Lazy Peach Sonker on a Gas Grill
By Morgan BollingPublished on June 29, 2025
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If you’re using frozen peaches in this recipe, there’s no need to let them thaw, but be sure to break up any peach slices that are frozen together. In steps 3 and 4, be sure to stir the peach filling as directed, scraping the bottom of the dish to incorporate the cornstarch so that it evenly and thoroughly thickens the mixture. In step 4, add the butter to the batter while it is still hot so that it remains pourable, and be sure to mix the batter only right before pouring it over the filling. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Instructions
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4½ quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into steeply banked pile against 1 side of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature between 325 and 350 degrees; if using 3-burner grill adjust primary burner and second burner.)
- Combine 2½ pounds peaches (peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges), ¼ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl. Whisk ¼ cup water and 3 tablespoons cornstarch together in second bowl; add to peach mixture and toss until peaches are evenly coated.
- Transfer peach mixture to 10-inch cast-iron skillet and place on cooler side of grill. Bake until filling is bubbling around sides of skillet, 35 to 40 minutes (or 1 hour if using frozen peaches), stirring and scraping bottom of skillet with silicone spatula halfway through grilling.
- Remove skillet from grill and scrape bottom of skillet with silicone spatula. Whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, remaining ¾ cup sugar, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt together in bowl. Whisk in ½ cup whole milk, 8 tablespoons still-hot melted butter, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Starting on one side of skillet, pour batter evenly over filling.
- Return skillet to cooler side of grill and cook until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with no crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through grilling. Let sonker cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Sonker is a Surry County staple—juicy, sweet fruit stewed beneath a tender topping that’s more cake than crust. We loved the “lazy” sonker approach, where the fruit is cooked first and then blanketed with a pour-over batter that bakes into a golden lid. To adapt this dessert for the grill, we treated the grill like a makeshift oven: We let peaches stew in a cast-iron skillet until jammy and bubbling and then topped them with a rich batter made with hot melted butter for flavor and lift. The sturdy peach filling acted like a platform, helping the batter set up evenly from underneath while the grill’s heat turned the top golden and crisp. Whether you use fresh or frozen peaches, this sonker delivers a slice of North Carolina tradition.
Before You Begin
If you’re using frozen peaches in this recipe, there’s no need to let them thaw, but be sure to break up any peach slices that are frozen together. In steps 3 and 4, be sure to stir the peach filling as directed, scraping the bottom of the dish to incorporate the cornstarch so that it evenly and thoroughly thickens the mixture. In step 4, add the butter to the batter while it is still hot so that it remains pourable, and be sure to mix the batter only right before pouring it over the filling. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Instructions
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter three-quarters filled with charcoal briquettes (4½ quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour into steeply banked pile against 1 side of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high; cover; and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature between 325 and 350 degrees; if using 3-burner grill adjust primary burner and second burner.)
- Combine 2½ pounds peaches (peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch-thick wedges), ¼ cup sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in bowl. Whisk ¼ cup water and 3 tablespoons cornstarch together in second bowl; add to peach mixture and toss until peaches are evenly coated.
- Transfer peach mixture to 10-inch cast-iron skillet and place on cooler side of grill. Bake until filling is bubbling around sides of skillet, 35 to 40 minutes (or 1 hour if using frozen peaches), stirring and scraping bottom of skillet with silicone spatula halfway through grilling.
- Remove skillet from grill and scrape bottom of skillet with silicone spatula. Whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, remaining ¾ cup sugar, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt together in bowl. Whisk in ½ cup whole milk, 8 tablespoons still-hot melted butter, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Starting on one side of skillet, pour batter evenly over filling.
- Return skillet to cooler side of grill and cook until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with no crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating skillet halfway through grilling. Let sonker cool for 15 minutes. Serve.
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Key Equipment
More Like This
Keep Exploring
0 Comments