The 1 Ingredient That Can Totally Amp Up Your Peach Cobbler Recipe

If dreary winter snow has you dreaming of sunshine, there's no better way to lift your spirits than whipping up a fruity dessert that reminds you of summer. And what encapsulates summer better than peach cobbler? You could make a three-ingredient peach cobbler recipe if you're craving a quick yet tasty dessert on a weeknight, and if you have some more time to spare, this homemade Texas-style peach cobbler is perfect with whipped cream or ice cream.

Although fruit cobbler recipes are usually straightforward and great for beginner bakers, there are a few tips and tricks to elevate your cobbler experience. For example, pouring some hot water over your cobbler before putting it in the oven leads to a delightfully crumbly crust, per The Kitchn. And if you don't want to spend too much time cleaning up, don't make cobbler in a cast-iron skillet, since as Southern Kitchen points out, the fruit will stick to the pan.

There are plenty of tips about how to make a great cobbler, but there's one simple but crucial ingredient you may be overlooking that could be the difference between a peach cobbler that's pretty good and one that's truly, deliciously memorable.

For the ideal peach cobbler filling, make sure that you add a squeeze of lemon juice. Since this isn't the main fruit ingredient, you might consider skipping it if you see it on the ingredient list and don't have any on hand. But this common citrus fruit could make all the difference when you want to ensure your cobbler has balanced flavors. Why? Since peach cobbler is a dessert, you might go into the baking process thinking about how to maximize the sweetness. But as Southern Living explains, without a bit of lemon juice, the cobbler could become too sweet. The website also recommends avoiding cobbler recipes with more than half a cup of sugar, since fruit is already quite sweet on its own.

According to Whisked's blog, lemon can also bring out the natural flavors in the fruit. Whisked suggests adding lemon juice to cherry and apple pies, and this same principle can apply to your peach cobbler. (Similarly to how you don't want to skip the citrus here, you also should never omit salt from sweet recipes.)

If you want to take this lemon tip a step further, you can also make this peach cobbler with a lemon topping from Food52. And if you're craving a peach dessert now, this peach crumble recipe comes together in just 15 minutes.