holiday dessert, especially if you arrange a few peach slices on top before baking.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Peaches – Use fresh, firm peaches so they soften while cooking without completely falling apart. You’ll need about 2 pounds or 6 cups of sliced peaches.
- Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar – I like using both. Brown sugar adds a deeper caramel-like sweetness, while granulated sugar keeps the peach filling sweet without making the flavor too heavy.
- Lemon Juice – Adds a little acidity and balances the sweetness of the peaches.
- Cornstarch – Thickens all of those delicious peach juices so the cobbler isn’t watery. Make sure to mix it with cold water before adding it to the peaches.
- Buttermilk – Keeps the cornbread topping tender and adds a slight tang.
Top Tips
- Use firm peaches. Very ripe or overly soft peaches can become mushy by the time the cobbler finishes baking.
- Don’t overcook the peach filling on the stovetop. You only want to cook it until the juices thicken and the peaches begin to soften. They’ll continue cooking in the oven.
- Place the cast-iron skillet on a baking sheet before putting it in the oven. The filling gets nice and bubbly and may spill over the sides.
- Feel free to peel the peaches if desired.
- Cut the peaches into about ½ inch thick pieces. If they’re too thin they’ll break down too quickly.
- Maceration is the process of mixing fresh fruit with sugar and lemon juice, then letting it sit for a short time. The sugar draws out the moisture from the fruit while softening it, and its juices become concentrated adding more flavor. If you don’t take this step, the peach filling will be soupy rather than thick and jammy.
- Don’t overmix the cornbread mixture. Only mix until just combined and no dry ingredients showing.
- Make sure your cast iron skillet is well seasoned to avoid a faint metallic taste. Transfer any cooled left-overs to an airtight container.
- Avoid storing the cornbread peach cobbler in the cast-iron skillet.
Can I Use Canned or Frozen Peaches?
Fresh peaches are my first choice for this recipe because they hold their shape nicely and have the best texture. If peaches aren’t in season, frozen peaches can work, but I recommend thawing and draining them well first.
Canned peaches will be much softer, so I wouldn’t recommend them unless that’s all you have. If you do use them, make sure they’re well drained and avoid cooking them for too long on the stovetop.
Do I Have to Use the Thyme Honey Butter?
No, but I highly recommend it! The thyme adds a subtle flavor that makes this cobbler a little more special without tasting overly herby.
If you don’t like thyme, you can leave it out and simply make honey butter with butter, honey, and a pinch of salt.
Storage and Reheating
Allow any leftovers to cool completely, then cover tightly or transfer them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
For the best texture, reheat individual portions in the oven or air fryer until warmed through. You can also microwave individual servings if you’re in a hurry.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Also, please consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Cornbread Peach Cobbler
Ingredients
For The Peach Filling:
- 2 pounds fresh, firm peaches sliced into ½ in thick slices, about 6 cups, divided
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
For the thyme-infused honey butter:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 ½ tablespoon honey
- Pinch of salt
For the cornbread mixture:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes,
- ¾ cup cold buttermilk
Instructions
Prepare the Peaches
- Reserve 3 peach slices for topping, if desired. Cut the reserved slices in half lengthwise to create thin slices. Set aside.
- Place the remaining peaches in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Gently toss to coat and let stand for 25-30 stirring occasionally, until the peaches release their juices.
Infuse the butter:
- Meanwhile, place the butter and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan. Melt the butter over low heat, then continue cooking over low heat for 10-12 minutes to infuse the thyme. Do not let the butter brown.
- Strain the butter through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing gently on the thyme to extract the butter. Discard the thyme.
- Stir in the honey and salt. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, then stir vigorously until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Return to the refrigerator for another 5-10 minutes, stirring once more, until the butter is thickened, but still soft and spreadable. Set aside at room temperature.
Thicken the peach filling:
- Pour the cornstarch slurry over the peaches and gently stir. Cook over medium heat until the filling comes to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes, carefully turning the peaches occasionally, until they begin to soften and the juices thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not overcook the peaches: they should still hold their shape. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the cornbread topping:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter still remaining.
- Pour in the buttermilk and gently fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix the dough. It should be thick.
Assemble the cobbler:
- Drop the cornbread mixture evenly over the warm peach filling using a large spoon or ice cream scoop. Gently spread as needed to cover most of the surface, but do not press the dough down into the peaches.
- Arrange the reserved peach slices over the cornbread, pressing them down about halfway into the dough. Lightly brush the exposed peach slices with a little peach juice from the skillet to help prevent them from drying out during baking.
- Place the skillet on a large baking sheet to help prevent spillage. Bake at 375°F for 22-25 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and cooked through and the peach filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Let the cobbler rest for 10 minutes. Generously spread the thyme-infused butter over the warm cornbread. You may not use all of the butter. Let cool for another 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
- Use firm peaches. Very ripe or overly soft peaches can become mushy by the time the cobbler finishes baking.
- Don’t overcook the peach filling on the stovetop. You only want to cook it until the juices thicken and the peaches begin to soften. They’ll continue cooking in the oven.
- Place the cast-iron skillet on a baking sheet before putting it in the oven. The filling gets nice and bubbly and may spill over the sides.
- Cut the peaches into about ½ inch thick pieces. If they’re too thin they’ll break down too quickly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
