Justin's Peach Cobbler Bread

Photo by:

Brian Samuels

Excerpted from POTLUCK DESSERTS: JOYFUL RECIPES TO SHARE WITH PRIDE by Justin Burke, copyright ©2025, reprinted by permission of Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Co., Inc. All rights reserved

This recipe combines some of my favorite things: peaches, quick bread, cobbler, and brown butter. I’ve always loved the way peaches flavor baked goods, creating pockets of delicate goodness with bursts of stone fruit freshness. In this recipe, I use brown butter to bridge the gap between the fresh fruit’s acidity and the warm, earthy spices. The brown butter subtly infuses into the bread, adding a hidden depth; while in the crumble, it gives a delightful little pop here and there.

Ingredients

FOR THE BREAD

11⁄4 cups (282 g) unsalted butter
1 pound frozen peaches, thawed, drained, and dried
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (220 g) Madhur Jaggery or light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons Peni Miris Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Basiya Ginger
½ teaspoon ground Baraka Cardamom
1 teaspoon Surya Salt or kosher salt
2 eggs
½ cup (120 g) buttermilk
1 teaspoon Kaveri Vanilla extract

FOR THE CRUMBLE

⅓ cup (73 g) Madhur Jaggery or light brown sugar
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons (72 g) all-purpose flour
Pinch of Surya Salt or kosher salt
1⁄4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, browned

Methods

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spray a 9- by- 5- inch loaf pan with baking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang along the long edges; spray the parchment. Set aside.
Make the bread. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter. Melt the butter, swirling the pan occasionally to evenly distribute the browning and to prevent the butter from browning too quickly. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam up; at this point, lower the heat to medium- low and continue to brown, occasionally swirling the pan. The crackling will start to lower, and the foam will decrease. At this point, watch the center of the foam; once the center begins to turn a golden, nutty color, swirl the pan evenly and, once evenly golden, remove the pan from heat. Pour the brown butter into a small heatproof bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Set aside and let cool.
Meanwhile, with a paper towel, pat down the thawed and drained frozen peaches, making sure to remove excess moisture. Roughly chop the peaches and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, jaggery, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt until evenly combined. Make a well in the center.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, 1 cup (227 g) of the brown butter, and vanilla until evenly combined. Pour the mixture into the center of the well. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the ingredients together until just combined. Fold in the peaches.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap the pan to release air bubbles, and level the batter. Set aside.
Prepare the crumble. In a medium bowl, whisk together the jaggery, flour, and salt until well combined. Add the remaining brown butter and with a fork, mix together until evenly combined and crumbles form. Evenly scatter crumble over batter.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and let cool.