This easy summer dessert is a classic dump-style cobbler, the kind of homespun recipe busy cooks have relied on for decades when fruit is abundant and time is short. Butter melts under a layer of fruit filling and dry cake mix to create a golden, crisp-topped treat with almost no prep, making it especially handy for potlucks, cookouts, and casual family dinners.
Serve this warm with vanilla ice cream, lightly sweetened whipped cream, or a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt for a tangy contrast. If you want to round it out for a summer table, add fresh berries on the side, iced coffee, or a glass of cold milk; the buttery topping and soft fruit pair especially well with something cool and simple.
3-Ingredient Oven Baked Summer Dessert
Servings: 8
Ingredients
2 solid unwrapped sticks salted butter
1 box yellow cake mix, about 15.25 ounces
2 cans peach pie filling, 21 ounces each
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the solid sticks of butter in a 9-by-13-inch oven-safe casserole dish and set the dish in the oven just until the butter melts, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove carefully.
2. Spoon the peach pie filling evenly over the melted butter, spreading it gently so the fruit covers the bottom of the dish in an even layer.
3. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the peaches, covering the surface as completely as possible without stirring.
4. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is deeply golden and the peach filling is bubbling around the edges. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the filling can settle slightly.
Variations & Tips
Berry version: Swap the peach pie filling for blueberry or mixed berry pie filling for a deeper, jammy flavor that feels especially nice later in summer.
Crisper topping tip: If you notice any dry patches of cake mix before baking, tilt the dish gently so some melted butter reaches those spots. This helps the topping brown more evenly and keeps the surface from looking powdery.
Fresh fruit shortcut: If you have very ripe summer peaches, you can use them in place of canned filling, but toss them first with a little sugar and cornstarch so the dessert has enough sweetness and body.
Serving tip: This dessert is best served warm rather than piping hot. A short rest after baking makes it easier to scoop and gives you a better contrast between the crisp top and soft fruit underneath.