One-Can Guava Cobbler
A tropical twist on the Southern summer classic—made easy with just one can of guava.
Who doesn’t love a warm, comforting bowl of peach cobbler during the summer? It’s golden, gooey, sweet, and just a bit tangy, topped with cold vanilla ice cream melting into the crispy edges? Bliss. But what if we could give that Southern classic a tropical upgrade?
That’s where guava comes in.
I grew up with a guava tree in my backyard in Zimbabwe, and despite being surrounded by its sweet, fragrant fruit, I never thought to use it in desserts, not even jam. Where I’m from, guava was more of a snack or juice ingredient than anything else. But after moving to the U.S., I realized that guava doesn’t get nearly enough love, especially outside of Caribbean or Latin cuisine.
This cobbler changes that.
We’re taking the soul of a traditional cobbler and infusing it with tropical flavor using just one can of guava (though feel free to double or triple the recipe if you're feeding a crowd). It's sweet, buttery, warmly spiced, and perfect served hot with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Trust me: if you like peach cobbler, you’re going to love this.
This recipe serves 2 generous portions, or just 1 if you're having a me time moment. No judgment. Dig in.
Tips & Variations
Want more topping? Just double the batter recipe for a thicker, cakier crust.
Like it tangier? Add more lemon juice or a pinch of lime zest to the guava filling.
You can substitute fresh guava (peeled, seeded, and sliced) if you have access to it, just add more sugar and liquid.
This is for guava of course but you can experiment with berries, apples and cherries (or go traditional with peaches, and some fruit you’ll want to cook down first with the filling).
One-Can Guava Cobbler
Give your classic Southern peach cobbler a tropical twist with this easy guava cobbler recipe, made with just on3 can of guava! Sweet, buttery, and warmly spiced, it’s the perfect summer dessert served hot with vanilla ice cream. A unique fusion of Caribbean flavor and Southern comfort that’s simple, nostalgic, and unforgettable.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted (for greasing the pan)
- 1 can guava in syrup (I used Koo's, 410g)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 cup white sugar
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/8 cup boiling milk or water (milk adds richness)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In an 8x8 inch baking dish (or similar size), add 1 tablespoon of melted butter and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. This adds flavor and keeps things from sticking.
- Drain the guava, saving a tablespoon or two of syrup if you'd like to drizzle over the finished cobbler.
- In a bowl, combine the drained guavas with 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon white sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.
- Gently stir to coat, being careful not to mash the guava, they’re more delicate than peaches.
- Carefully spoon this mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/8 cup white sugar, 1/8 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Add 3 tablespoons of cold butter, and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work it into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the boiling milk or water just until a dough forms. Do not overmix, or the topping will be tough.
- Drop spoonfuls of the dough over the guava filling, then use your fingers or the back of a spoon to gently spread it out. It doesn’t need to be perfect or fully covered, rustic is beautiful.
- Sprinkle the top evenly with cinnamon sugar.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Let cool for a few minutes (if you can wait), then serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even coconut whipped cream for an extra tropical vibe.
I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Tried this recipe? I’d really love to know how it turned out for you. Leave a quick review or comment below — your feedback helps others (and makes my day!).
Cornmeal and Condensed Milk (Chess) Pie
I grew up eating custard, which forms the basis of some of my favourite desserts. Cornmeal was a staple in my household, so aside from cornbread and sadza, I’m not opposed to using it in other recipes, such as a custard pie! Then there was glorious condensed milk. Luckily I'll never have to give it up because there are dairy-free versions, the creamy sweetness is unparalleled.
The inspiration for this recipe was the chess pie, an old recipe with origins in England made in many American Southern states, Virginia and New England. The main ingredients are typically milk, eggs, butter, sugar and cornmeal. I used condensed milk and evaporated milk to add to the richness. The cornmeal, of course, adds a bit of texture (but that also depends on the coarseness).
Lemon and chocolate are common additions to other chess pie recipes, but I wanted to stick to an original custard-like filling!
Cornmeal and Condensed Milk (Chess) Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup condensed milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
Instructions
- Roll out the pie crust in a pan. Poke small holes at the bottom and sides of the crust with a knife or fork, then put in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Blind bake the pie crust at 425F for another 15 minutes, using pie weights, dried beans or rice on a piece of parchment paper to help make sure the crust doesn't form air pockets that puff up.
- Once your crust is done, set aside and turn your oven down to 350F.
- For the custard filling, beat the eggs and sugar until well incorporated. Whisk in the condensed milk, butter, water, vanilla, almond, vinegar, and evaporated milk.
- Whisk in the flour, salt, cinnamon, and cornmeal. All ingredients should be evenly combined. Your filling will be a bit watery, but it will have time to set.
- Bake the pie for 45-50 minutes, until it sets and is firm to touch. Let the pie cool at room temperature to finish setting for about 4 hours then chill before serving.
- Dust with icing sugar or cinnamon!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
437Fat (grams)
22.7 gCarbs (grams)
54.6 gSugar (grams)
42.8 gI am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Tried this recipe? I’d really love to know how it turned out for you. Leave a quick review or comment below — your feedback helps others (and makes my day!).
Roasted Sweet Potato and Almond Butter Pie
I’ve made a number of pies for the holidays, but this one is for the books, and can be cooked on any occasion, not just Thanksgiving!
Sweet potato or pumpkin pie
The sweet potato lends itself naturally to desserts and sweet treats, and in some instances, I prefer it over pumpkin. Both vegetables are high on the list as pantry essentials in most Zimbabwean households but for savoury dishes. They are often boiled and served with peanut butter, greens, or other starch.
I find this limiting; sorry, not sorry! You can do a lot with sweet potatoes.
In connection with the point about peanut butter, I took another direction here. If you're like me, you grew up on peanuts or "groundnuts" but can eat almonds daily. Let's be honest: a dollop of almond butter has the same impact as peanut butter atop a hot bowl of steel-cut oats. However, peanut butter is higher in saturated fats and should be eaten in moderation despite nut butter typically falling into the healthier fat category. In any case, I wanted to lean into mixing peanut butter with pumpkin (classic in Zimbabwean cuisine and in other African kitchens) and marry the almond butter with the sweet potato. The filling is made not just for any crust but one that would fortify the warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, etc.) - gingersnap biscuits. I'll also note that my gogo, aka paternal grandmother, always had ginger biscuits at tea time during my childhood. I have difficulty letting go, but I promise this memory has yielded excellent results.
Unlike other sweet potato pies, this one is a little denser, like pumpkin pie, but not heavy. Also, it is not too sweet, and all you need is a tablespoon or two of whipped cream to enjoy.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Almond Butter Pie
Ingredients
- 1 lb. sweet potatoes
- 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 - 2 cups roasted sweet potato puree (as above)
- 14 oz/1 can condensed milk
- 4 tablespoons almond butter
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 12-14 oz (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) gingersnap cookies, crushed
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Blind bake the crust for 5 minutes at 350F, remove to cool.
- For the sweet potatoes, toss in the olive oil, season with the pumpkin spice and roast at 375F for 35-40 minutes.
- Whisk the ingredients and pour into the cooled crust, bake for 50 minutes at 350F. A toothpick should come out clean after pricking once done.
- Serve room temperature or cold with whipped cream.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
826Fat (grams)
39.4 gSat. Fat (grams)
13.4 gCarbs (grams)
111 gSugar (grams)
63.5 gProtein (grams)
12.6 gI am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on dontmissmyplate.com should only be used as a general guideline.
Easy Bourbon Peach Crumble
I love crumble, but I don't eat them enough. When I do, it usually has apple, but peaches are for the win too! During the summer, peach crumbles offer a subtle tartness, sweetness and crunch many of us appreciate in a light dessert. Served warm with ice cream or whipped cream, the spiced, caramelized peaches paired with a crunchy, buttery crumble melt together to make a sinfully good combination.
Add in some bourbon to enhance everything, and you have a fail-safe people pleaser!
As most people know, this dessert a variation of or considered interchangeable peach cobbler. I say crumble because of the way I prepared the pastry, crumbling the cookie-like dough versus having thicker, large pieces on top. Essentially it is the same as the classic out of the American South. Depends on how serious you take all the nuances!
You can convert this into another simple, delicious dessert. Check out my no-churn Bourbon Peach Crumble Ice Cream which you will love, here.
