Saving Room for Dessert

Delicious easy-to-follow recipes for food lovers!

  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads & Muffins
    • Breakfast
    • Candy
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes & Cakes
    • Desserts
    • Frozen Treats
    • Main Course
    • Other Yummy Stuff
    • Pies
    • Pizza
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Smoothies
    • Soups, Stews & Chili
    • Veges & Side Dishes
  • Travel
  • About Me
    • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Contact
Home
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads & Muffins
    • Breakfast
    • Candy
    • Cookies
    • Cupcakes & Cakes
    • Desserts
    • Frozen Treats
    • Main Course
    • Other Yummy Stuff
    • Pies
    • Pizza
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Smoothies
    • Soups, Stews & Chili
    • Veges & Side Dishes
  • Travel
  • About Me
    • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Apple Cobbler

  Jump to Recipe |    2 Comments

  • Share
  • Yum
  • Email

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Old-fashioned Apple Cobbler with a fluffy biscuit topping

A skillet with biscuit topped apple cobbler with a spoon

Rustic homemade Apple Cobbler with optional dried fruit

This ultimate Apple Cobbler is made with mounds of lightly sweetened dough dolloped on a juicy apple filling and baked to golden brown perfection.

Fruit cobbler is one of my families favorite summer and fall desserts. It’s hard to imagine anything more delicious or comforting than a bowl of warm homemade cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream.

These fruity desserts are easy to cobble together and nearly impossible to mess up. Made with a lightly sweet shortcake dough as we’ve done here or with layers of buttery pastry and fresh fruit like our old-fashioned Blackberry Cobbler.

  • A bowl of apples with a cinnamon sugar mixture poured on top
  • Cinnamon and sugar being poured over a bowl of sliced apples

INGREDIENT breakdown:

For the apple mixture:

  • Use any good baking apple like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious that hold their shape when cooked. Peel, core and slice about 3 pounds or 8 large tart apples.
  • Squeeze fresh lemon juice for added zing and to help prevent the apples from turning brown.
  • Apple cider to create plenty of sauce for the apples to bake in because cobblers should be extra juicy! You can use water in a pinch but I highly recommend trying apple cider (not apple cider vinegar) first.
  • Vanilla extract for an added flavor boost.
  • Granulated sugar or brown sugar for sweetening the tart apples.
  • Cornstarch, all-purpose flour or Minute Tapioca for thickening the apple juices. I usually grab cornstarch for this recipe but often use tapioca if I have a box on hand.
  • Ground cinnamon because apples and cinnamon are made for each other.
  • A small pinch of table salt to balance the flavors.
  • Add dried cranberries or raisins for a nice pop of color, flavor and chewiness. The cranberries plump up when baked in the juices and add the right amount of flavor to the apples.

For the biscuit shortcake topping:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Granulated sugar
  • Cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
  • Thick whole fat buttermilk or heavy cream for binding the dough together.
    If you only have milk on hand it will work in a pinch but the biscuit topping may spread a little more. The dough should be a little wet and sticky. Feel free to add an extra tablespoon or two of flour if needed.
  • Coarse sugar for topping the dough mounds.
  • Ground cinnamon for sprinkling on top.
Sliced apples in a skillet topped with dried cranberries
Dollops of unbaked cobbler dough on top of a skillet of apples
Cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top of an unbaked apple cobbler in a skillet

How to make Apple Cobbler:

Prepare the apple filling:

Peel, core and slice or chop the apples and place in a large bowl. Combine the lemon juice, cider and vanilla and pour over the apples. Toss to coat.

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt together and pour over the apples. Spread the apple mixture in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with cranberries, if using.

Prepare the shortcake topping:

Combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender. Add the buttermilk and stir just until moistened.

Spoon clumps of dough over the apples then sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Bake until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Cool slightly before serving. Top with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of heavy cream.

Baked apple cobbler in a skillet

How to make a juicy cobbler

Some cobbler recipes skip the added liquid and rely solely on the fruit to create enough sauce to support the cobbler.

I’ve always added additional liquid to our fruit cobblers because they’re supposed to be extra-juicy! For this recipe we use cider which adds intense apple flavor to every spoonful.

We add boiling water to the fruit mixture for our old-fashioned Peach Cobbler, easy Blueberry Cobbler and Blackberry Cobbler recipes. It’s works perfectly!

All the bubbling, thick juices soak into the bottom of the shortcake biscuit topping creating a sublime bite of flavor. The tops stay crispy and the bottoms are soaked in sweet, syrupy fruit juices. This is an incredibly delicious apple dessert you won’t want to miss.

It’s easy to see why cobblers and buckles have been around for ages and are some of the best fruit desserts ever created!

Apple cobbler on a plate with a scoop of ice cream and a spoon

How to store Apple Cobbler:

Like our apple crisp and apple pie, Apple Cobbler can be stored at room temperature for up to two days. While cobbler is best eaten warm from the oven, leftovers are still very delicious.

Rewarm individual bowls of cobbler in the microwave at 50% power until slightly warmed. The biscuit topping will soften a bit, but still be great to eat.

For longer storage seal leftover cobbler in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 or 5 days. Honestly it won’t last that long so no need to worry!

You can freeze leftovers if you need to and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Thanks for PINNING!

A skillet filled with rustic apple cobbler with cranberries
A bowl of juicy apple cobbler topped with melting ice cream
5 from 2 votes

Apple Cobbler

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Yield: 8
Course: Dessert
Author: Tricia
PRINT RECIPE
Juicy, homey old-fashioned Apple Cobbler with a shortcake biscuit topping and plump cranberries for an extra pop of flavor and color.

Ingredients

For the apple mixture:

  • 3 pounds tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 10 cups or 8 large apples) like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • 1 cup apple cider (not vinegar) or water (8oz)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (110g) or brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch, all-purpose Flour or Minute Tapioca
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries, or raisins (optional) (35g)

For the topping:

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (156g)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar (80g)
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed and cold (113g or 4oz)
  • ⅔ cup whole fat buttermilk, or heavy cream (5oz)
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for topping
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • vanilla ice cream to serve

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch oven-proof skillet, casserole or baking dish.

To prepare the apple mixture:

  • Peel, core and slice or chop the apples and place in a large mixing bowl. Combine the lemon juice, apple cider and vanilla in a measuring cup. Pour over the apples and toss to coat.
  • Whisk together ½ cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Pour the sugar mixture over the apples and toss to coat. Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle evenly with (optional) cranberries. Set aside.

To prepare the topping:

  • In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar. Using a pastry blender (or food processor) cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and stir just until moistened. Gently press the mixture together using a spatula to form a loose dough. Sprinkle clumps of dough over the apples. Combine 1 tablespoon coarse sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over the dough mounds.
  • Bake until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 35-45 minutes. Tent with foil during baking if needed to prevent over-browning.
  • Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving. Top with ice cream, whipped cream or a drizzle of heavy cream, if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • Add 2 tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy) to the apple mixture if desired.
  • Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for longer storage
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In situations where various ingredient alternatives are given, the first one listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 358mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 1mg

We know you’re going to love this luscious Apple Cobbler recipe! If you make it, please leave a comment. Your insights and variations can help all our readers.

Before you leave

Join my free email list and get a FREE e-cookbook!
Never miss a recipe - sign up today!

You may also like these

Mini Deep Dish Berry PiesBlueberry Pie – an American classic!Fresh Pear CakeApple PandowdyAlmond Tea Cakes with Wild Blueberry Jam

Delicious Dinner Inspiration!

from quick & easy to company worthy

Previous Post: Apple Crisp
Next Post: Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2 Comments

  1. Okolo Salata says

    October 11, 2021 at 9:15 am

    5 stars
    the easiest and, yes, best recipe to make.
    I have made it a million times; only this time I added apple cider for juiciness. Thanks, Tricia

    reply to this comment >
    • Tricia Buice says

      October 12, 2021 at 10:17 am

      Thank you Okolo! So glad you enjoyed it.

      reply to this comment >

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Join my free email list and receive a free e-cookbook!

All Content Copyright Saving Room For Dessert © 2022 • Privacy Policy • Site Design by Emily White Designs

  • Pin
  • Share
  • Yum
  • Email
151 shares