Brown Butter Nectarine Cobbler/Cake

By Melissa Clark

Updated June 10, 2024

Brown Butter Nectarine Cobbler/Cake
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour and 15 minutes
Cook Time
50 to 55 minutes
Rating
5(1,058)
Comments
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This dessert comes from a subset of cobbler recipes with cakelike leanings. It’s blissfully easy. Melt some butter in a skillet (cast iron, if you have it), mix together a pancake-type batter in a bowl, toss with fruit and bake. Raw fruit in this recipe bakes up juicy with a firm yet yielding bite that is not at all mushy. (Keeping the skins helps that.)

Featured in: A Cobbler That Gives Fruit Real Support

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 3cups fresh nectarines or peaches in ½-inch slices, or a combination about 1 pound
  • 5ounces sugar (about ¾ cup)
  • 1teaspoon lemon juice
  • 4tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3ounces flour (about ¾ cup)
  • 1½teaspoons baking powder
  • ⅛teaspoon salt
  • ¾cup buttermilk
  • ¼cup sliced almonds
  • ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2tablespoons Demerara sugar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

225 calories; 8 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 27 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 140 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the fruit slices, ¼ cup sugar and lemon juice. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a simmer, then take the pan off the heat.

  2. Step 2

    In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until it smells very nutty, turns golden, and flecks of dark brown appear, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the brown butter into an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish.

  3. Step 3

    In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour the buttermilk into the dry ingredients and mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the batter on top of the brown butter, use a spatula to even out the batter but be careful not to mix it into the butter. Scatter the nectarine slices and juice on top of the batter without stirring. Sprinkle with the almonds, nutmeg and Demerara sugar. Bake until golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,058 user ratings
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Comments

LH

PART ONE OF TWO

I love this recipe so much that I've now made it three times in three days, playing with it around the edges.

The first time, I made it as published except I cut the sugar by 25% (I almost always do that – – I prefer European sweetness level to American). It was fantastic.

The second time, I did the same, except that I substituted chopped mango for the nectarines, chopped macadamia for the almonds, and ginger for the nutmeg Again, fantastic.

(Go to PART TWO)

LH

PART TWO OF TWO:

Third version:

Increase all ingred. but nectarine by 50%. Add one chopped banana and pinch lemon zest to nectarine mixture. Add 1/3 tsp cinna. and 1/8 tsp ginger to flour. Solidify browned butter on bottom of 7x11 (not 8x8) baking dish by chilling briefly. Spread thin layer batter on butter layer; top with fruit mixture; top with rest of battern; gently bang pan flat on counter; top with toasted macadamias and pinch of raw sugar (no nutmeg).

BEST YET,
and you get 50% more!

Cyssf

I made this using the suggestion to refrigerate the buttered baking dish to solidify the butter before spreading the batter on it (brilliant idea, don't know how you'd distribute the batter with the butter still liquid) and without the Demerara sugar because I didn't want to dig through my cabinets to find it. I found the batter layer to be too skimpy and next time I will double the batter recipe for the same amount of peaches. Otherwise very easy and tasty recipe.

Mary C

I may the only one for whom this went not super well. The fruit stayed on top with the cake below. I still like the concept while missing a golden top, but a bit was there around the edges. Next time I'd add some flavoring.

maren

i have no idea how but i followed all the instructions exactly and baked it until it was golden but when i cut into it it was entirely raw inside. my oven isnt the best so that may be part of the issue but ugh

Michael

I've made this a few times now. Delicious, although a little too sweet. If you're using in season nectarines, i would half the sugar added to the fruit. I added lemon zest into the nectarines, and almond extract into the batter (which I doubled). That made it a winner for me.

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