Peaches, the outdoors, and spending more time with family are summertime favorites in our house. What better way to celebrate the juicy summertime fruit with family and the outdoors than with a Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler?!
My Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler is the most flavorful cobbler you’ll taste this summer! Fresh peaches tossed in warm spices, aromatic brown butter, and a fluffy cake topping create a delicious and ultimate summer comfort dessert.
You can bake the peach cobbler in the oven or over the campfire. I have instructions for both.
So grab your friends and family, sit around the kitchen table or campfire, and create memories while you savor every bite of this heavenly Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler. These moments surrounded by food and your loved ones are what summers are made for!
Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler at a Chuckwagon Dinner
Our stay in a Conestoga wagon at Silver Spur Resort in Canton, Texas, remains one of our most cherished family travel memories. Glamping inside the Conestoga wagon, engaging in family-friendly games and activities, and dining under the stars at an Old Western chuckwagon dinner gave us an East Texas-style Oregon Trail experience.
The Chuckwagon Dinner at Silver Spur Resort is a unique culinary experience inspired by Old Western traditions. The culinary event includes yard games, a live concert, and a delicious meal.
We indulged in slow-cooked chicken, fall-off-the-bone ribs, potato salad, corn on the cob, fresh biscuits, cowboy beans cooked over coals, and a Dutch oven peach cobbler cooked over a campfire. Everything tasted amazing, but everyone raved about the Dutch oven peach cobbler.
The atmosphere of the chuckwagon dinner made it taste better, too. It’s like eating pasta in Italy. You can’t beat a Dutch oven peach cobbler over a campfire surrounded by family and friends at a chuckwagon dinner—but you can try! Hence, why I created my Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler recipe.
What is Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
Firstly, a Dutch oven is a heavy, thick-walled cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid. There are various Dutch ovens, including cast iron (perfect for campfires), enameled cast iron (commonly known as Le Creuset), ceramic, and aluminum.
The Dutch oven was one of many items brought from Europe to the New World. With limited ingredients and equipment, the settlers made a culinary creation known as a fruit cobbler.
Settlers would dump canned fruit into their Dutch ovens and add dollops of biscuit (scone) dough on top. Then, they baked the fruit cobblers over an open fire until golden brown and delicious. Fruit cobblers quickly became popular and a staple dish during the American Colonial period.
As cattle drives began, the Dutch oven played a crucial role in spreading the fruit cobbler across the country. Different variations based on the region emerged, such as Southerners using their juicy peaches.
Today, peach cobblers are a Southern comfort food enjoyed at home or outdoors. They can be baked in any dish at home, but there is something comforting about baking them in a Dutch oven. After all, it all started as a fruit cobbler baked in a Dutch oven.
Southern-Style Cobbler vs. Northern-Style Cobbler
Despite a biscuit being a staple in southern cooking, a southern cobbler has a sweet topping reminiscent of a moist yellow cake. Meanwhile, a northern cobbler has a biscuit topping.
In a Northern-style cobbler, the fruit is baked under the flaky biscuit crust, exactly as the early settlers created it.
Over time, the South transformed the cobbler, giving it a cake-like consistency. This evolution made the cobbler a hallmark of Southern cuisine, with peach cobbler becoming one of the most beloved Southern desserts.
The preparation is also slightly different. Southern-style cobblers add the batter to the bottom of a dish and top it with fruit (peaches). The batter rises above the peaches during baking, creating a fluffy golden-brown blanket over the juicy peaches.
Ingredients for Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
My homemade Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler is a warm bite of Southern comfort food. The comfort comes from the peaches tossed in a subtle spice mix to warm your heart.
I also like to brown the butter to add a bold, nutty aroma to the cobbler. It really enhances the entire flavor of the Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler.
The ingredients for the batter are simple and similar to a yellow cake. Like most yellow cake recipes, I add an egg and milk to give the batter its richness and moist texture.
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.
- Unsalted butter
For the Filling
- Fresh peaches (frozen or canned works too)
- Lemon juice
- Lemon zest
- Vanilla extract
- Cornstarch
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Salt
For the Batter
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Whole milk
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
Can I Use Canned or Frozen Peaches?
Yes, you can use canned or frozen peaches. Between the two, I recommend frozen peaches. They are the closest to fresh peaches and an easy shortcut to peeling and slicing fresh peaches.
If you use frozen peaches, there is no need to thaw them. Just use them as is and make the recipe! It’s a super easy way to cut prep time.
If you use canned peaches, do not use peaches in heavy syrup. Choose the canned peaches in 100% juice.
The juice will substitute the fresh lemon juice and zest. So when you drain the juices, reserve two tablespoons to replace the lemon juice. Other than that, continue to follow the instructions as written.
How to Make Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler in the Oven
My Sourthern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler is not quite a dump it into the pot and bake, but it’s pretty close. It only takes a few simple steps to make this heavenly dessert—even less if you use frozen or canned peaches!
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.
Prep – Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the fresh peaches. You can peel them with a vegetable peeler or boil them for a quick trick (see my tips and tidbits below for instructions). Cut the peaches into 1/3-inch-wide slices.
Filling – Add all the filling ingredients to a small bowl. Mix well until the peaches are fully coated. Set aside.
Melt – Place the Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Add the butter and melt, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown. Some milk solids at the bottom of the pan will be brown, and that’s what you want! Immediately turn the heat off.
Batter – Add the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a mixing bowl. Combine the ingredients with a paddle attachment. Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Slowly pour the mixture into the dry ingredients until the batter comes together. Do not overmix!
Bake – Pour the batter into the Dutch oven with the brown butter. Do not stir! Distribute the peaches (with its juice) evenly over the batter. Again, do not stir! Bake for 50 – 60 minutes until the peach cobbler is golden brown and baked through (when a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean).
Serve – with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
How to Make Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler Over a Campfire
A Southern-Style Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler over the campfire is the ultimate camping dessert. It is as simple as making it at home but outdoors. To make life easy, I opt for frozen or canned peaches.
The most important thing is the Dutch oven. It needs to be cast iron, suitable for the outdoors, with a flanged lid to hold charcoal briquettes.
Of course, the other difference is adapting the cooking method. Instead of simply baking the cobbler in the oven, you must create a campfire and use charcoal briquettes for this unique cooking experience.
This is a brief overview. Please refer to the full recipe description at the end of this post.
Prep – Preheat 45 charcoal briquettes. The charcoal is hot and ready when the edges start turning white.
Filling – Add all the filling ingredients into a small bowl. Mix well until the peaches are fully coated. Set aside.
Melt – Place the Dutch oven over 30 charcoals. Add the butter and melt, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown. Some milk solids at the bottom of the pan will be brown, and that’s what you want!
Batter – combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Slowly pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until the batter comes together. Do not overmix!
Bake – Pour the batter into the Dutch oven with the brown butter. Do not stir! Distribute the peaches (with its juice) evenly over the batter. Again, do not stir! Close the Dutch oven with the lid and add 15 charcoal briquettes on top. Bake for 35 – 45 minutes while rotating it half a turn every 10 minutes to ensure an even distribution of heat. Carefully lift the lid to check the heat after about 20 minutes. The peach cobbler is done when it’s golden brown and baked through (when a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean).
Serve – with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Tips and Tidbits
How to Pick a Ripe Peach
A ripe peach should be slightly soft when gently squeezing it (do not squeeze too hard, or you can bruise the fruit). If it is firm, the peach is not ready yet.
You want to pick ripe peaches for the cobbler. The cobbler will lack sweetness, flavor, and juiciness if the peaches are not ripe. If the peaches are over-ripe, you risk the peaches being mushy in the cobbler. You want the perfect amount of “bite” when you eat the peach cobbler.
A Trick to Peeling Peaches
I enjoy the hands-on process of peeling fruit and vegetables, but I also appreciate a good kitchen hack! Here is another method for peeling peaches.
Bring a large pot of water (enough to cover the peaches) to boil. Once the water is boiling, carefully add the peaches with tongs or a spoon. Boil the peaches for 1 minute.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the peaches from the pot and plunge them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Once the peaches are cooled, the skin should easily pull away with your fingers.
More Fruit-Forward Summer Recipes
- The Best Grilled Peach Salsa – Restaurant Style
- Blackened Fish Tacos with Mango Slaw
- Classic French Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron)
Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
My homemade Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler is the perfect Southern comfort dessert with a fluffy cake topping and peaches tossed in a subtle spice mix to warm your heart.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into tablespoon pieces
For the Filling
- 3 pounds ripe peaches (about 6 large peaches)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Batter
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the peaches. You can peel the peaches with a vegetable peeler or see the notes for a quick trick. Cut the peaches into 1/3-inch-wide slices.
- Add all the filling ingredients into a small bowl: the peaches, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt. Mix well until the peaches are fully coated. Set aside.
- Place the Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat. Add the pieces of butter and melt them into brown butter. Occasionally, stir the butter to prevent it from burning for about 5 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Some milk solids at the bottom of the pan will be brown, and that's what you want! Immediately turn the heat off. The brown butter adds a nutty and depth of flavor to the cobbler.
- Add the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a mixing bowl. Combine the ingredients with a paddle attachment.
- Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. While on low speed, slowly pour the mixture into the dry ingredients until the batter comes together. Do not overmix!
- Pour the batter into the Dutch oven with the brown butter. Do not stir! Distribute the peaches (with any excess juice) evenly over the batter. Do not stir!
- Bake for 50 - 60 minutes until the peach cobbler is golden brown and baked through (when a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean from the topping, not the peach filling). The batter should rise above the peaches.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!
Notes
Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler Campfire Instructions:
1. Preheat 45 charcoal briquettes. The charcoal is hot and ready when the edges start turning white.
2. Add all the filling ingredients into a small bowl: the peaches (I prefer frozen or canned for the campfire), lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and salt. Mix well until the peaches are fully coated. Set aside.
3. Place the Dutch oven over 30 charcoals. Add the butter and melt, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown. Some milk solids at the bottom of the pan will be brown, and that's what you want! Remove the Dutch oven from the heat.
4. Combine the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Slowly pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until the batter comes together. Do not overmix!
5. Pour the batter into the Dutch oven with the brown butter. Do not stir! Distribute the peaches (with its juice) evenly over the batter. Again, do not stir! Close the Dutch oven with the lid and add 15 charcoal briquettes on top. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes while rotating it half a turn every 10 minutes to ensure an even heat distribution. After about 20 minutes, carefully lift the lid to check the heat. The peach cobbler is done when it's golden brown and baked through (when a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean).
6. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy among friends and family around the campfire!
Can I Use Canned or Frozen Peaches?
Yes, you can use canned or frozen peaches. Both cut the preparation time down significantly. Between the two, I recommend frozen. You do not need to thaw the frozen peaches. If you use canned peaches, go for peaches in 100% juice. Reserve two tablespoons of the juice to substitute for the lemon juice. Continue the instructions as written.
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