Classic Apple Cobbler Recipe

Make this Classic Apple Cobbler as a cozy dessert for fall this year! It’s so easy to prepare and perfect served warm from the oven with a scoop of ice cream on top!

overhead view on three bowls with apple cobbler

Cobblers, crisps and fruits pies are some of my all-time favorite desserts. And I bake all the things with apples once September hits the calendar! And I have proof with all the delicious apple desserts already here on the blog 😉

More Apple Desserts

This apple cobbler is incredibly easy to whip up and tastes amazing with a scoop of ice cream – although I’ve been known to prefer a scoop of Greek yogurt as I’ve been getting older, I guess old age is making me lose my sweet tooth after all 😉

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

ingredients for apple cobbler with text labels — Ingredients for apple cobbler: Apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, apple juice, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and buttermilk.

Ingredient notes

Apples: I prefer using firm, crisp Gala apples for this recipe, because they hold their shape during baking and taste lovely and sweet. You can also use Granny Smith for a more tart taste, or a mix of the two.
Brown sugar: I used light brown sugar, but dark brown (or all granulated) is fine, too.
Buttermilk: If you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, just stir 1 teaspoon of either lemon juice OR white vinegar into regular milk.
Butter: Stick margarine may be used in place of the butter, but NOT buttery spread or spreadable margarine.

Step by step photos

collage of steps to make apple cobbler — How to make apple cobbler: 1) Combine brown sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon, then 2) stir it into chopped apples with apple juice. 3) Combine dry ingredients for topping, then 4) cut in cold butter until 5) crumbs form. 6) Add buttermilk and 7) stir JUST until combined. 8) Drop batter in spoonfuls over filling and bake.

Recipe tips

Preparing the apples: Apple cobbler is one of the rare desserts that actually makes me go through the trouble of peeling the apples. If you prefer, you can absolutely leave it on. I recommend chopping the apples into about ½ inch cubes for the best outcome.
Cutting in the butter: It’s very important to use cold butter for the topping. Cut it in until it’s entirely combined with the dry ingredients – you should have a bowl filled with fine crumbs. This will help the biscuit topping come out light and fluffy.
Stirring: Do NOT overmix the topping! You only want to stir until the dry ingredients are JUST combined with the buttermilk. The batter will look very lumpy, this is a must for a fluffy biscuit topping.
Resting: I highly recommend letting the cobbler rest for 15-20 minutes after baking. This will help the juices to thicken and bind and make for a more delicious filling.

I have more tips and tricks for working with biscuit dough in my homemade biscuit recipe post!

Apple cobbler FAQs

What is the difference between apple crisp and apple cobbler?

Apple crisp is made with a crumbly topping from flour, butter and oats. Cobbler is made with a drop biscuit style topping rather than a crumbly topping. The filling is usually the same.

How do you store apple cobbler? Should you refrigerate cobbler?

Like any baked fruit pie, you can store apple cobbler at room temperature for up to 2 days. Just cover the cobbler with foil or a clean tea towel and leave it on the counter. If you want to store it for up to 5 days, refrigerate it well covered and let it come to room temperature before serving.

Can you make a cobbler ahead of time?

Yes, you can bake cobbler ahead of time and store it as mentioned above. You can reheat it in the oven at 350°F for around 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. OR heat single portions of the cobbler in short bursts in the microwave in microwave-safe bowls.

I do, however, not recommend assembling the cobbler ahead to bake later. The biscuit topping needs to be baked right away, or else it loses its fluffiness.

How many apples make a cup?

If peeling the apples, around ¾ – 1 medium-large apple yield one cup, chopped. 3 to 3 ½ medium-large apples yield about one pound of peeled and chopped apple.

Serving suggestions

Like I mentioned earlier, I always let the cobbler rest for 15-20 minutes after baking instead of serving it right away. Not only does this help prevent ruining the rest of the day with a burnt mouth (ouch!), it also helps the juices in the filling to settle and thicken for the most delicious filling.

My children and husband love their apple cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, I like mine warm-ish with a scoop of Greek yogurt. But it’s also delicious just by itself, and I’ve been known to eat leftovers cold for breakfast 😉