In a medium saucepan, combine the peeled and sliced peaches, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes until the peaches release their juices and the mixture becomes slightly syrupy. The cornstarch will help thicken the filling and prevent the cobbler from becoming too wet. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish and set it in the preheating oven. Let the butter melt completely while you prepare the batter—this usually takes about 5 minutes. Melting the butter in the dish first ensures even distribution and prevents the batter from sticking.

While the butter melts, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine the room temperature milk with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. I like to use room temperature milk because it incorporates into the dry ingredients more smoothly and helps create a better-textured batter. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined—the batter should be thick and slightly lumpy, similar to pancake batter.

Carefully remove the hot baking dish with melted butter from the oven. Pour the batter from Step 3 evenly over the melted butter—do not stir or mix them together. The butter will rise up around and through the batter as it bakes, creating the characteristic cobbler texture. Spoon the peach filling from Step 1 and all its juices over the batter, spreading it evenly across the surface. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon over the top. I find that adding cinnamon on top gives you pockets of spiced flavor rather than distributing it throughout, which creates a more interesting taste in each bite.

Bake the cobbler at 350°F for 38-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the batter portion comes out clean. The batter will rise up around the peaches and become cake-like while the juices bubble at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving—this allows the filling to set slightly and makes serving easier.

Spoon the warm cobbler into bowls, making sure to get both the cake portion and the peach filling in each serving. Top with vanilla ice cream if desired, which will melt slightly into the warm cobbler and complement the peach and cinnamon flavors beautifully.