Cobbler is a classic summer dessert that’s popular across America, and this easy cherry cobbler recipe is simple enough for beginners to prepare. Add a scoop of ice cream on the side or serve it warm with whipped cream for the best results.
Cobbler is popular in all regions of America, and although where you grew up may alter your fruit preference when it comes with this classic dessert, this recipe provides the step by step instructions to make the best cobbler. No matter if you’re a beginner to baking or don’t have a large enough baking dish, it’s easy and quick to make.
What is Cherry Cobbler?
Cherry cobbler is a dessert similar to a pastry that’s made using either fresh or canned cherries with a biscuit topping. Frozen cherries may also be used to create this popular dessert, and cobblers are known to bubble up as they cook to mix the fruit into the pastry. Cobbler is easy to make and adored around the United States using a variety of other fruits as well.
When You Should Make this Dessert
Cobbler is extremely easy to make for any occasion. Many people love this dessert in the summer months, as it’s often paired with ice cream as a special treat. It also works well at holiday parties and family get-togethers.
Plus, cobbler is even easy to make in multiples for a large crowd. With a large pan, you can easily multiply the recipe as many times as you need to feed a large group of people. This makes it quick to prepare a dessert for groups of as many as 100 people, and you can make it for weddings or funerals where a large number of people are expected to gather as well.
Ingredients
To make this easy cherry cobbler recipe, you will need to gather minimal ingredients, including the following:
- 1 can cherry pie filling (21-ounces)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Depending on your preference and personal taste, some people prefer to up the butter to ½ cup. Others suggest starting with ¼ and working up if you need more. However, using more butter may alter the amount of time it takes to melt. If you use the full ½ cup of butter, for example, preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and place the butter on the baking dish the melt before raising the oven to a temperature of 350 degrees to bake the cobbler.
What Type of Cherries to Use
While you can use cherry filling or fresh tart red cherries, cobbler tastes great with any cherry variety. However, the sweeter the cherry you select, the better you can expect your cobbler to taste. Dark red Bing cherries are much sweeter than some of the other varieties you may find, but the type you choose may come down to what’s available in your local supermarket or favorite produce store.
Other types of cherries people believe taste great in cobbler include Balaton cherries. Some people also enjoy sour cherries and using a sour variety may call for more sugar to balance out the recipe, depending on your taste.
Fresh cherries will require you to pit the fruit, and you can do so using a cherry pitter or a small paring knife. Simply cut the cherries in half and draw a circle around the pit using your knife. Twist slightly, and the cherry will separate from the pit on one side, allowing you to use your knife to pop the pit from the other half.
Without a cherry pitter, the process may take longer but it’s not difficult. Expect to spend around 15-20 minutes prepping the cherries if you use a knife and a bit less if you have a cherry pitter. Using canned pie filling is the quickest and easiest way, however, because all you need to do is open the can.
You can also make your own pie filling at home. For this method, you’ll need a little more time and some added ingredients in addition to the cherries such as:
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
The sugar and cornstarch are used to thicken up the juice and reduce the likelihood of your cobbler turning into a soup-like consistency while the almond and vanilla extracts provide a boost of flavor that compliments the cherry well.
To make your own pie filling, begin by cooking the ingredients on the stovetop stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens. You’ll want to complete this step after pitting your fresh cherries and before moving on to the regular baking instructions, as this recipe calls for canned pie filling.
Step by Step Instructions
If you haven’t already done so, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to melt the butter or margarine in the baking dish using the oven, begin at 275-degrees instead.
Pour the melted butter or margarine into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish if you haven’t already done so, and set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the sugar, flour, and baking powder. Then stir in the milk, whisking until fully combined. Then, add the flour mixture over the butter in your baking dish without stirring.
Next, add the cherry pie filling evenly on top of the batter. Do not stir.
Place the baking dish into the oven once preheated to 350-degrees and bake for around 45-50 minutes or until the crust becomes a golden-brown color. If you used more butter, you may need to allow the cobbler to cook up to 60 minutes.
The best part about this dessert is that you don’t need to wait for it to cool. Simply take it out from the oven when your kitchen timer signals and scoop out a serving immediately. Serve the cobbler warm from the oven and add your favorite topping for the best result. Just make sure to allow it to stand for around 5 minutes to avoid burning your mouth.
Expect around 6 to 8 servings from this recipe.
Toppings
For the best results, try pairing your cobbler with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Cool Whip goes well with any dessert, and a homemade vanilla ice cream recipe can add a layer of sweetness to this already delicious treat.
No Baking Dish? No Problem
If you don’t have a baking dish, no worries. You can even make a classic cobbler using a crockpot by first spraying the crockpot with a nonstick cooking spray, adding the cherries to the bottom, and spreading the batter on top. Cook the cobbler for around two hours on high or 3-4 hours on low.
You can still make a cobbler with the wrong sized baking dish as well. To create a smaller version of this recipe, you can use a small baking dish (two-quart-sized casserole dish or a 8×8 inch baking dish) instead and half the ingredients listed above.
Other Substitutes
Because this cherry cobbler recipe is so easy, you can alter it to suit your taste. If you don’t like cherries, you can use any type of fruit filling. Other popular fruits to substitute include:
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
According to dessert expert Betty Crocker, before we had refrigerated transportation readily available to help us ship produce across the nation, the fruit offered in desserts like cobblers were a reflection of what produce was locally grown. In the North, for example, people enjoyed apple or blueberry whereas peach cobbler is popular in the South. Cherries, however, are a reflection of the Midwest and remains a popular fan-favorite in the region.
You also have the opportunity to use fresh fruit rather than using cherry pie filling. Two cups of fresh fruit are about equal to a normal-sized (21-ounce) can of pie filling. For a full cobbler, expect to use around 6 cups of tart red cherries, and make sure they are pitted for the best results.
You’ll notice the recipe calls for cake mix but says you can alter all-purpose flour as well. A cake mix tends to create a more powdery topping that will melt down to mix flavors with the pie filling while providing a crusty layer on top. Some people also opt for a more biscuit layer provided by a product like Bisque. You can spread the cake batter onto the bottom of the pan like a crust or drop the batter gently on top of the fruit. Whichever you choose, just go with what feels best for you.
Finally, many people like to add cinnamon to the biscuit dough. This ingredient is optional, although many people adore adding it in. A ¼ teaspoon is enough to add some flavor without overpowering the taste of the filling, and you’ll add it in when you whip together the other dry ingredients.
A Simple Dessert Anyone Can Prepare
No matter what alterations you choose to make to the recipe, the resulting cobbler is simple for beginners to make and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients in order to taste wonderful. Give it a try today!
