This easy peach cobbler is made by layering ripe, juicy fruit over batter rather than nestling it under biscuits or pie dough, giving it a tender, cakelike texture. Browning the butter before merging it with the batter adds nutty, caramelized notes, while buttermilk gives it a lovely tang. Fresh summer peaches (or other stone fruit like nectarines, apricots and plums) are ideal here, but frozen fruit also works well. Serve this warm or at room temperature, preferably on the same day as baking.

Easy Buttermilk Peach Cobbler
Ingredients:
• 2 pounds fresh peaches, pitted and sliced (peeling is optional), or 6 cups frozen peach slices
• 1/2 cup/110 grams packed dark brown sugar
• 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups/187 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar, more for sprinkling
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups/355 milliliters buttermilk
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon flavoring, such as freshly grated nutmeg, citrus zest, ground cinnamon, ginger or vanilla, or 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat, combine the peaches, brown sugar and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and the liquid thickens slightly, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour peaches and liquid into a bowl and set aside. Taste a peach slice; if it seems flat, add another squeeze or two of lemon until bright and lively.

Using the same pan (you don’t need to wipe it out), melt the butter over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally, and let it cook until it smells very nutty, turns golden brown and flecks of dark amber appear, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and reserve the brown butter in the pan.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour in buttermilk and any flavorings you like, and mix just until combined.
Scrape the batter on top of the brown butter in the pan, but don’t mix it in. The butter will rise and cover some of the batter at the pan’s edges, and this is good. Scatter the peach slices and their juices on top of the batter without stirring. Sprinkle with a little more sugar if you like, for crunch.

Bake until the cobbler is golden brown on top, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Total time: 70 to 80 minutes, serves 6 to 8.

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