This Apple Cobbler recipes delivers apple pie flavor in a much easier form, swapping the pastry crust for a buttery, biscuit-like dough that bakes into a golden topping that’s tender and flaky. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is the perfect rustic fall dessert!
One of my favorite fall treats is a slice of my mom’s homemade apple pie. Mom’s pie is always the BEST pie! While I’m not a seasoned pie maker like my mom, I am an expert at whipping up other easier apple desserts. Take, for instance, this beautiful Apple Cobbler. It has all the same delicious qualities as the more time-intensive pie, with a buttery, flaky homemade “cobbled” crust that bakes atop warm, spiced, tender fall apples. More easy apple favorites that I can whip up in a flash include my favorite Apple Crisp, Apple Pie Bars, and Mom’s Apple Bread!
Why This Cobbler Belongs on Your Fall Baking List
When you’re craving a home-baked apple dessert that doesn’t require rearranging your day, this apple cobbler recipe is IT. Here’s what makes it so darn good!
- A change of pace. Apple pies and crisps are ubiquitous in the fall, but an apple cobbler, while still a classic dessert, is a little less common. The cobbler crust is also a fun change of pace!
- A great way to use apples. We love to visit our local apple orchards each fall and take home baskets of crisp, juicy goodness. And we ALWAYS pick way too many, as I overestimate how much I’ll need for a batch of fresh Applesauce and some Apple Peanut Butter Cookies. That’s why I like having simple recipes like this on hand!
- Rustic deliciousness. Like an Apple Almond Galette or glazed Apple Fritter Bread, a cobbler is a casual dessert with a rustic, comfortable vibe. It’s perfect for a weekday family dessert, and special enough for company on the weekend.
What You’ll Need
Here’s the simple list of ingredients you’ll need. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
For the Apple Filling:
- Apples – I prefer Haralson or Honeycrisp – baking apples that are known for their crisp, juicy, sweet-tart qualities. But go ahead and use your own favorite baking apple.
- Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice makes the flavor pop and keeps the apples from going brown.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the filling.
- Flour – This thickens the juices that accumulate from baking the apples.
- Apple pie spice – I use my easy homemade Apple Pie Spice.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter and melt it before starting the recipe.
For the Cobbler Topping:
- Flour – All-purpose flour provides the base for the cobbler topping.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the simple topping, plus a little extra on top makes it crispity-crunchy and a little sparkly.
- Baking powder – This makes the topping rise.
- Apple pie spice – This simple blend of spices adds a gorgeous warm flavor and aroma to the fresh apples.
- Salt – I use Morton kosher salt, to add a little contrast to the sweet flavors.
- Butter – Cold, unsalted butter makes the topping delightfully flaky and full of rich flavor.
- Hot water – No need to boil it – just use hot water from the faucet.
- Vanilla extract – Use only pure vanilla extract for the very best flavor. If you have vanilla bean paste on hand, that’ll work too.
How to Make Apple Cobbler from Scratch
The process is a cinch. Here’s what you need to do.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and lightly spray a baking pan with nonstick spray.
- Make the apple filling. Stir the apples with the lemon juice, then add the sugar, flour, and apple pie spice, and fold to coat.
- Transfer apples to pan. Spread the apples into an even layer in the pan, then drizzle melted butter over the top.
- Make the cobbler topping. Whisk together the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter until it forms pea-sized crumbs. Mix the hot water and vanilla in a measuring cup, then fold this mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Assemble. Add dollops of the cobbler topping mixture over the apple filling, leaving a border of bare apples along the edges of the pan. Sprinkle a little more sugar over the top of the cobbled topping.
- Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling up along the edges and the topping is golden.
- Serve. Let the cobbler rest on a cooling rack for 15 minutes or so, then serve. I really like to eat this warm!
Tips for a Perfect Cobbler
A few more pointers to make sure this recipe turns out just right:
- Use baking apples. Definitely use an apple variety that is known for baking. This means it has a firm texture that doesn’t turn soft and mushy easily when it’s baked. It should also be very flavorful, with a sweet-tart flavor. Some examples of baking apples include Honeycrisp, Haralson (a Minnesota variety that is more tart than sweet), Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Cortland. I’ve recently become a fan of Cosmic Crisp for baking, too.
- Don’t make the apple slices too thin. One-quarter-inch slices help the apples hold their shape. If they’re too thin, they cook down faster and can become more mushy.
- Avoid overmixing the dough. It’s absolutely fine to have a couple small streaks of unmixed flour in the topping. This keeps the cobbler topping light and flaky.
- Go for a cobblestone appearance. Apple cobblers are meant to have a rustic, cobbled appearance. The name comes from the cobblestone look of the topping, so don’t smooth it out or spread it over the apples. Just dollop on the dough by the spoonful and let it be!
- Don’t skip the final sugar sprinkle. I absolutely adore the little bit of sugar sprinkled over the cobbler topping. Once baked, it turns into a thin layer of crispy, sparkly fun!
What to Serve With Apple Cobbler
A scoop of vanilla ice cream is absolute perfection – I love how the frozen ice cream melts into the warm cobbler! Beyond vanilla flavored ice cream, try something like Butter Pecan Ice Cream or Salted Caramel Ice Cream. Cinnamon ice cream would also be lovely!
If you’re more of a whipped cream fan, that’s also wonderful.
Also – make some Candied Pecans and sprinkle over the top of individual servings for added flavor and crunch. This makes the dessert extra special, especially for holiday dinners. Just imagine how delightful this would be next to Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars and Apple Bundt Cake on the Thanksgiving dessert buffet!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerator: You can refrigerate leftovers covered in the baking dish or in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating, to help it reheat more evenly.
- To reheat: Warm leftovers in a 350ºF oven until warmed through, or heat them up in the microwave in short intervals.
More Recipes for Fall Apples
Apple Cobbler
Yield: 12
Apple Cobbler has apple pie flavor in an easier form, swapping the pastry crust for a biscuit-like topping that bakes up tender and flaky!
Print
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 8 cups prepared apple slices from crisp, tart baking apples, see Notes
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon Apple Pie Spice, see Notes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Cobbler Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon to sprinkle over the top
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Apple Pie Spice, see Notes
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into ½" cubes
- ⅓ cup hot water (just use very hot water from the faucet, do not boil the water)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
Apple Filling
- Place apples in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle lemon juice evenly over the top. Fold a few times to coat.
- Sprinkle sugar, flour, and apple pie spice evenly over the apple, then fold a few times to incorporate.
- Transfer apple filling mixture, along with any accumulated juices, to the prepared 9" x 13" baking pan. Spread into an even layer.
- Drizzle melted butter evenly over apple layer. Set pan aside.
Cobbler Topping
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, 1 cup of the sugar, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and use a rigid pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you have pea-sized crumbs of butter.
- Add hot water to a liquid measuring cup, then add the vanilla to the measuring cup. Drizzle this over the flour/butter cobbler mixture. Then use a wooden spoon to very quickly fold it together. It's important to not overmix or press this into a smooth dough – you want to have some of the dry flour mixture still showing through, so it looks a bit shaggy and you can still see lumps of butter. It should be moist and "clumpy".
- Dollop the cobbler topping over the apple filling in an even layer, leaving ½" to 1" of apple filling exposed around the edge. Do not press or spread the cobbler topping – the top should have a rough appearance, like a "cobblestone" street.
- Sprinkle remaining tablespoon of sugar evenly over the cobbler topping.
Bake
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the filling is lightly thickened and glossy, and bubbling at the edges. The cobbler topping should be golden. Remove from oven to a cooling rack and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy with scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Apple slices: I always use Minnesota’s Honeycrisp or Haralson apples, but you can use any crisp, tart apple that holds its shape when baked. Peel, core, and quarter the apples, then slice each quarter crosswise into 1/4″ slices. Do not slice thinner, as this will help the apple pieces keep their form when baked. When using extra-large Honeycrisp apples, it takes about 3 apples to equal 8 cups of apples sliced in this manner.
Apple Pie Spice: If you don’t have the ingredients to make my homemade Apple Pie Spice, in a pinch, you can substitute with an equal amount of cinnamon plus a little sprinkle of nutmeg.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 510kcal Carbohydrates: 85g Protein: 4g Fat: 18g Saturated Fat: 11g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 46mg Sodium: 260mg Potassium: 363mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 53g Vitamin A: 630IU Vitamin C: 29mg Calcium: 154mg Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!
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