Name: Brown Butter Buttermilk Peach Skillet Cobbler
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 600 g peaches; 50 g dark brown sugar; 15 ml lemon juice; 5 ml vanilla extract; 115 g unsalted butter; 150 g all-purpose flour; 100 g granulated sugar; 50 g dark brown sugar; 8 g baking powder; 2 g baking soda; 3 g salt; 240 ml buttermilk

Equipment

25cm cast iron skillet

or 3-liter heavy baking dish

Mixing bowl

Whisk

Ingredients

8 servings

Peach Filling

600 g peaches, sliced 1.5cm thick
50 g dark brown sugar, packed
15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
5 ml vanilla extract

Batter and Butter

115 g unsalted butter
150 g all-purpose flour
100 g granulated sugar
50 g dark brown sugar, packed
8 g baking powder
2 g baking soda
3 g salt
240 ml buttermilk, room temperature

Nutrition (per serving)

312

Calories

Protein

48g

Carbs

12g

Fat

Fiber

33g

Sugar

265mg

Sodium

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.

In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced peaches with 50g of dark brown sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Set aside to macerate and release their juices.

Place the unsalted butter in the cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook until the butter melts, foams, and the milk solids turn a deep hazelnut brown, yielding a nutty aroma. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat.

5mLook for: Deep amber color with brown specksFeel: Foam subsides

In the wiped-clean mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, remaining 50g of dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the buttermilk and whisk gently just until a thick, lumpy batter forms. Do not overmix.

Pour the buttermilk batter directly over the hot brown butter in the skillet. Do not stir the batter into the butter; allow it to float and pool naturally.

Spoon the macerated peaches and all of their accumulated juices evenly over the top of the batter. Again, do not stir. The batter will rise through the fruit during baking.

Bake in the preheated oven at 190°C/375°F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the batter has risen to the top, puffed considerably, and developed a deep golden-brown crust.

45mLook for: Batter is puffed and golden brown, fruit juices are bubbling rapidly

Remove the skillet from the oven and let the cobbler rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the hot fruit juices to thicken slightly.

15mFeel: Syrup is slightly viscous rather than watery

Chef's Notes

Browning the butter directly in the skillet builds foundational flavor and ensures crispy, caramelized edges along the cast iron walls.
Do not stir the batter into the butter or the fruit into the batter. The magic of this cobbler is the structural inversion that happens in the oven.
Using ripe but firm freestone peaches yields the best texture. If using frozen peaches, do not thaw them completely to prevent excess liquid from thinning the batter.