This easy, made from scratch Peach Blueberry Basil Cobbler takes advantage of two of my favorite fresh fruits along with a little fresh basil for an out of the ordinary dessert.
Our stores are starting to get this summer’s fresh peach crop in stock, so I picked up a few to make one of our favorite desserts—my Peach Blueberry Basil Cobbler. Not only are the fresh peaches and blueberries wonderful complementary flavors, the basil adds an additional, very unexpected, layer that makes a humble cobbler into something much more interesting.
I absolutely love fresh herbs. I’ve planted an herb garden for years and years.
Some years, it’s just a few pots on the back deck, and other years, it’s a full-blown plot of land. This year we opted for the few pots on the back deck.
Those few pots have supplied us with more basil, dill, oregano, marjoram, and thyme than we could ever possibly use. Time to freeze some for the winter!
One of my favorite ways to use herbs is in desserts, especially fruit desserts. I often make a freeform Apricot Thyme Galette or a delicious Pineapple Blueberry Basil Galette. Both great examples of combining herbs with fruit.
I hope you’ll try this peach blueberry cobbler with basil and be inspired to use fresh herbs in your desserts as well.
Recipe Snapshot: Peach Blueberry Basil Cobbler
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Cuisine: Southern
Cooking Method: Oven
Primary Ingredients: Peaches, blueberries, sugar, butter, flour, milk, basil
Skill Level: Easy
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WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This cobbler is delicious! The basil is an added plus. I used frozen fruit and added sugar. Perfection!”
— Leslie
“Not only sounds wonderful but I just love the colors of the finished dessert; eye appeal is so important!”
— Barbara
What Makes This Recipe Special
This cobbler takes two summer fruits that already love each other, ripe peaches and blueberries, and adds something you never saw coming: fresh basil. Just a little, cut finely and stirred into the fruit turns a humble cobbler into something that gets people asking what that bright, unexpected flavor is.
Enveloping the fruit is a simple batter that rises up through melted butter as it bakes, so you get crisp golden edges and a tender, cakey top. It comes together in one bowl and goes straight into the oven.
Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it’s about as good as summer dessert gets. Give it a try and see if basil doesn’t earn a permanent spot in your fruit desserts.
Ingredient Notes
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- Fresh Peaches and Blueberries – These summer fruits are the stars of this cobbler. Look for peaches that are fragrant and give slightly when pressed, and plump blueberries with no soft spots. Frozen fruit works too, though you’ll want to thaw and drain it well first.
- Fresh Basil – The use of basil is what makes the cobbler out of the ordinary. Cut into a fine chiffonade and stirred into the fruit, it adds a bright, slightly peppery note that plays beautifully against the sweet peaches and blueberries. It’s the same reason basil works with tomatoes, just on the sweet side of the palate.
- Butter – Melted and poured into the bottom of the baking dish before the batter goes in. As the cobbler bakes, the batter rises up through the butter and gives you those crisp, golden edges that everybody looks for.
- Vanilla – A full teaspoon in the batter rounds out the flavor and warms up the fruit. Don’t skip it.
- Sugar, Flour, Baking Powder, Salt, and Milk – The usual cobbler pantry staples that come together into the batter. Nothing unusual here, just the everyday ingredients that give the cobbler its beautifully tender top.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Recipe Variations
- Swap the fruit however you like. This same batter works with just about any summer fruit. Try all peaches, all blueberries, or a handful of blackberries or raspberries in place of some of the blueberries.
- Use frozen fruit when fresh isn’t available. Thaw and drain it very well so the cobbler doesn’t turn out watery. One of my readers made it with frozen fruit and said it came out perfectly.
- Change up the herb. Basil is my favorite here, but fresh mint or a little thyme also pair beautifully with peaches if you want to experiment.
- Leave the herb out entirely. If you’d rather keep it classic, skip the basil and you have a straightforward peach-blueberry cobbler that’s plain delicious.
How to Make Peach Blueberry Basil Cobbler
Prepare the Fruit
STEP 1. Peel and slice the peaches. Place the peach slices and blueberries in a bowl and sprinkle over 1/4 cup of sugar (or more depending on how sweet the fruit is). I personally prefer mine less sweet. You can adjust the sugar to your own preference. Mix gently to distribute the sugar. Set the bowl aside and allow the fruit to sit for approximately 30 minutes.
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Melt the Butter and Mix the Batter
STEP 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
STEP 3. Melt the butter either in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or pan.
STEP 4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk in the milk and vanilla until well combined.
STEP 5. Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter, but do not stir it together.
Add the Fruit over the Batter
STEP 6. Stir the basil into the fruit mixture.
STEP 7. Pour the sweetened fruit and basil mixture over the butter. Do not stir together.
Bake the Cobbler
STEP 8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the crust is brown and fruit is bubbly.
STEP 9. Remove the cobbler from the oven and allow it to cool for approximately 15 minutes.
Serve
STEP 10. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and additional basil for garnish.
(Personal note – maybe you noticed the beaten and battered spoon in the photo above? That spoon belonged to my many-times-great-grandmother, Lucy Frances “Munnie” Griffin Matthews (pictured left), who was born in 1853. I just love that spoon and wouldn’t trade it for a dozen brand new ones.)
Recipe Success Tips
- It’s important to taste the fruit before adding the sugar. I recommend 1/4 cup sugar if the fruit is nicely ripe and sweet. You may feel you need a little more sugar to sweeten your fruit.
- If the fruit seems very juicy after sitting with the sugar for 30 minutes, toss it with two teaspoons of cornstarch to ensure that the cobbler isn’t too juicy when baked.
- Place the baking dish with the cobbler on a baking sheet to make sure nothing bubbles out into the oven while cooking.
How to Serve
Serve this cobbler warm, within an hour or so of coming out of the oven, with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream melting into the fruit. A few extra ribbons of fresh basil over the top make it pretty and echo the flavor in the cobbler.
It’s a natural fit for a summer cookout or Sunday dinner dessert, especially when peaches are at their peak. If you’re putting together a warm-weather spread, it goes right alongside my honey-glazed grilled peaches or a Southern blackberry cobbler.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the oven or microwave. To freeze cooked cobbler, wrap it closely in plastic wrap first followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped cobbler in a resealable freezer storage bag and freeze for 6-8 months. Thaw the cobbler in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
Questions and Answers: Peach Blueberry Basil Cobbler
- Can I use frozen peaches and blueberries in this cobbler?
You can use frozen peaches and/or blueberries in your cobbler. You’ll need to thaw them and drain them very well before adding them in the recipe. - Do I have to peel the peaches or can I leave the skin on?
My personal preference is to peel peaches before using them. However, the skin of a peach is completely edible, and you can leave the skin on for a cobbler if you like. The skins will become very tender during cooking. - Why is my cobbler runny?
A runny cobbler is usually the result of the fruit being too juicy. Check your fruit after the first step where it sits with the sugar for 30 minutes. If there seems to be a large amount of liquid in the bottom of the bowl, you can add two teaspoons of cornstarch and toss it gently with the fruit. That should cause the juice to thicken during cooking. - How do I know when the cobbler is done?
The cobbler is done when the batter has puffed up and is a golden brown on top. If you’re in doubt, you can use a kitchen thermometer to check. The internal temperature at the center of the cobbler should be 200°F when it’s done.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
Peach Blueberry Basil Cobbler
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen peach slices
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup sugar divided (more depending on sweetness of fruit)
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil cut in chiffonade
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
- Additional basil for garnish
Instructions
- Peel and slice the peaches. Place the peach slices and blueberries in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar (or more depending on how sweet the fruit is). Mix gently to distribute the sugar and allow to sit for approximately 30 minutes.1/4 cup sugar1 ½ cups fresh or frozen peach slices, 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt the butter either in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave. Pour the melted butter into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or pan.½ cup butter
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk in the milk and vanilla. 1/4 cup sugar1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 ¼ cups milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter but do not stir.
- Stir the basil into the fruit mixture.2 tablespoons fresh basil
- Pour the sweetened fruit and basil mixture over the butter. Do not stir together.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until crust is brown and fruit is bubbly.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for approximately 15 minutes.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and additional basil.Vanilla ice cream for serving, Additional basil for garnish
Notes
- Pour the batter over the melted butter and the fruit over the batter without stirring at any point. The batter rises up around the fruit as it bakes, which is what gives you those crisp golden edges.
- Set the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet before baking. Fruit cobblers bubble up and can overflow, and the sheet catches any drips.
- For frozen peaches and/or blueberries, thaw and drain very well before using them in the recipe.
- It’s important to taste the fruit before adding the sugar. I recommend ¼ cup sugar if the fruit is nicely ripe and sweet. You may feel you need a little more sugar to sweeten your fruit.
- If the fruit seems very juicy after sitting with the sugar for 30 minutes, toss it with two teaspoons of cornstarch to ensure that the cobbler isn’t too juicy when baked.
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
- To freeze cooked cobbler, wrap it closely in plastic wrap first followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped cobbler in a resealable freezer storage bag and freeze for 6-8 months. Thaw the cobbler in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
This cobbler is delicious! The basil is an added plus. I used frozen fruit and added sugar. Perfection! Absolutely do serve with ice cream or even whipped cream.
I’m so pleased to know you liked it, Leslie!
Not only sounds wonderful but I just love the colors of the finished dessert; eye appeal is so important! Glad you’re back…hope you are feeling better every single day!
I am all about cooked fruit…I just love it – adding in basil to your dessert?? I totally dig that!
Fresh herbs is one of the many reasons that I love summertime cooking! Basil is so versatile and is always wonderful with fruit, and you’ve shown that beautifully here!
Yes, I do think basil is one of the most versatile of all fresh herbs. Just as nice with fruit as it is in a tomato sauce or tossed into a salad.
Welcome back Lana! Hope you are feeling better and healing fast. Love basil in a sweet dish and it’s absolutely brilliant in a cobbler!
Thanks for the welcome, Ansh! I agree – basil in a sweet dish is unexpectedly delicious!
That spoon this cobbler. Swoon. Welcome back Lana!
Thanks a million, Paula!