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This peach cobbler jam takes everything nostalgic about the beloved dessert and transforms it into a fruity, buttery spread. Sweet, fragrant peaches cook down with warm spices and vanilla before being layered with buttery shortbread cookies for all the cozy flavor of a classic peach cobbler. Enjoy it spread over warm biscuits, spooned onto toast, or simply straight from the jar.
Why You’ll Love This Peach Jam!
Unique Twist on Jam – Kids and adults love the buttery layers of shortbread folded between the jam, giving it the delicious flavor of peach cobbler. You can even make the layers in small jars and top with whipped cream for a fun dessert right out of the fridge!
Fun To Make With Kids – While the jam simmers away on the stove, kids can help crush the cookies and create the layers. It’s a simple recipe with a few hands-on steps that make it extra fun to make together.
Easy To Customize – You can use the same concept with other fruits too. Berries, plums, apricots, or nectarines all work beautifully with the cookie layers. Jam is always a wonderful way to use up leftover fruit.
Ingredients
- Peaches – Be sure to use the variety with yellow flesh. The white ones have little to no pectin so your jam won’t set right. If the peaches are slightly underripe, you can still make this jam, you may just need a bit more sugar (taste it halfway through to determine).
- Light Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness while giving the jam the caramelized cobbler-style flavors. White sugar will work too if that’s what you have.
- Water
- Lemon Juice – Balances the sweetness and helps the jam set.
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg – A classic cobbler-inspired spice blend! The cinnamon is essential, giving this jam a warm, nostalgic depth of flavor. The nutmeg is optional but if you do decide to use it, try grating a fresh nutmeg for a more pungent flavor.
- Salt
- Vanilla Bean Paste – Gives the jam a rich bakery-style flavor. Vanilla extract can be used if preferred.
- Butter – Stirred in at the end for a silky texture and extra richness.
- Shortbread Cookies – Create the “cobbler” layer between the jam. Choose a plain buttery cookie that won’t overpower the peaches. If you want a sourdough option, I recommend using my sourdough shortbread cookies or even these sourdough vanilla wafers.
How To Make Peach Cobbler Jam
This recipe comes together in two simple parts: the peach jam and the crushed cookie layers.
Add the peaches, brown sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla bean paste to a saucepan and simmer until the peaches are completely softened and the mixture becomes thick and fragrant.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Cooking Tip
Let your jam cook! While it’s tempting to finish up a recipe quickly, you want to really let this jam cook down. Sugar caramelization is a key factor to peach cobbler flavor (and a set jam) so it’s important to have patience when cooking this recipe.
Once cooked, stir in the butter and strain the mixture through a mesh sieve. This step creates a silky smooth jam while removing the peach skins.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Smoothing Tip
You can also smooth your jam using an immersion blender, or skip smoothing out the jam entirely. You will end up with a chunkier final texture but it will still be just as delicious.
Allow the jam to cool completely before layering it with crushed shortbread cookies in a clean jar. Alternate layers of jam and cookies until the jar is full.
Kate’s Pro Tip
Layering Tip
Don’t overthink the layering. In general, you don’t want the cookie layers too thick, just thick enough to keep the layers of jam separate. You can always swirl the crumbs right into the jam if you prefer, or leave them out for a simple peach jam! There’s no wrong way!
The result is a delicious layered spread that tastes remarkably like peach cobbler.
How To Eat This Peach Cobbler Jam
There’s nothing better than biscuits and homemade jam! This peach cobbler jam is my favorite with buttery sourdough biscuits, but spread over a thick slice of toasted sourdough bread is also wonderful.
Peach cobbler jam pairs deliciously with creamy cheeses like Brie or goat cheese on a cheeseboard. Whip up a batch of sourdough Ritz crackers or whole wheat sourdough crackers, and you’ll have a delicious and unique cheeseboard.
This jam makes a fun ice cream topping! Set up a sundae bar with peach cobbler jam, homemade caramel sauce, and chopped fresh fruit to mix up dessert time.
How To Store + Freeze
A layered peach cobbler jam will last in the fridge for about 10 days. The cookies will soften but that’s normal and part of the cobbler-style texture.
If you’d like to store it longer, keep the peach jam and cookie crumbs separate. The peach jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
You can also freeze the peach jam (without the cookies) in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Leave about 2 inches of headroom in the jar to allow for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator and add the cookie layers when ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can! Frozen peaches are a great alternative to fresh if they’re not in season or you don’t have access. It’s best to avoid using canned peaches.
You can if you want to. If removed, you likely won’t need to strain the jam. I find straining much easier than boiling and removing the skins but either method works!
Not at all. You can either skip the cookies for a regular peach jam or swirl the crumbles right into the jam itself. I found that layering helped distinguish the two flavors of the “cobbler” and the jam but there’s various ways to incorporate the cobbler layer!
Peach Cobbler Jam
Equipment
- Medium Heavy Based Saucepan
- Mesh Strainer
- Stainless Steel Ladle
- Glass Jar For Storage (I've used a 300ml jar)
- Rolling Pin or heavy object to crush shortbread
Ingredients
- 670 g Peaches, (roughly 7 peaches, diced into ½-inch pieces, leave the skins on)
- 130 g Light Brown Sugar
- 120 g Water
- 20 g Lemon Juice, (about half a lemon)
- 2 g Cinnamon, (½ tsp)
- 2 g Nutmeg, (½ tsp)
- 1 g Salt, (¼ tsp)
- 5 g Vanilla Paste
- 15 g Butter
- 5-8 Shortbread Cookies
Instructions
- Add the peaches, brown sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and vanilla bean paste to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes until the mixture is bubbling rapidly, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. As the peaches soften, use the back of your spoon to help break them down if needed. If the mixture becomes too thick or starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, add extra water one tablespoon at a time while it continues to cook.
- After the second 15 minutes of cooking, remove the pot from the heat and allow the jam to sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the butter until fully melted.
- Place a mesh strainer over a clean bowl. Carefully ladle the jam into the strainer and use the back of a spoon or ladle to gently press it through. Continue working the jam through the strainer for around 5 minutes until only the peach skins remain behind. The strained jam should be thick and smooth with very little texture remaining.If the jam still seems a little loose, return it to the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for another 5 minutes.
- Allow the jam to cool completely to room temperature. Place the shortbread cookies into a zip-top bag and gently crush them using a rolling pin, mortar and pestle or wine bottle until they resemble coarse sand.
- To assemble the cobbler jam, spoon a layer of peach jam into the bottom of a clean jar, followed by a thin layer of crushed cookies. Continue alternating layers until the jar is full. Keep the cookie layers fairly thin, just enough to create a cobbler-style effect between the layers of jam. Seal the jar and store in the refrigerator.
Notes
- 670g was the weight of my cut peaches. The weight whole was 920g.
- If your peaches are very ripe, the jam may cook down more quickly.
- The jam will continue to thicken as it cools.
- For a smoother finish, take your time pressing the jam through the strainer.
- Store assembled peach cobbler jam in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- If you’d like a longer storage time, keep the peach jam and crushed cookies separate. The peach jam can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks and layered with the cookies just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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