Apple Cobbler
This homemade Apple Cobbler is the ultimate cozy fall dessert! The apple filling is sweet, syrupy and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s topped with an easy biscuit topping and finished with a sprinkle of sugar.
Apple desserts are some of my all-time favorites, and if I had to choose a most-loved apple recipe it would be this classic Apple Pie. When you’re not ready to commit to baking a pie from scratch, you can still satisfy your sweet tooth with this delicious apple cobbler. You’ll get the same sweet, cinnamon-spiced apple filling with just a bit less preparation time.
Apple cobbler can be made with a biscuit topping (like this Peach Cobbler) or a cake batter topping (like this Blueberry Cobbler). I tested this recipe both ways and we liked it best with a sweetened biscuit topping. The biscuits make this apple cobbler extra cozy and comforting, just like the old-fashioned apple cobbler grandma used to make.
Apple Crisp vs. Apple Cobbler
The main difference between a fruit cobbler and a fruit crisp is the topping. A crisp has a crispy, buttery topping made with oats and brown sugar, while a cobbler is topped with either sweetened biscuits or a cake batter topping. If you prefer an oatmeal crisp topping, try this Apple Crisp recipe.
Apple Cobbler Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for this apple cobbler recipe:
- Apples: You’ll need about 7 large apples. Peel them and thinly slice them into 1/4-inch thick slices.
- Sugar: We’re using both granulated sugar and brown sugar to give our apple filling the best flavor. The brown sugar adds notes of caramel and the granulated sugar adds more sweetness.
- Flour: A few tablespoons of all-purpose flour help to thicken up the filling.
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg: For warm spice flavor.
- Salt: Enhances all of the flavors.
- Biscuit Topping: For the topping you’ll need flour, sugar, baking powder (to make the biscuits rise), cinnamon, salt, butter and milk.
- Sugar: The finishing touch is a sprinkle of granulated sugar over the top of the cobbler before baking. If you have coarse sugar, such as turbinado, that will work well, too.
Which Apples to Use
Use any type of crisp, firm baking apple. Crisp apples will hold their shape while softening in the oven, so that they don’t bake down into mush. I like to use a combination of sweet and tart apples, such as Golden Delicious (tart) and Honeycrisp (sweeter). Other baking apple options include Pink Lady, Cripps Pink, Mutsu, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, Jazz and Fuji.
How to Make Apple Cobbler
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Stir and then set aside.
Next, make the cobbler dough. Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Then add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour mixture using either a pastry blender or your fingers. When you’re done, the largest pieces of butter should be the size of small peas.
Add the milk and mix with a fork until the dough comes together.
Stir the apple mixture again. The apples will have released some of their juices so it will be easier to make sure that everything is well combined at this point. Then transfer the apple filling to a baking dish. The dish will be very full, but the apples will shrink down as they bake.
Use a spoon to scoop portions of the biscuit dough and place on top of the apples. You should get about 12 portions of dough, and the topping should mostly cover the apples, with just a few apples peeking through. Sprinkle sugar over the top.
Finally, bake! Bake the cobbler at 350° F for 45-50 minutes, until the top is browned, the filling is very bubbly and the apples are soft.
The cobbler is especially delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Leftover cobbler can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave or in a 350° F oven until warm.
More Favorite Dessert Recipes
Apple Cobbler
Ingredients
Apple Cobbler Filling
- 4 pounds apples*, peeled and thinly sliced (about ¼-inch thick), about 7 large apples, 8 cups sliced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cobbler Topping
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Place the sliced apples in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the remaining filling ingredients over the apples: ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
- To make the cobbler dough, in a medium bowl, combine the 1 ¼ cups flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry blender to work the butter into the flour mixture until the largest pieces of butter are the size of small peas.
- Add the milk and use a fork to mix the dough just until it comes together.
- Stir the apple mixture once more to make sure that everything is well combined and then pour it into a lightly greased 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish. Spread the apples out into an even layer.
- Use a spoon to scoop portions of the biscuit dough and place on top of the apples (you should get about 12 spoonfuls of dough total). The topping should mostly cover the apples, with just a few apples peeking through. Sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of sugar over the top of the dough.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the filling is very bubbly, the apples are soft, the topping is golden brown on top and the undersides of the biscuits are cooked through. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I like to use a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. I typically use about 5 large Granny Smith and 2 large Honeycrisp apples.
I made the apple cobbler! It was wonderfully good!! I had to make it a few days later, per request of my little boys😌