This vegan and gluten-free peach cobbler features a topping that changes from brown and crisp on top to cake-like in the middle and syrupy on the bottom.
I grew up with peach trees in the garden, and it pains me a little to have to pay money to buy peaches imported from Alabama every summer. But truth be told, our homegrown peaches were always on the small side, compared to the juicy globes of sweetness I now get from our farm stand. I hate to think how many of our Louisiana peaches I would have had to peel and cut to make this delicious gluten-free peach cobbler.
And it is! Delicious, I mean. For something so easy, using only ingredients I already had in the house, it’s kind of a miracle how good this pie/cake is. Especially considering it was the result of a last minute change in plans.
You see, I had an idea for mini peach pies that involved using spring roll wrappers instead of pie crust. I came up with this brilliant idea a couple of weeks ago and removed the package of spring roll wrappers from the freezer and put them in the refrigerator to thaw.
And then life, laziness, and an unripe batch of peaches got in the way, and those peach pies just never happened. When I finally got around to making them, the spring roll wrappers were as rigid and dry as cardboard. There was no way to make them curve to fit mini pie pans.
So that’s an experiment I will have to perform later. Fortunately, I had already peeled and sliced the peaches, so I had to make something. My husband was expecting pie. Do not get between that man and a pie!
So I went in a different direction and made a peach cobbler. Now, in Louisiana we all seem to have different ideas of what a cobbler is. To my mom, it is a deep dish pie with no bottom crust and a lattice crust on top (what I now hear is called a pandowdy.) My husband says he thinks of a crumb top when he thinks of cobbler (I call that a crumble or crisp.)
But if you search Google, you’ll learn that true cobbler recipes consist of “sugared (and often spiced) fruit topped with a sweetened biscuit topping and baked until the fruit is tender and the topping is golden.” It’s similar to and often confused with a buckle–fruit cooked on top of cake batter until the cake rises up and the fruit “buckles.”
Call it whatever you like, this dessert is the perfect use for the fruits of summer.
I did not go crazy with the sugar because the peaches are already very sweet, so the freshness of the fruit shines through. The batter (more like a cake batter than a biscuit dough) works its way down through the fruit and transitions from brown and crisp on top to cake-like in the middle and syrupy on the bottom.
It’s sublime. Make it now. You can even use another type of fruit, if you have to.
Vegan Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler
Ingredients
Peaches
- 2 pounds peaches (about 5 large)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon optional
Dry
- 1 cup gluten-free baking flour blend
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- Pinch salt
Wet
- 3/4 cup soy milk or other non-dairy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Bring several inches of water to boil in a large saucepan. Use a slotted spoon to lower each peach into the boiling water for about 20 seconds. Place on a cutting board or plate and set aside to cool. (This makes the peaches easy to peel.)
- When the peaches are cool enough, peel them by piercing the skin with a knife and pulling it off. Slice the peaches into a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cinnamon, if desired.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Arrange the peaches in a deep 9-inch pie pan.
- Mix the dry ingredients together. Add the wet ingredients, and stir just enough to eliminate large lumps. Pour over the peaches.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, covering loosely with aluminum foil if the top begins to get too brown. It’s done with you can stick a toothpick in the middle and not have batter stuck to it.
- Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Nutritional info is approximate.
More Peaches, More Cobbler:
- Low-Fat Plum Cobbler
- Peach Oatmeal Bars
- Peach Upside-Down Cake
- Sugar-Free (or Not) Peach and Vanilla Muffins
Please Pin and share:
Ann
August 25, 2017 at 8:29 amThis looks great. Can I substitute whole wheat pastry flour?
Thanks
Susan Voisin
August 25, 2017 at 9:40 amYes, I think it will work fine. Just be very careful not to overmix. Because of the gluten, overmixing will cause the cake to get tough.
Ann
August 27, 2017 at 6:18 pmThanks, Susan.
I made this today. It was fantastic. I didn’t have the flour you suggested but the ww pastry flour worked. Thanks for the advice re combining it. This is now a family favorite.
Thanks
Ann
Terri Chalnick
August 25, 2017 at 9:05 amSusan, thank you for this recipe. I was wondering if other fruits can be substituted?
Susan Voisin
August 25, 2017 at 9:42 amYes, you can use around 2 pounds of any fruit (or however much fills the pie dish about 3/4 full). Add more or less sugar to the fruit depending on how sweet it is.
Josie Talbot
August 25, 2017 at 9:14 amI am making this today. Today is my birthday and I was going to make a desert for a family dinner tonight and this is the recipe would be great we all love peach cobbler, or least I do.
Susan Voisin
August 25, 2017 at 9:43 amHappy birthday! I hope you enjoy the cobbler!
Josie Talbot
August 30, 2017 at 7:40 pmWe did and thanks for the recipe. I made two cobbler and everyone had 2 servings. My granddaughter was hinting that she would like a cobbler for her birthday in September. I guess we have a new family favorite.
Christine
August 25, 2017 at 9:18 amIf using regular AP flour instead of gluten free blend (we’re not GF), would you recommend skipping the tapioca starch? This looks delicious, and just in time for our local farmer’s market for peaches tomorrow! Thanks!
Susan Voisin
August 25, 2017 at 9:44 amNo, I would keep the tapioca or add an extra 2 tablespoons flour. Just don’t overmix or it will make the cake tough.
Maria
August 25, 2017 at 10:57 amWow, what a wonderful easy and delicious looking “cobbler” treatment! I love that you can just throw it together. And I also loved knowing all the fine distinctions between “cobbler” “crisp” “Betty” “buckle,” and so on. I love that stuff. Seems like a buckle is a very lazy galette. No actual making of a pastry to surround the fruit, the batter on the bottom just rises up and does that on its own. 🙂 Thanks, Susan. I have really been enjoying peaches this summer and would love to try this next time the kids come.
Kathy Scott
August 26, 2017 at 9:07 pmThis cobbler is fantastic! I only had two peaches on hand, so I used those along with an apple, some pineapple, and some blackberries that I had. My grown son and husband loved it as much as I did. Thank you for the recipe, Susan.
Susan Voisin
August 26, 2017 at 9:44 pmI’m so glad you liked it, Kathy! I love that combination of fruit! Thanks for letting me know.
Jojo
August 26, 2017 at 10:00 pmWhatever we’re calling it it looks delicious! I can never really make peach desserts in the UK because they’re so expensive but I’d love to try this recipe with apples in the autumn.
JoAnn M Lakes
August 28, 2017 at 11:24 pmThis is more about your email update than this recipe but I didn’t know exactly where to post. I’ve been vegan now for over 7 years and when I started this journey you were there!!! Deciding to go vegan in 2009 wasn’t that easy! It was hard finding healthy, delicious recipes out there. Pantry items and everyday items (nut milks and dairy alternatives, vegan sauces (Worcestershire, mayo, salad dressing, etc), bread, chocolate chips, baking ingredients, even veggie burgers) all had to be carefully scrutinized and most were not vegan. In fact, most people didn’t even know what a vegan was. You were there with healthy dishes I could cook up for my husband and myself. I felt like part of your family as I read and listened to your family stories and watched your daughter grow up. There are a ton of vegan bloggers out there now (and I am happy that they have chosen this lifestyle) but I will always be grateful for your helping hand. THANK YOU!
Susan Voisin
August 29, 2017 at 12:44 amJoAnn, this means so much to me that I’m tearing up. Whenever I think about “retiring,” it’s comments like this that keep me going. Thank you! You made my day.
Shayla
August 30, 2017 at 1:54 pmMade this one with regular flour, substituted corn starch for tapioca starch. I also skipped the lemon juice on the peaches and only added 1 tbsp of brown sugar. My husband also loves pie and wanted peach pie, so I tried this instead! It was delicious and a hit at home.
Kelly Mahan
August 31, 2017 at 7:32 amDang, looks awesome! Definitely gonna try this or something similar this next weekend 😉
Dianne
August 31, 2017 at 8:22 amI am baking your cobbler right this moment. I used white whole wheat flour. was the tapioca starch for the gluten free pastry? I almost put it in with the peaches.
I debated the entire time I was peeling peaches whether or not to try it as an AF recipe! My Power XL came with a 7 x3 round dish. I wasn’t sure if it would fit as a whole recipe or half in that space. I think now it would be ok since the pan is deep. Also wasn’t sure what temp to use: 320? 330? and for how long? 20 min? 25? We will probably have some more peaches this weekend to try it in the AF to compare.
Isadora Guidoni
August 31, 2017 at 2:29 pmoh my yum. Delicious chocolate cookies that are vegan and gluten-free? That’s what dreams are made of!
Susan Voisin
August 31, 2017 at 4:08 pmI’m afraid you are commenting on the wrong recipe!
Enrique
September 4, 2017 at 2:17 pmWow looks delicious – I’ve been craving peaches – not the season though yet in Canada.
-Enrique, Vegan P2P Facebook Group – “Peer-to-Peer reviews of vegan info products!”
Karle
September 4, 2017 at 9:23 pmMade the peach cobbler today. I couldn’t find my gluten free flour as my son decided to organize. Used whole wheat pastry flour. It’s excellent.. I was surprised how easy it was to find tapioca starch. This recipe will become a regular. I will try with other fruit. Thanks so much.
Luna
September 13, 2017 at 4:49 amYummy and it doesn’t seem so difficult to make either! I hope the peach season will last long this year!
Mel | avirtualvegan.com
September 15, 2017 at 3:52 pmOh wow this is making my mouth water! What a great way to use peaches. It looks awesome and is just screaming out for a dollop of vanilla ice cream or coconut whip! I have some peaches that are little past their best. I know what’s for dessert tonight!
kelly http://kitchentuts.com/
September 22, 2017 at 2:32 amCAN WE USE SAME PROCEDURE TO MAKE IT Spicier?
Marlena | WYGYP
September 25, 2017 at 10:01 pmWOW! This looks divine! I grew up with a peach tree as well. At the time, I didn’t realize how precious free peach were. This looks like the perfect dessert to keep the cost down!
regelyn banal
December 14, 2017 at 6:45 pmthanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. I love your blog as well as all the recipe, this one is my favorite since I love desserts so much. I was wondering if I can make it using other fruits?
Susan Voisin
December 14, 2017 at 9:49 pmYes, berries and plums are also good to use in this.
Fiona
November 3, 2017 at 3:30 amI made this with some modifications. I only had all purpose flour and no tapioca starch. I had to add some liquid since the flour was different I guess. Also halved the amount of sugar. It was still pretty sweet but in a good way. I had a bunch of peaches so this recipe was a nice find. I did also add a small drizzle of olive oil in the batter.
Sheebu
December 19, 2017 at 11:44 amThanks so much for this recipe! I’m not yet a vegan but I’m trying out various vegan recipes to motivate myself to start my journey towards veganism
This really helped!
Teri of NC
July 10, 2018 at 2:45 pmThanks for the great recipe! I was able to make this in the solar oven (which took about 5 hours, with an average temperature of 300 F). Turned out really great! Thanks for posting it. I love that it wasn’t a heavy recipe. My son liked it, too.
Kim Baker
August 26, 2018 at 4:04 pmThis is very good, Susan! Thank you so much for yet another winner of a recipe! I added a bit of lemon peel and cinnamon to the batter 🙂
Susana
September 2, 2018 at 11:11 amHi Susan!
Thank you for this recipe. The picture looks delicious and I decided to give it a try! I have had little experience with baking but si still went for it 🙂 it looked simple enough! By the reviews you got I can tell people are happy with their crumbles. Mine turned out not that good and I would like some advice to make it as good as yours!
The reason why it’s not good: the dough just stayed like a big undercooked thick mass above the peaches. It was undercooked even after leaving it for 60 mins. Temp was 375. The peach juice was bubbling up the sides but the dough just remained like one thick blob on top of the peaches. Lol.
Possible reasons:
– The flour I used was red mill gf 1 to 1 baking flour.. is this an issue?
– the peaches were very ripe and sliced thin so the bottom layer was more like a bed of squishy jam-like peach layer. Should there be spaces between peach slices so that dough enters through to the bottom?
– I mixed wet and dry quite a bit although there were still little lumps. Should I mix it less?
Do you have any other suggestions?
Thanks for taking the time for my elaborate message 🙂 I just really want to eat that cobbler in the picture!
Thanks
Susana
Becca
June 1, 2019 at 11:51 pmI’ve just stumbled across your blog, and I AM SO HAPPY!! I can’t eat fat for medical reasons, and I’m pregnant, so I’ve been getting some intense cravings. Scrolling through your desserts and seeing what you’ve made, has me excited to try out more of these delicious recipes!
I’m a terrible maker upper of recipes, but I follow them quite well. So to have delicious low fat options has my little heart singing.
Thanks so much!!
Linda
June 16, 2019 at 8:33 amMy husband made this last night and it was delicious!! We ate it in one go – whoops.
I just have a question: it turned out a lot moister than we expected. Not crunchy at all. Do you think we can leave it in the oven for longer next time? Or maybe broil it? It just doesn’t look like yours. It’s more like your upside-down pear cake than cobbler. What do you think went wrong?
Thanks!
Susan Voisin
June 16, 2019 at 10:08 amI’m sorry it didn’t turn out exactly right but glad you enjoyed it anyway. I think you could perhaps bake it a little longer or brown it. Mine wasn’t really crunchy on top, but it did brown, so maybe yours just needed more time.
Linda
June 17, 2019 at 11:49 amYes, you’re right. Yours also looks more like cobbler. For some reason, ours was very flat on top, and I’m wondering if that made the inside moister. I think maybe we cut the peaches into pieces that were too small, which made the batter just sit on top of everything instead of falling between the “cracks”. We’ll try baking it for a little longer too.
Thanks so much! We can’t wait to make it again!! We love ALL your recipes, by the way – sooo delicious!!
Brenda
August 1, 2019 at 12:05 pmIt’s peach season in SC. I haven’t had peach cobbler since we started eating a WFPB diet 4 years ago. I’m so glad I found your recipe. Made it this morning and had some for lunch. Now I need to make some banana n’ice cream to serve with it. There’s nothing better than warm peach cobbler with a scoop of ice cream melting on top 😉 Thanks so much for the recipe!
Jenny
September 21, 2019 at 11:31 pmHi Susan
First off – I am so grateful for all of your amazing recipes! You make fat free seem easy ⚘⚘⚘
Can I make this cobbler with canned peaches? I don’t have access to fresh ones and I have never tried cobbler, so I’m hesitant to make changes.
Pam
October 2, 2019 at 7:20 amI made this with fresh pear, apple and raspberries and used Pyure stevia blend sweetener and it came out fantastic. So delicious. Thank you Susan for a lovely, fat free dessert!
Susan Voisin
October 2, 2019 at 9:15 amI’m so glad you enjoyed it. That sounds like a delicious combination!
Amelia
July 19, 2020 at 1:36 pmDo you think this would work with plain whole wheat flour? I don’t have any pastry flour.
Susan Voisin
July 19, 2020 at 1:40 pmYes, it should work. Start out with a little bit less and add more if needed. Also, be careful not to mix it too much.
Kelly Macaulay
September 11, 2020 at 2:19 pmThis is so good and so easy! I’m making it for the second time today. I used a mixture of nectarines and mango both times. Just delicious! Sweet but not over the top. Thanks so much!
Patricia
July 5, 2021 at 2:08 pmSusan,
As I very happily contemplate making this peach cobbler, I realize that I owe you a very overdue thank you When I first went vegan many years ago (for health reasons) i was lost and a bit depressed as I was a foodie and thought that being vegan meant being healthy but giving up so many delicious things. So I was so incredibly lucky to find your blog, which immediately transformed my world! All these years later, I still turn to your recipes all the time when I and my family want delicious food–and I”m not even mildly tempted to return to my vegetarian ways.. Thank you!!!!