Apple Cobbler
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Apple cobbler is a rustic dish of apples bubbling in their juices beneath a biscuit crust that resembles a cobbled stone pathway.
As fall sets in, there’s no dessert quite as comforting as warm apple cobbler, especially when topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Making it is as simple as can be: start with fresh sliced apples, toss them in sugar, cinnamon, and a bit of flour, then top them with generous spoonfuls of biscuit batter. After 45 minutes in the oven, you’re rewarded with apples bubbling beneath a golden crust. Some liken this top layer to a cobbled stone path, though others believe the name “cobbler” refers to “cobble up,” suggesting the dessert is quick and easy to whip up.
“All I can say is WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!! I have made so many apple cobblers…but this is without a doubt the best recipe ever. The biscuit topping was light and delicious.”
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Cobbler
For the best results in baked apple desserts, choose a mix of tart and sweet apples for the best flavor. Additionally, use apples that are suited for baking, such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Golden Delicious, to name just a few. They hold their shape when baked, ensuring you won’t end up with applesauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Apple Filling
In a large bowl, combine the apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
Step 2: Make the Biscuit Topping
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Whisk to combine.
Add the pieces of cold butter.
Smoosh the butter with your fingers (or cut in with a pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within.
Add the buttermilk (if you don’t want to buy a whole carton, you can make your own).
Stir until just combined and evenly moistened. It will look lumpy; that’s good. Do not overmix.
Step 3: Assemble and Bake the Apple Cobbler
Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared baking dish and pat into an even layer. Dot with 2 tablespoons of butter.
Using a large spoon, dollop 8 to 10 spoonfuls of the biscuit batter over the apples, allowing the filling to show through in spots (most of the filling will be covered). Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the batter.
Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden, about 45 minutes (keep an eye on it during the last 10 minutes; if it looks like it’s getting too brown, cover it loosely with aluminum foil).
Let the cobbler cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Anytime you’re baking with apples, it’s a good idea to use a blend of tart and sweet baking apples for the best flavor. Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Golden Delicious are all good options—try different varietals and see what combinations you like best.
A: Regular milk won’t work here as the acid in the butter milk helps with the leavening process. If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, it’s easy. See how here.
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Video Tutorial
Apple Cobbler
Apple cobbler is a rustic dish of apples bubbling in their juices beneath a biscuit crust that resembles a cobbled stone pathway.
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 5 large baking apples (about {2½ lbs), peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (see note)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing the pan
For the Biscuit Topping
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 7 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
For Serving (Optional)
- Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease an 8-inch square or 2-quart baking dish with butter.
- Make the Apple Filling: In a large bowl, combine the apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Toss until the apples are evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and pat into an even layer. Dot with the 2 tablespoons butter.
- Make the Biscuit Topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter and smoosh with your fingers (or cut in with a pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined and evenly moistened. It will look lumpy; that's good. Do not overmix.
- Using a large spoon, dollop 8 to 10 spoonfuls of the biscuit batter over the apples, allowing the filling to show through in spots (most of the filling will be covered). Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the batter.
- Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden, about 45 minutes (keep an eye on it during the last 10 minutes; if it looks like it's getting too brown, cover it loosely with aluminum foil). Let the cobbler cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
- Note: For the best flavor, use a combination of tart and sweet baking apples, such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, and Golden Delicious. (Don't use all tart or all sweet, or the flavor won't be balanced. Click here for a guide to different types of apples for baking and cooking.) I typically use 2 Granny Smith, 2 Golden Delicious, and 1 Honeycrisp.
- Note: If you’d like to make your own buttermilk, check out the easy method here.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The cobbler can be made one day ahead and kept, covered with foil, at room temperature. Reheat, covered with foil, in 300°F oven for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue reheating for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until warmed through.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 407
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 67 g
- Sugar: 41 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 401 mg
- Cholesterol: 39 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jen,
Love your recipes!
Can this Apple Cobbler recipe adapted to be dairy free and if so, how?
Hi Sharon, So glad you like the recipes! I think you could make this dairy free by using coconut oil in place of the butter and making your own buttermilk (see the note/link at the bottom of the recipe for a how-to) with a non-dairy milk. Please, LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn,
I made this recipe for the first time last night and found that the apples did not cook down as I had anticipated. The next time I make it, I will precook the apples and put the dessert in a larger pan as my 8X8″ pan spilled over. Needless to say, the flavor was delicious!
Thank you for the amazing recipes you share with your subscribers,
Beth
Delicious! I used all granny smith apples because it was all I had and we loved it!
Good morning Jenn….
I haven’t sent a comment in a while,but I’ve been happily baking & making many of your recipes from each of your cookbooks & emails 😊.
I’ve baked this cobbler more X than I can count, and it’s one I continue to come back to, THANK YOU for another wonderful recipe!
My question:
I’d like to add blueberries.
What do you think,and what would you guesstimate about ratios? Also, should I use fresh or can I use frozen?
Thanks again,
Lisa
Hi Lisa, So glad you like the recipes! Yes, I think you can get away with using some blueberries here. I’d replace one of the apples with 1 cup of blueberries. Also, b/c blueberries are more tart, I’d add another tablespoon or two of either of the sugars. And it’s fine to use frozen blueberries. I’d love to hear how it turns out! 🙂
I love this recipe! The crust is the best part, it feels so light! I made it and my family really liked it as well. Thanks for the great recipe!
This is a fantastic recipe. However, I felt like the apple to dough ratio was low so I increased the apples. I was using honeycrisp which is a sweeter apple, so reduced the white sugar to 4 tablespoons (instead of the 6) and made it using 10 apples. It was soooooooo good. I will have to see how it does with granny smith apples. Also, I’m in high altitude (6300 ft) and the dough was perfect after 30 minutes. Thank you for this recipe!
I mean, that I doubled the apple recipe, with the reduced sugar amount.
This cobbler is CRAZY good! I followed the recipe as written and it came out just perfectly. So tasty and delicious, the perfect comfort food on a winter day. i drizzled some heavy cream over it as i prefer that to whipped cream or ice cream. If i had to change anything i might use just a little bit less sugar as there is a good amount in the recipe between the dark sugar and the granulated. But thats just me – it is wonderful as it is. I used 2 organic Honeycrisp and 3 Fuji apples and that seemed like the right combination of sweet and tart. I will be making this again! 2nd winner recipe from this website and im so glad i found Jenn Segal. Will be trying out some of her savory recipes.
Looks and tastes amazing! Everybody loved it and wanted more. This is the cobbler you’re looking for. I followed the recipe except for adding 1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/4 tsp cloves. I pre-cooked the filling till it was half cooked. After that I refrigerated it for 2 nights to let the spices bloom. I used tart apples which came out perfectly using the sugar called for in the recipe. Finally, real buttermilk does add a delicious accent to the topping.
Just made it for family thanksgiving to try something different than pie. Huge hit!!! I can see why it has 5 stars. Just sent the recipe to all of my friends
So bomb! I couldn’t get enough of this cobbler! I used Granny Smith green and Honeycrisp apples and they paired together so perfectly! I added some lemon juice to them as well as a little more cinnamon and some nutmeg. I also added a little cinnamon to the biscuit mixture. The biscuit mixture seemed a little runny but it baked up just fine! Five out of five would definitely recommend this recipe!
Hi,
Has anyone doubled this recipe ? I’d like to make it for a large group dinner.
Made this tonight, really good and so easy. I used all Gala’s because that’s what I had on hand but next time I’ll mix it up a bit, Granny’s for a bit of tartness. This is a keeper!
Too cakey for us. Good tasting, just not what we were looking for.
This is a simple and delicious dessert, and a nice change from apple pie or crisp. I loved the biscuit topping. I followed the recipe exactly. My family loved it. Thanks Jenn!
Made 5 pans for my church Fall Fest yesterday and your Apple Cobbler was a great hit. Gobbled up to the last drop!
Turned out great! Added 4 more apples and it was delicious.
No doubt I am not the only one who’s collected various apple desserts. I needed to get Jenn’s version out of my system from her use of Buttermilk in the biscuit dough. It sounded like a sophisticated counterpoint to the sweetness within the cobbler. I am mortified to share that 2 of us completely devoured the half recipe I made of her cobbler. Not so sophisticated to do that :). We LOVED this like all get out. Vanilla ice cream is a must. Cold ice cream with a warm dessert always works, but when some of the ice cream melts and mingles with the juices from the apple and soaks into the biscuit…..yowser!
This is absolutely delicious. A friend gave me a bag of apples from her trees. They looked like the ones from my grandmother’s house from 50 years ago – pocked and a bit wormy, but I figured it was worth a try. Upon tasting a slice, I worried the apples were neither tart nor firm enough. I was so wrong. This cobbler was fresh, tart, and absolutely scrumptious. The cobbler was smooth, not excessively short, but so light.
Absolutely Delicious! Followed exact recipe. I only have 3 go too sites for recipes and you are one of them. Recipes are Always consistent and delicious and your cook book is awesome! Thank you
I couldn’t agree more Jen’s recipes are all great Never disappointed
I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect. I was skeptical about the dark brown sugar mixed with the apples but it gave a delicious caramel sauce. Definitely a keeper!
This was an easy recipe that tasted really good, I will definitely be making it more often 🙂
Followed the recipe exactly and it is a winner. Unlike other recipes, there is plenty of biscuit topping so you could add even more apples with the same amount of biscuit topping if you need to serve more people. The leftovers (cold out of the fridge) are amazing, too.
I made the apple cobbler twice. I made it once as written. The second time, I cut the apples into about 1-inch cubes. I then mixed them with sugar and lemon juice and cooked them for about 5-7 minutes. After the mixture cooled, I added the biscuit topping and baked as directed in your recipe. I liked the tweaked version better.
Thank you.
I actually substituted regular milk for buttermilk. I’m sorry, but I have never liked buttermilk. This is my first time making apple cobbler, but people tend to love how I can even improve or build upon recipes. I have faith that my little tweaks will only enhance the experience. And doubled the recipe for church and added vanilla to the biscuit batter, and added lemon juice to the apples. And used a 9×13 pan. I’m looking forward to how it will turn out for our church fellowship feast tomorrow. I’ll write a follow up on this after everyone has tried it.
Yes, I made it today, didn’t have buttermilk, used the lemon to make a substitute. it doesn’t look exactly like yours, my batter was a little thinner, but can’t wait till dinner.
Thanks
This is a DELICIOUS cobbler recipe. I sliced the apple pieces very thin and alternated between “honey crisp” and “granny smiths” and it turned out the best of any I’ve ever made.
I made this recipe for the first time. It was amazing to say the least. My family and friends enjoyed it thouroughly!!!! Thank you so much for sharing it!!
I’ve made apple cobblers for more years than I can count, but this one with the lighter biscuit topping is absolutely the best ever. I’ll never follow another cobbler recipe! It fits beautifully in a 7 1/2 x 11 Pyrex dish. To make it easier to incorporate the butter in the topping, I hold the COLD stick of butter by one end, with the butter wrapper crumpled between my fingers and the butter. I hold a flat cheese grater with the other hand, resting the grater on the bowl with the mixed flour/dry ingredients. After rubbing the butter across the grater and accumulating a small pile of “shreds” on top of the flour mixture, I take a table knife and swirl the butter into the flour, then grate some more butter on top, and swirl it in, until I’ve used the whole stick. Lastly, I just take two table knives and criss-cross them several times (like a scissors) through the flour/butter mixture and voila! It’s all incorporated and ready to add the buttermilk. It’s much easier than using a pastry blender with all those wires. You’ve certainly made me a better cook/baker, Jenn, and I appreciate your books and site so much!
Absolutely gorgeous recipe! This was my first time making a cobbler, and it turned out better than I could have hoped for. I improvised on the filling a bit – added some lemon juice, a dash of salt, extra cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and it was divine. The topping was delicious, even though I had to use buttermilk substitute. I’ll be saving this recipe to make again!
Hi Jenn,
Can this cobbler be made with GF flour (1 to 1 measurement) and a non-dairy milk in place of the buttermilk (like oat milk)? My daughter is allergic to dairy, nuts, eggs, gluten. Let me know what you think! Thank you!
Hi Tina, I haven’t tried this with gluten-free flour but I think it should work. You’ll need buttermilk for this but you can make your own if you have milk (and oat milk will work) and either lemon juice or white vinegar. See how here. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hello, I was wondering if adding a half cup of halved walnuts to the base would work? My husband loves walnuts with his apples.
Sure, Cindy, that will work. Please LMK how it turns out!
Don’t let the low numbers of reviews fool you!
Tremendous recipe. I added juice of 1/2 of lemon to the apples. Cobbler topping is superb!
Bake on!
Loved this!! Everyone loved it, it was gone in a day! Will definitely put it in rotation as a dessert 🙂
A fantastic recipe! So simple and delicious. Will be making this again often, I’m sure!
I have never made a cobbler in my life. My great grandmothers’ and great aunt’s were the ones in charge of cobblers my entire childhood. I decided to give this a whirl and following the directions my cobbler looked exactly like the pictures here. I have never had a recipe look so well before.
The flavor is amazing! My bf who doesn’t like deserts normally couldn’t get enough of it. I’m fixing to make it again, this time making 2 so that his family can have one.
This is the best cobbler I have ever had. No hyperbole. Not kidding around. The topping is so moist and buttery, the perfect texture. The apples cook up into a perfect syrup. I added a little salt to the filling but otherwise I loved everything about this as written and will make it again and again.
This was super yummy! You can’t really mess it up and you get to enjoy an apple dessert without the hard work of making an apple pie!
I made this cobbler for one of my Thanksgiving desserts, it was fabulous! I think it’s as good as apple pie, but actually a lot easier to make! Thank you Jenn! My family was very happy.
This is probably the very best cobbler recipe ever! And I’ve made many!!!!
All I can say is WOW WOW WOW!!!!!!! I have made so many apple cobblers, crisps, cakes and so on but this is without a doubt the best recipe ever. This is the only one for my family from here on in. The biscuit topping was light and delicious and the filling came out so nice and moist. Thank you for this recipe. I have made so many of your other recipes and with great success.
i am about to prepare this now to leave in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning!! i don’t have buttermilk so i’m going to use whole milk + some lemon juice. i hope it turns out ok but i’ll come back to share my findings. thanks for the lovely recipe!!
I will be making this today but I am using half the sugar. I use very little when I make apple pie. Not sure if it is safe to make ahead with half the sugar.
Hi Valerie, I’m not sure how it will be with half the sugar, but that won’t impact your ability to make it ahead. Please LMK how it turns out!
Hi Jenn, I would like to make your Apple Cobbler for dessert on Thanksgiving. Can this recipe be doubled? Thanks and have a blessed Thansgiving.
Sure, Carolyn, I think it would be fine to double it. Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving!
Delicious. Thank you for this recipe.
First recipe I’ve made postpartum! It came out just like photo and was amazing!! Thank you for this. And loving your new cookbook!
Xx Steph Down Under
Hi Jenn,
I’m going to make this for Thanksgiving and bring it to my daughter’s house. Can I make it in the morning and bake it a few hours later at her house or is it best to follow your make ahead instructions and reheat? Thanks so much!
Hi Barbara, I’m not sure the biscuit dough would hold up so I would make it entirely ahead and reheat. It reheats beautifully and will be just as good as fresh baked. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn
Just dropping by to say how much I appreciate your wonderful recipes. All the time you invest creating mouth watering dishes, and so easy to follow.
Thanking you immensely
Fanny
💕
Hi Jen. This looks delicious and easy to may. Can this be prepped, frozen and baked later on?
Hi Roshani, I think that will work well; just allow a few extra minutes in the oven.
Made this exactly as recipe says. It was delicious!!
Jen, I don’t use buttermilk very often so don’t usually buy it. I can for this, but wonder what your opinion is of using a dry buttermilk product which is reconstituted. Would that work?
Hi Carin, I think that’d be fine. You could also use milk and lemon juice (add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup, add milk to the 1-cup line, then let it sit for 10 minutes until it curdles).
I had no idea. Thanks for this great tip. Love your recipes! I’ve learned to be a good cook because of you.
Hi there,
I was going to make extra biscuit batter for a thanksgiving breakfast. Do you have any recommendation on baking temp/time?
Hi Brian, Honestly I’m not sure the batter will hold up as drop biscuits – it’s quite wet, so the biscuits may end up flat. That said, if you want to give it a go, I’d cook them at 425°F for 17 to 20 min.
Absolutely delicious. I didnt know what to do with the apples we picked this year so I tossed this together real quick. I have never made a cobbler before (or really liked cobbler when I order it) but this was incredible.
Hi Jenn
I made your peach cobbler several times, so I had to try apple cobbler and wow! Another amazing recipe, so easy to make and so delicious 😋
Thank you
Kinga
Jenn, this looks great – and I’m sure there are very few people who wouldn’t want this. Looks yummy.
We have taken off all the apples from our trees, and they are in crates – I need a reason to use some, and this is perfect! (Maybe more than once …)
Your metric button doesn’t seem to work – the cup measures remained.
Val (UK)
Hi Val, sorry about that – I just fixed it. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Hi, can this be made with a bottom crust? I love apple cobbler and prefer a nice buttery bottom crust. Didn’t know if the biscuit recipe could be doubled. If so, should it be pre-baked?
Hi K.B. – The crust on this cobbler is quite thick already, so I worry it would take over if you doubled it. If anything, you could try multiplying the crust by 1.5 and adding half to the bottom — and I would pre-bake it so it’s not soggy. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it.
Thank you for the response and suggestion. My grandmother always made a double crust and we loved it, so I really have to try it. I don’t know if she pre-baked, but I agree with that step. I will comment on the outcome.
This looks delicious. Can this be made ahead of time and reheated? I saw that for your peach cobbler recipe, you recommend covering with a towel and reheating. I wanted to make this for Thanksgiving. Thinking I would need to make it in the morning and reheat later while we are eating our dinner. Thanks so much. Love your recipes and your cookbook!
So glad you like the recipes! Yes, this can be made ahead and reheated. See the bottom of the recipe for Make-Ahead instructions. Hope you enjoy!