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This Easy Apple Cobbler recipe has a super fluffy, deliciously sweet topping. The apples are perfectly sweet and spiced. This is a simple, quick and easy dessert using the fresh fruit of fall! An absolute must is a scoop of ice cream on top.
I’m going to scream this from the rooftops but this is an Easy Apple Cobbler …that’s also fluffy and perfectly spiced and WAY easier than any apple pie you might not have time to make.
This season is all about pie, I will admit that. And of course, I have my favorite apple pie recipe that I think is a sure-fire winner. But let’s be honest, there’s not always time for pie crust-making, rolling out, crimping, etc.
Ingredients for Apple Cobbler
- Apples. I used a combo of gala apples and honey crips. Any baking apples would be great!
- Brown Sugar + granulated sugar. These two sugars are great for this baked apple recipe. If you wanted to do ALL brown sugar, that works too.
- All-purpose flour. This thickens the baked apple mixture. They’re not super juicy so flour vs. cornstarch is what we’re using.
- Lemon juice. This adds a lovely tartness to this recipe. It balances out the warm spices and sweet apples.
- Warm spices. I like to use a balanced combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. None of these spices are prominent; you don’t really notice any one flavor–instead it’s a balanced flavor of spices.
- For the topping, you’ll be making a simple cake-like topping. You’ll need flour, vanilla, melted butter, some leavening, sugar and milk.
What Kind of Apples for Apple Cobbler
My favorite easy-to-find apples for honey crisps or cobblers are the following:
- Honeycrisp – The best baking apple.
- Gala – Delicious and a great baking apple.
- Braeburn – Firm texture with a hint of floral flavor.
How to Make this Easy Apple Cobbler
- Mix the filling together. I used a mix of honey crisp and gala apples. Other apple combinations will totally work. And then add the brown sugar, sugar, flour, lemon juice, vanilla and spices.n
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl goes the flour, baking powder and salt, sugar, milk, melted butter and vanilla.
- Add the apples to the baking dish.
- Add the topping goes on top of the filling in a baking dish. And then bake!
Recipe Tip
Here are some questions, I’m sure you’re asking yourself!
- Using different fruits: If you want to use berries in place of apples, be sure to add a few teaspoons of cornstarch. For peaches, make my easy Peach Cobbler.
- Add some richness. If I’m feeling like I want it to be even richer (this is a pretty light dessert), I’ll sometimes layer a few tablespoons of butter (cubed up) in between the two layers of apples. This just makes it a bit saucier, which I love!
Recipe FAQs
The apples should be bubbling, the top should be a beautiful golden brown color and it should engulf your house with amazing smells of spices and apples.
Crisps, crumbles, and cobblers are all fruit baked with sugar, thickener, and flavorings—the difference is what’s on top. Crisps get a streusel-like topping with oats and nuts for crunch (see my Brown Butter Apple Crisp). Cobblers are topped with either drop biscuits or a loose, buttery batter (like pancake batter with extra butter). This recipe uses the latter for a rich, golden finish.
What to Serve with this Apple Cobbler
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Easy Apple Cobbler Recipe
Video
Equipment
- 1 (8×6-inch) baking dish
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 honey crisp apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 2 gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Juice from 1 small lemon, about 1 tablespoon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Teeny pinch of ground cardamom
- Teeny pinch of ground cloves
Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or butter a baking casserole dish that’s 9×6 or something comparable. Use what you have! And then set it aside.
To Make the Filling:
- In a large bowl, add the sliced honey crisp apples, gala apples, brown sugar, sugar, flour, juice from 1 lemon, vanilla and spices (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves). Toss it all together until combined. Add the filling to your prepared baking dish.
To Make the Topping:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the milk, butter and vanilla; mix until combined. Pour the topping on top of the filling. It’s ok if some of the filling is peaking through or it’s not a totally perfect on top. I like it when some of the filling shows through. And then transfer to the oven to bake for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm with cold vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How would you suggest I proceed if I would like to make this in advance for a dinner party?
hmmm…to be honest, this isn’t the best make ahead recipe. i would bake it before ppl show up so that it’s already baked and you can rewarm it on low in the oven!
This is my first cooked apple anything and it was so simple and easy to follow and delicious! Did I say delicious? My entire family loved it! Thank you!
Awww man, you guys are wimps! Granny Smith apples are the ONLY apple worth baking with! As for me and my house, we will slice the Smith!
Can I use canned apple pie filling instead of fresh apples?
i would definitely discourage from using apple pie filling. but you can try it!
Easy and super tasty! Perfect apple choices. I upped the citrus juice a bit and used half orange and half lemon juice. Also upped both the cardamom and cloves to “several shakes” each. I added several shakes of Wigle orange pomander bitters to the fruit mix as well. Two shakes of nutmeg went into the topping. Served with whipped cream. This recipe is a keeper!
Made this tonight and loved it! The only change I made was adding a teaspoon of caramel extract to the filling – so, so good. I thought it was really well balanced, not too sweet at all.
love hearing this!
Holy heck, this is delicious!! I made it as directed except subbed Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1:1 baking flour and added a few tablespoons of frozen blueberries. I learned that I should make it in a shallow dish so the topping can be spread out in plops. As it was when it looked perfect at 45 minutes it turned that the topping was not yet cooked. Do those toothpick tests! Thank you for the recipe!
love hearing this! so glad the gluten free flour mix worked too!
On
Hi..can you please tell me what honey apples are? I am shopping for ingredients for STUNNING apple cobbler
Thank you for reporting on using gluten free flour and which one you used. I was thinking of trying it myself, but with a different brand. Now I don’t have to experiment!
I used what I had! Which did not include whole milk or lemon juice. It still turned out tasty with the almond milk. I am looking forward to making it again with all the expected goodness.
This is such a lovely recipe! Cobbler isn’t a recipe I dabble much with as I’m more of a crisp person. However, the way the topping looks is absolutely wonderful–light, fluffy, and oh-so delightful. I have to try this with nondairy milk like coconut milk and vegan butter! You can’t go wrong!
Sounds delicious! I do wonder about the amount of sugar in the apples though: isn’t it wayyy too sweet?
It’s actually not that much sugar compared to what goes into a pie. But if you like, you can always dial back the sugar 🙂
I made it without the extra sugar in the apple mix and I thought it was great without it. Perfect balance of sweetness to tart apple! But I also got extra sweetness from a icecream topping.