The Southern Dessert That Aretha Franklin Loved

Aretha Franklin might have been widely known for her incredible vocal prowess and gospel-inspired style of singing, but she was also a skilled diva in the kitchen. One could say that the late "Queen of Soul" was a passionate home cook, as she had shared several recipes with the public. She might not have gotten a chance to star in her own cooking series, but she certainly got to show off her culinary skills through appearances on shows like "Emeril Live" and "The Martha Stewart Show." Of course, you can't talk about Franklin's cooking without mentioning her favorite dishes. Just like Martin Luther King Jr, who loved classic southern foods, Franklin was proud of her roots, so it's no surprise that her favorite was also a true-blue southern dish — peach cobbler.

This dessert, made of baked peach slices topped with a crumbly biscuit-like dough, is among the most popular in the U.S., and it's a hit in Colorado and Georgia in particular. So it seems Franklin's adoration for the dessert is well-grounded.

In the past, when she made a guest appearance on the Food Network's "Emeril Live," host Emeril Lagasse even prepared Franklin's go-to dessert for her. It was made special since the singer, who was born in Memphis, Tennessee, filmed the episode on her birthday. By the end of the segment, she received well-wishes from everyone on the set. 

It would be an understatement to say that Aretha Franklin was a busy woman. Apart from her commitments as an artist, she was an influential and active figure in her local community in Detroit. It goes without saying, then, that compared to most home cooks, she didn't have the luxury of time to prepare everything from scratch whenever she was preparing meals for her family and guests. This explains why Franklin's peach cobbler recipe felt like it was commercially-made. She apparently relied on canned peaches and refrigerated pie crusts to make her favorite dessert. During her guest appearance on "Emeril Live," the show stayed true to what the artist used at home, so they also had canned peaches on set.

To this day, Franklin's peach cobbler recipe remains on the Food Network's website, with the channel recommending that it's best served warm with vanilla ice cream. However, you can skip the ice cream if you are not a fan of cold desserts and choose another store-bought dessert to upgrade your peach cobbler. Off-the-rack canned cinnamon rolls are actually a good match for peach cobbler, as they provide a deliciously spiced crust for the gooey and syrupy filling. Baking in the oven will allow the rolls to soak up the juices of the filling, so you'll have a slightly crispy crust that's also flaky.