Summer is the perfect time to dive into relaxed, unpretentious Americana desserts to feed a family or a crowd. With nothing fussy in the preparation, there is no wonder cobblers are a favorite. Ripe, juicy fruits, lightly sweetened and covered with a cakey topping? What’s not to love.
I have not turned on my oven for a few weeks now, preparing fresh salads and grilling most of the protein the Boulder Locavore family has been eating. We still love a summer dessert so I decided to give the slow cooker a whirl and make a cobbler. I love the idea of keeping the kitchen cool not using the oven and mixing everything in the slow cooker insert itself. I don’t have to watch it and can plan for exactly when it will be done.
I decided to change it up however and instead of creating the traditional lightly sweetened biscuit topping I substituted an unprepared cake mix. Again simplifying the recipe preparation further, as well as turning the cobbler into a sweeter more cake-like dessert. The beauty of slow cooking is the little moisture required in the recipe and no evaporation. That can affect a recipe like cobbler by making the dough sticky. I add a paper towel underneath the lid for a portion of the cooking which soaks up some of the condensation, leaving the cobbler topping closer to what one would experience when it’s cooked in the oven (though it doesn’t have the same crispness).
As my first run at the recipe was underway I learned that the cake mix topping approach is a tried and trusted Boy Scout method when making a cobbler in a Dutch oven on cook outs. Though the cooking methods differ, that seemed like a pretty good endorsement to me! This cobbler does not disappoint!
Slow Cooker Peach-Blueberry Cobbler
Ingredients
- 3 cups Peach slices (fresh or frozen and thawed)
- 1 cup Blueberries (fresh or frozen and thawed)
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
- ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1-15.25 ounce Vanilla Cake Mix (I used Pamela’s Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake Mix and weighed the mix to be 15.25 ounces which is a standard cake mix)
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon*
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg*
- 4 ounces Unsalted Butter , cold cut into tablespoons then each tablespoon quartered, plus 4 tablespoons melted Unsalted Butter (not needed until 3 hours cooking so wait to prepare)
Instructions
- Spray the insert of a 4 quart (or larger) slow cooker liberally with no stick spray (alternatively it can be greased with unsalted butter).
- Add the peaches and blueberries; toss with the cornstarch. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
- Stir the spices (cinnamon and nutmeg OR Chinese five spice) into the unprepared/dry cake mix. Sprinkle the cake mix evenly over the top of the fruit mixture.
- Evenly distribute the small pieces of cold butter on the top of the cake mix.
- Place one paper towel on top of the slow cooker insert (fully covering the opening) and seat the lid on top of it (this helps absorb condensation from the cobbler to allow the top to become crisper). Cook on HIGH for 3 hours.
- At 3 hours, drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top of the cake mixture and using a dining fork gently turn the butter into the dry cake mixture on the top. Remove the paper towel and continue to cook on HIGH for 30 minutes or until the top is cooked (no dry ingredients showing).
- Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
For some reason I never think of using my slow cooker in the summer. Great idea! Love cobblers. True comfort foo 🙂
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
I am totally drooling over this! It sounds like a perfect dessert for dinner recipe to me!
NancyB says
I do use the crock pot in the summer, but have never used it for a dessert, this will be the first one I try! I made many nectarine blueberry cobblers last year in my “summer kitchen” – in the roaster set up in the garage. Keeps the kitchen cool and works great as a small oven. Thanks for another great recipe, Toni!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Oh I love a good cobbler – but have never tried making one in the slow cooker – very smart and it looks so delicious. Love those scoops of ice cream too 🙂 Have a great weekend and a wonderful fathers day.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
That looks fantastic! I love that I can make it in the cock pot. I won’t be heating up the house with the oven.
Lindsey @ Redhead Baby Mama says
This is how I make cobbler, too! Cake mix is SO EASY to add on top. And I would eat a whole pan of this right now!
Kate K (My Mommy Brain) says
Oh my gosh that looks so good. I haven’t had breakfast yet and I’m starving. Going to have to give this a try!!
Debra says
I ADORE my slow cooker – but don’t use it at all during the summer. This looks like a yummy recipe to bring it back out!
Catherine S says
Peach cobbler is one of my favorites. I love that you used a gluten free cake mix. I can’t wait to make this.
Carly Brydon says
There’s nothing I love more than slow cooker recipes! This peach and blueberry cobbler looks delicious!
Pam says
This looks amazing! I love cobbler, especially in the summer.
Marcie W. says
We will actually be having cobbler for dessert this weekend since it is my dad’s favorite. Love the idea of doing in the slow cooker!
Kristi says
Oh that looks and sounds delicious! I love cobbler… peach is my most favorite but adding blueberries would be yummy too.
Debbie says
Love cobbler. This is a great way to make it.
Megan @ C'mon Get Crafty says
I never think of my slow cooker in the summer, but it is such a time saver during the week. That cobbler looks amazing!
Susanna @Zealous Mom says
This looks absolutely scrumptious! I love anything with blueberries in it.
Ora Lee Gurr says
This sounds delicious. I use the crockpot year-round and can’t wait to make the peach-blueberry cobbler. Thanks for the hint about the paper towel at the top to absorb some of the steam..
crystal says
That sounds so fantastic. My best friend just brought over peaches from her tree, so I’m ready for this one!
Jeanine says
Yum. I’ve never had peach blueberry cobbler before, and never in the slow cooker. This looks so good I would love to try this with my fam!
Chrystal | YUM eating says
Summer cobblers and crisps are my favorite things! Gotta love that slow cooker. This looks amazing and I love your spoons!
Beth@FrugalFroggie says
That looks wonderful. What a great summer dessert.
Amber K says
This looks absolutely amazing and so perfect for summer. I’m ready to bring out the slow cooker just for this.
Seattle Travel Blogger says
I love peach and blueberry together. I have never tried a cobbler with both in them.
Stefanie says
This looks delicious! I love slow cooker desserts!
Ben says
Man I think it is about time for a trip to the store this looks so delicious!
Sabrina @ Dinner, then Dessert says
It’s amazing what you can do with a slow cooker! We use ours all the time!
Anne @MidlifeBlvd says
I am all about the slow cooker in the summer! This is going on my grocery list for this week.
Raijean says
This looks amazing, I love a good cobbler so this is right up my block. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Kiwi says
Wow look at that presentation! Looks so delish look at the ice cream!
Ann Bacciaglia says
This looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to try making it this weekend. I am sure my family will love it.
Shannon Gurnee says
That looks and sounds so yummy! I would love to try this sometime.
Rachel Ferrucci says
This looks delicious and I need to try it. My family would love it and it seems so easy to make too!
Latoicha says
This looks insanely delicious! I can’t wait to try it in my slow-cooker. Thanks!
Angela says
I wish I loved blueberries because they are so good for you, but I don’t. My husband would love this recipe though, it really does look good!