This year, I thought I’d kick off Black History Month with a family heirloom: my Great Great Aunt Georgia’s peach cobbler. The only problem is that we don’t actually have a written record of her recipe! However, I spent many childhood days at Aunt Georgia’s house in Southeast Houston observing her at work in the kitchen. I fondly remember watching her carefully place the lattice crust atop peach filling before placing her renowned peach cobbler in the oven to bake. I set out to recreate it from memory and hopefully honor her in my own little way. I replaced the canned cling peaches she typically used with fresh ones and couldn’t help adding a cute little heart to the crust but otherwise, not much differs from the dessert that my siblings and I loved so much growing up. My youngest brother loves this cobbler the absolute most so his seal of approval is the deciding factor! An egg wash tops my lattice crust which, like Aunt Georgia’s, gets a little lost in the ooey gooey peach filling.
This was her signature dish. You know, the one people requested she make for every gathering or cookout. Whether it’s potato salad, pie, or pound cake, every family has that person that can make a dish just right and nothing else will do. Peach cobbler was hers. Aunt Georgia came up during a time when the South was segregated and black people didn’t always have access to the best of the best when it came to ingredients and tools. This makes it even more amazing to me that she and the other women in my family were able to create such wonderfulness with food! It also fills me with gratitude and humbles me that I can do what I am doing today. I hope you’ll try this recipe and love it. It’s a family favorite and, since Aunt Georgia was my Great Grandma’s (a little more about her here) sister, this is fourth generation #blackgirlmagic! If you’re a regular reader here, you’ve probably gathered that I’m also Nigerian via my dear old dad. So in addition to this cobbler and other Southern classics from my mom’s side, I have some dishes from my dad’s side coming up this month as well so stay tuned!
How do you honor your family and cultural history? Let me know in the comments below and please share your thoughts if you try this recipe for yourself. Thanks for reading!
P.S. On an extremely exciting note, Aunt Georgia’s peach cobbler is my “contribution” to a Black History Month Virtual Potluck with 27 other amazingly talented black food bloggers! Everyone is sharing their best recipes and those included span regions and continents. Check out all of the yummy creations right after the recipe.
- 3 pounds peaches peeled and sliced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup cold butter cut into cubes
- 1 1/4 cup plus 3 teaspoons flour
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 beaten egg
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Mix 1 1/4 cup flour with sea salt in a large bowl. Add cold butter and work together with hands until a coarse meal forms. Add cold water and continue working until the dough melds together. Shape into a square, wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
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While dough chills, mix peaches, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and remaining flour in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and mix well.
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Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add in filling mixture. Cook until bubbly and thickened, stirring as necessary.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour filling into a square (I used 8in X 8in) baking pan. Set aside.
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Roll out dough and cut into 8 one-inch strips. Lay over top of filling in a lattice or criss-cross pattern. Brush with beaten egg then sprinkle with white sugar.
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Bake for about 45 minutes or until crust is golden. Allow to cool and set for at least another 45 minutes then serve.
Black History Virtual Potluck Menu
Crispy Fried Chicken with Pepper Jelly Molasses by Meiko and the Dish
Caramelized Plantain Tacos with Pecan-Honey Butter by Raised on Ramen
Twice Baked Yams by Foodie in New York
Jamaican Sorrel/Senegalese Bissap by The Seasoning Bottle
Smothered Okra with Shrimp by Chef Kenneth
Po’ Boys with Cajun Tempura Shrimp by Savory Spicerack
Groundnut Stew (Peanut Stew) by Chocolate for Basil
Banana Pudding by Simply LaKita
Callaloo and Saltfish by My Forking Life
Swamp Water by Gucci Belly
Ukwaju (Tamarind) Marinated Spicy Chicken Thighs by Kaluhi’s Kitchen
Coffee-Rubbed Lamb Ribs by Sweet Savant
Southern Greens Shakshuka by Salty Sweet Life
Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts by Eat.Drink.Frolic
Southern Fried Cabbage by I Heart Recipes
Mango Turmeric Smoothie by Jehan Can Cook
Lemon Pepper Fish Tacos with Collard Green Slaw by Margaritas On The Rocks
Slow-Cooker Gumbo (Gluten Free) by A Soulful Twist
Coconut Milk Braised Collard Greens by The Kitchenista Diaries
Orange Chocolate Smoothie by My Life Runs on Food
Skillet Cornbread by Butter Be Ready
Shrimp Creole by Domestic Dee
Curry Chicken Pot Pie by D.M.R. Fine Foods
Lamb Fried Rice by The Inner Gourmet
Hoppin’ John Patties with Warm Tomato Salsa by Marisa Moore Nutrition
Blood Orange Cornmeal Cake by The Hungry Hutch
Looks so pretty…I’m sure your grandma would be proud. I love making family recipes passed down through generations
That looks amazing! We’re smack dab in the middle of winter here so there’s not a peach to be found, but I’m definitely making this once they’re in season again. Thanks!
Yes, it wasn’t easy finding them here either! I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading!
This looks amazing! I love recreating family recipes; I think the idea of recipes being passed down from one generation to another is so lovely. The Virtual Potluck sounds fun, I’m going to check out some of the other recipes too.
This looks absolutely delicious!
Oh YUM!! I love homemade peach cobbler! Great recipe!
Yum yum yum!! I LOVE peach cobbler, and that heart you added is absolutely adorable. I also love that you included your grandmother in the post. It’s so fun to hear about the people who have shaped lives.
This looks heavenly!! Peach cobbler is one of my favourites!
This looks so good. I’m saving the recipe for summer. I like the heart in the middle too!
Can we used canned peaches or are fresh peaches better?
Aunt Georgia actually used canned peaches but my preference is fresh. If you use canned, be sure to drain them.
It looks really good and I’m sure it’s very tasty and it’s nice you did this in honor of grandmother. But for black history month, why not cook a dish that was invented by blacks in the south like black eyed peas, fried okra or greens instead of peach cobbler which was invented by southern white folks of English descent? It would make more sense. But anyway, it looks great and I think the heart on it was a nice touch.
Hi, Rob. Thanks for your comment! This recipe was part of a collection of submissions by black food bloggers, which actually includes dishes like black-eyed peas, okra, and greens. 🙂 I encourage you to click through and check them out. The collection features distinct dishes and I chose peach cobbler because I have experience with it, it’s part of my family’s history, and is a way to share my Great Great Aunt Georgia’s legacy with readers. As I’m sure you know, the black experience isn’t homogenous and part of the beauty of it is that we each bring something unique to the table–both literally and figuratively!
Can the filling be added to an already made pie crust from the store? And if so is the cooking times the same?
Hi, Coma! Yes, the filling can absolutely be added to a pre-made pie crust. The baking time should be about the same. I’d start with 5-10 minutes less baking time and check from there.