Apple Cobbler

This apple cobbler recipe is an old-fashioned dessert perfect for fall. With tender apples, cozy fall spices, and a biscuit-like topping, all that’s missing is a big scoop of vanilla ice cream! 

Apple cobbler is a classic American dessert that dates back to colonial times. While there are blueberry cobbler, strawberry cobbler and peach cobbler recipes, nothing says fall like a spiced apple cobbler baking in the oven!

Now, a lot of people get confused about apple cobblers, apple crisps, and apple crumbles, thinking they’re simply three different terms for the same dessert. While they’re all similar, they definitely aren’t the same!

An apple cobbler has a biscuit-like topping and is usually baked in a deeper dish than a crisp or a crumble. An apple crisp has a streusel topping made with oats, flour, butter, and sugar, and an apple crumble has a streusel topping, too, but without the oats.

Easy Apple Cobbler Recipe

The nice thing about this apple cobbler recipe is that it’s forgiving! If you have trouble getting pie crust perfectly crimped on the edges, you’ll love that a cobbler simply involves plopping the dough on top of the filling.

In fact, “cobbler” originally referred to a type of pie made with a top crust only (no bottom crust), so the name may come from the fact that the dough is “cobbled” together on top of the fruit. Another theory is that the name comes from the way the top crust resembles a cobblestone street.  

Whatever you do, don’t forget to serve your cobbler with a scoop of ice cream. Warm apple cobbler with melting vanilla ice cream on top is the perfect fall treat!

(Love this recipe? Try my Skillet Apple Crisp next!)

Ingredients for Apple Cobbler

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

For the filling:

• Granny Smith apples – You’ll need to peel, core, and dice them.
• Lemon – Lemon juice balances the flavors in the filling, and it also keeps the apples from turning brown.
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Cinnamon – If you’d like, you can use apple pie spice instead of the individual spices listed here.
• Ground nutmeg
• Kosher salt
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract is always a good choice with apples, but if you’re in the mood for something different, try almond extract instead.
• All-purpose flour – This thickens the filling; if you have a strong preference for thickening with cornstarch or tapioca, those are fine too.
• Ground ginger 

For the topping:

• All-purpose flour – Be sure to lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup, rather than scooping it.
• Granulated sugar
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• Unsalted butter – The butter should be as cold as possible to get the perfect texture for the topping.
• Whole milk
• Salt

Variations

• Use cornstarch to thicken the filling, and use gluten-free flour to make the topping for gluten-free apple cobbler.
• Salted butter can be used if you omit the salt in the filling and the topping.
• Gala apples, Honeycrisp apples, and Golden Delicious apples are great for making apple cobbler.
• Consider including other ingredients in the filling, such as raisins.

How to Make Apple Cobbler

1. Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350ºF, and grease a 10-inch pie pan or 9×13 baking dish. 
2. Make the filling: For the filling, add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and toss to coat evenly. Transfer the filling to the prepared dish. Set aside.
3. Make the biscuit topping: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, two forks, or your hands until the consistency is of coarse crumbs. Slowly stir in the milk a little at a time to moisten the dough.
4. Assemble and bake: Drop spoonfuls of the topping over the apple filling. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and sprinkle some extra cinnamon on top, if desired. A drizzle of caramel sauce is delicious too!

How to Store Apple Cobbler

Leftover cobbler can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-60 seconds before serving. 

Serving Suggestions

Serve this apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel sauce!

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