Pat’s Peach Cobbler–Fabulous, “Any Time of the Year”

Nothing screams “summer” like peaches. Juicy and aromatic—peaches are one of my favorite summer fruits. Although summer has given way to autumn; you can still make this peach dessert. “Pat’s Peach Cobbler” is one of the best cobblers which I have eaten in a long time. It is very easy to mix up, using Pioneer Baking Mix for the cobbler. The crisp, crunchy & cinnamon topping balances the flavorful peaches perfectly. The “surprise” element of this dessert is that Pat used canned peaches and peach pie filling rather than fresh ones. You would never know it. The peaches taste like fresh ones. Both my husband and I devoured it.

Delicious Desserts

I like the idea of having quick and easy — as well as delicious — desserts in my recipe collection. Fresh, aromatic peaches are always a winner and this dessert fits the bill. And, in this version…speed thing up by using canned peaches rather than the fresh ones. We all loved this cobbler which a friend brought to a summer supper gathering. Pat didn’t add additional sugar to the filling — so the peaches weren’t so sweet — very refreshing. Plus, the addition of a can of drained, sliced peaches seemed to make the flavor “pop.” Rather than making “biscuits” for the cobbler topping, Pat split the dough between a bottom crust and a top crust. She spooned small “dollops” of dough onto the top of the peaches. The top crust was thin and crunchy. And, the addition of cinnamon to the topping added to the flavor. Delicious.

Pioneer Baking Mix

Pioneer Baking Mix is one of those all-inclusive baking mixes from days gone past. (My 21-year-old grandson had never heard of Bisquick.) Pioneer Baking Mix is similar to Bisquick in many respects. However, lots of cooks have a preference for one brand or the other. These baking mixes may not be well known to Generation Z — the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age — but I still use the baking mixes for certain recipes. And, I hope to figure out a way to introduce the baking mix to my grandson sometime in the future.

Pioneer Baking Mix originated in Texas by Carl Hilmar Guenther in 1851. The brand continues to be the oldest family-owned milling company in the United States, operating for over 160 years. It is a Southern baking mix, for sure. Over the years, the company has expanded to other baking products including a buttermilk version and to gravy mixes. For example, sausage added to the white gravy mix and served over biscuits is a standard on many Southern restaurant breakfast menus.

Both the Bisquick and Pioneer Baking mixes are versatile — used for biscuits, pancakes, waffles, cobblers, dumplings and many other baked goods. You can make both sweet and savory recipes with the mix. The ingredients in Pioneer Baking Mix are primarily enriched flour, shortening, corn syrup solids, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, sodium caseinate (a milk derivative) and emulsifiers.

Cobblers vs Crisps

What is the difference between a cobbler and a crisp? Both are fruit desserts with some sort of topping — usually a flour mixture. A cobbler typically has biscuit dough layered on top of the filling giving a puffy and cobbled appearance when it is baked. The topping for a crisp is simply flour, sugar and butter blended together giving crunchy texture. Sometimes ingredients such as nuts and oatmeal are added to the topping. Otherwise, the same fruit and fillings can be used in both desserts.

I had a difficult time deciding if this dessert was a “cobbler” or a “crisp.” It has characteristics of both. You make it and decide!

Recipe

Here are the ingredients for “Pat’s Peach Cobbler”:

The oil is for oiling the casserole dish. In this dessert, keep the butter as a solid block so that it can be cut into the baking mix (and dry ingredients). The original recipe called for cream — I used milk as I never seem to have cream in my house.

Making the Recipe

I used a food processor to cut (or blend) the butter into the dry ingredients (baking mix, sugar and cinnamon). I’m taking the easy route by using a food processor to blend in the butter. However, it is also easy to cut the butter in by hand using two forks or a pastry blender. Alternatively, I place my hand inside gloves or a ziplock bag to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.

Mix in the milk (or half and half or cream) and vanilla extract. The dough will be sticky.

Divide the dough into halves — one slightly larger than the other. Press the smaller half into the bottom of a well-oiled 8″ x 8″ casserole dish. Add the canned peach pie filling and spread on well-drained sliced peaches. (Don’t try to stir in the sliced peaches, as you can easily displace the bottom crust.)

Place small dollops of the remaining dough on top. Use two spoons to accomplish this.

Bake the cobbler in a hot — 375 degree — oven until it is brown on top and bubbly. Yes, the topping has a cobbled appearance — like a cobbler. And, it is crunchy — like a crisp. The best of both desserts.

I highly recommend serving this cobbler when it comes out of the oven — warm. Great when ice cream or whipped topping is added.

Pat brought a great cobbler to our summer meal. I’m not sure that she realized what a fabulous dessert this was. Peaches — which taste like the fresh ones — and a crispy topping are the best. Yum. This dessert has definitely made it onto my “keeper” recipe list. I’ll be making it in January, too. Plus, now I have a box of Pioneer Baking Mix. More recipes are coming!