Easy Old Fashioned Apple Cobbler Recipe (2024)

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This easy apple cobbler recipe makes a perfect not-too-sweet dessert to savor the apple harvest. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Originally published in November 2016; this post has been updated.

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I grew up on an apple farm. From late August until mid-Octoberwe had fresh apples in bowls on the counter, in boxes in the barn, and hanging from the tree.Apples everywhere!An apple a day? Ha! More like half a dozen. And there’s nothing like a freshly harvested apple.

But besides eating them fresh, apples desserts were plentiful during harvest season. This apple cobbler recipe is one we’ve made for years. [And be sure to try my mom’s apple pie recipe, too!]

Easy Old Fashioned Apple Cobbler Recipe (2)Easy Apple Cobbler Recipe

This recipe originally came from one of those community cookbooks created by a coalition of apple farming families. I remember my mom working with a group of women to collect vintage family recipes from all over the apple growing community. The original apple cobbler recipe was much toosweet for our tastes, soI’ve modified this recipeto use less sugar.

What’s the Difference Between a Cobbler and a Crisp?

The difference between an apple cobbler and an apple crisp is in the topping.

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  • An apple crisp is topped with a crumbly mixture that usually includes oatmeal or flour, nuts, sugar, and butter. Once baked, the crumbly topping is a bit crispy.
  • An apple cobbler is topped with a batter or biscuit dough. The finished product has more of a bread-like consistency.

This is a cobbler, but it does maintain a bit of crispness, which is why we like it.

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Ingredients

Apples I love making apple desserts from Gravenstein apples, but they’re not commonly available. Granny Smith apples are a good choice, as is any other slightly tart apple. Read more about different apple varieties and how they stack up for baking here.

Brown sugar — The rich molasses flavor of brown sugar is delicious in this dessert. Use light or brown sugar, as you like.

Flour When I bake with all-purpose flour I opt for the unbleached version. Bleached flour is very white, but it’s also treated with bleaching agents that I don’t really need in my food.This recipe can be modified to work for a gluten free diet by substituting cassava flour for the all-purpose flour in this recipe.

Eggs — Fresh eggs, store bought, use what you have readily available.

Butter — Allow the butter to come to room temperature for easy mixing. I used salted butter; if you prefer unsalted, that will work fine.

Seasoning and Leavening Baking powder gives the cobbler topping a little bit of fluffiness. Salt and cinnamon add just the right amount of spice!

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How to Make this Cinnamon Apple Cobbler

Peel, core, and slice apples. Toss with a portion of the cinnamon. Combine the remaining cinnamon with the brown sugar.

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Transfer apple slices to a baking dish.

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Combine flour, baking powder, salt, remaining brown sugar in a bowl.

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Add egg and mix. Spread batter over the apple slices.

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Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on top. Melt butter and drizzle evenly over the top. Bake until golden.

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Serving

Allow cobbler to cool slightly before serving warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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Storing

Leftover cobbler should be transferred to an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Looking for more ways to use your abundant crop? I’ve gathered some of the best apple recipes from my collection for you.

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★ Did you make this easy apple cobbler recipe?Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!★

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Easy Apple Cobbler Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Quicker and easier than an apple pie made with double crusts, you'll love this easy apple cobbler! See my notes to make it a gluten free apple cobbler.

Ingredients

  • 6-8 tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
  • 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, or cassava flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Instructions

  1. Combine prepared apples with one teaspoon of the cinnamon. Transfer to a 9" x 13" baking dish.
  2. Mix the second teaspoon of cinnamon together with 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Set aside.
  3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, remaining brown sugar, and egg in a small mixing bowl. Spread batter over the apple mixture.
  4. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon mixture over the top.
  5. Melt butter and drizzle evenly over the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes in a 350 oven until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
  6. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Notes

The number of apples you use in this apple cobbler will depend upon their size. Just be sure that your pan is filled to the brim with apples. As the apples cook, they will soften and settle.

To make this a gluten free apple cobbler, use cassava flour instead of all-purpose flour.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 346Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 239mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 4gSugar: 40gProtein: 2g

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More fruit desserts to try:

  • Pear Crisp
  • Rhubarb Crisp
  • Peach Cobbler
  • Grandma’s Apple Pie
  • Strawberry Cobbler
  • Apple Cobbler
Easy Old Fashioned Apple Cobbler Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between apple cobbler and apple crumble? ›

Cobbler: A fruit dessert made with a top crust of pie dough or biscuit dough but no bottom crust. Crisp/crumble: In Alberta, the terms are mostly interchangeable. Both refer to fruit desserts similar to cobbler but made with a brown sugar streusel topping sometimes containing old-fashioned rolled oats.

Why do you put lemon juice over the apples when making an apple crisp? ›

Lemon juice prevents oxidation of the apples, which means that it stops the slices from turning brown by providing a barrier between the apple's flesh and the air.

Is cobbler crust the same as pie crust? ›

Cobbler is sometimes described as a kind of fruit pie, but strictly speaking, the two are different. Pies are made from pastry, rather than biscuit batter, and they are fully encased, with a crust at the top and the bottom, while cobblers typically only have a topping.

How do you keep cobbler from getting soggy? ›

The result is a soupy cobbler with a soggy top. Try this: Add one to two tablespoons of cornstarch to the filling. Partnered with a little sugar and lemon juice, this will make a lush sauce for the fruit. When baking, be sure the filling is bubbling-hot to ensure the cornstarch is cooked enough to thicken.

What is the difference between a cobbler and a betty? ›

Betty. Whereas crisps and cobblers are made up of a layer of fruit with either a streusel or pastry topping, with apple betty and its variations, we start constructing desserts made of alternating layers of fruit and pastry—or in this case crumbs.

How do you make Martha Stewart apple crumble? ›

In a large bowl, toss together apples, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; transfer to prepared dish. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in 1 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt until large pieces form. Scatter over filling.

What kind of apples are best for apple crisp? ›

The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice in apple pie? ›

Vinegar, which is used instead of lemon juice, helps create a creamy filling with a zing. Jessie Sheehan is a recipe developer, baker, and cookbook writer with over 15 years of experience.

What is the apple lemon juice trick? ›

To use this method to prevent apples from turning brown, create a water bath for your apple slices with a ratio of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of water. Soak the apple slices for 3 to 5 minutes, then drain and rinse them. This simple step should keep your apples from browning for several hours.

How do you know when a cobbler is done? ›

Use your probe thermometer! According to Kitchn, when the center of your cobbler reaches 200 degrees F, it's done. Since you have a tool that ensures your cobbler is cooked through, there's one more tip that will make your cobbler experience even better. Let your cobbler rest for a bit before serving.

What is an American cobbler? ›

Cobbler has been around in America the longest of the three desserts; the Oxford Companion to Food dates its inception back to the 1850s. By the mid-19th century, it had become the dish we know now: fruit baked in the oven with some form of dough.

What is cobbler dough made of? ›

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar and salt and pulse just to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas. In a small bowl, mix together the egg yolk, vanilla and cold water.

Why did my cobbler turn out like cake? ›

If you use enough batter to completely cover the fruit, you'll end up with a cobbler that's far too bready, more like an upside-down cake.

Can you prep a cobbler the day before? ›

Peach cobbler isn't the kind of dessert that you can just reheat the next day without it getting soggy. Cobblers contain a lot of moisture, so if you want to make one ahead, prep and store the filling and topping separately in the refrigerator and then bake off the cobbler when ready to serve.

Can you overcook a cobbler? ›

(bakers tip: it's pretty hard to overcook a cobbler, so don't be afraid to leave it in there for longer than 30 minutes - if the top is browning too quickly and the juices still aren't running clear, tent the crisp with foil and continue baking.)

Is cobbler and crumble the same? ›

Cobblers differ from crisps or crumbles in that they typically have a biscuit topping covering the cooked fruit. The biscuits are usually dropped onto the fruit in small rounds, giving it the appearance of a cobbled road, hence the name.

What makes a cobbler a cobbler? ›

Cobbler is usually topped with batter or biscuits in lieu of crust. Cobbler's name comes from its sometimes cobbled texture, which is a result of spooning or dropping the topping over the fruit rather than distributing it equally. This way, the filling can peek through.

Is apple brown betty the same as apple crisp? ›

Both are very similar apple desserts, but the difference mainly comes down to the crumble topping: Instead of the flour and oat mixture used in an apple crisp, an apple brown betty uses breadcrumbs for its crumbly, delicious topping.

What is apple crumble called in America? ›

Apple crisp is a dessert made with a streusel topping. In the US, it is also called apple crumble, a word which refers to a different dessert in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Ingredients usually include cooked apples, butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and often oats and brown sugar, ginger, and/or nutmeg.

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