This apple cobbler recipe is a warm and cozy dessert for fall is the perfect addition to any potluck, family gathering or holiday party. This simple, easy fall dessert takes only minutes to prepare and bakes up the perfect dessert about one hour!
Apple cobbler is made with seasonal apples and topped with a buttery, flaky pie crust.
Even the most novice baker can have success with this apple cobbler recipe. Homemade apple pie filling topped with flaky pie crust or store-bought. If you’re an apple pie lover, you’ve got to try this cobbler recipe!
For this apple cobbler recipe use a mix of apples you love (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Macoun or Cortland) and pie crust from scratch or store-bought. A delicious dessert with very little effort involved for this apple cobbler from scratch.
We enjoy blueberry cobbler, peach cobbler, blackberry cobbler and cherry cobbler all season long. When apples are in season, apple cobbler is a must!
While many apple cobbler recipes use a drop biscuit topping over top the fruit, we’ve added a layer of homemade pie crust. This pie crust is buttery, flaky and golden brown. Perfect on top of this cobbler with fresh apples.
For this dessert, and other apple desserts such as apple crisp, apple pie, or caramel apple pie, we recommend using a mix of tart and sweet baking apples for the best flavor.
If you prefer the sweet biscuit topping for cobbler, the recipe is below. Apple cobbler is a classic holiday dessert filled with ripe, sweet and tart apples that whips together in minutes.
Why this recipe works
- Made with simple ingredients – Uses simple ingredients that are readily available at most grocery stores.
- Make ahead of time – Prep ahead and freeze cobbler (unbaked) a few days before to save time!
- No need to cook the apples – There’s no need to cook the apples before baking!
- Perfect homemade dessert – This cobbler recipe is the perfect holiday dessert or any occasion.
- Great for party or crowd -Perfect holiday dessert recipe for a crowd with amazing flavors. Inexpensive ingredients! A great way to use an abundance of fresh apples and feed a crowd.
What you’ll need
- Apples – Use Granny Smith and another variety such as McIntosh. Granny Smith is tart and holds up well. Use another variety, such as McIntosh that will break down and create an apple sauce texture.
- Sugar – Will naturally draw out the fruit juices of the apples. Adjust the sugar based on how tart or sweet your apples are. Sugar naturally draws out the juice of fruit.
- Lemon– Lemon juice adds a splash of lemon flavor plus keep apples fresh and prevents browning.
- Tapioca – Used to thicken the apple filling. No need to pre-cook the pie filling as it bakes. (You can find it in the baking aisle in most grocery stores– or order it here! This is the one I love!)
- Butter– Adds a depth of richness to this cobbler.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg – These two spices add a wonderful flavor to this cobbler recipe!
- Pie Crust – Use homemade or store-bought pie crust. Be sure and try my Pie Crust Recipe. Weave a lattice crust or just simply cover the top and cut a few holes for steam to escape.
Best Apples for Baking
- Granny Smith – Granny Smith apples have a tart and tangy flavor, along with firmness. They are also readily available in most grocery stores.
- Macoun – A variety native to New England and perfect for pie. It’s a cross between the ‘McIntosh’ and ‘Jersey Black’ cultivars. Sweet, slightly tart and perfect for apple pie.
- McIntosh – This apple is sweet and tart. It also tends to break down when it cooks.
- Honeycrisp – This apple is sweet, firm, and great apple flavor. This combination of flavor and texture makes it a great choice for pie.
Buying apples for pie or cobbler from a local apple orchard? Ask them to suggest a seasonal baking apple.
Cobbler Biscuit Topping
You can also cover the apples with a sweet biscuit topping and bake. Cobbler biscuit topping is simple to make with only a few easy to find ingredients.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Instructions– Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Gradually stir in buttermilk, vanilla and egg. Spoon the batter evenly over the apple mixture.
How to make Apple Cobbler
- Make pie crust – If making homemade pie crust, prep and place in a large zip-style bag and refrigerate overnight. (This makes it super cold!)
- Roll out pie crust – Roll out pie crust on a lightly floured surface and cut into strips. Place on half sheet pan lined with parchment paper, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. (This makes it easy to work with the pie crust strips!)
- Combine the ingredients – Combine apple slices, sugar, instant tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in a large bowl.
- Add ingredients to baking dish – Spray baking dish with baking spray or brush with butter. Spoon the apple mixture into a prepared baking dish.
- Top with pie crust – Cut strips of pie crust and place them all one direction. Pull every other one back and place a pie crust strip going the opposite direction.
- Brush with egg wash – Gently use a pastry brush the pie crust layer with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar or raw sugar.
- Place on sheet pan – Place entire baking pan with apple cobbler on half sheet pan lined with parchment paper. This will help catch any juices that overflow, keeping the oven clean. (Heat from the pan also helps it bake better!)
- Bake – Bake at 400 degrees F for 1 hour, or until pie filling is bubbling up around the edges of the crust.
- Cool – Let the cobbler cool completely before serving. This step is imperative! Otherwise, your pie filling will not set properly.
Make ahead and freeze instructions
Prepare the apple cobbler as instructed. Cover loosely well with plastic wrap. Place on a flat surface in the freezer for up to two months.
To bake, simply take out of the freezer, no need to thaw. Brush the top with an egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and place in the oven. Place the entire cobbler on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any juices that may spill over.
Note: If using a glass baking pan, do NOT preheat your oven. Place the frozen cobbler into the oven. Turn your oven to 400 degrees F. This will gradually bring the baking dish to temperature so it does not crack or explode.
How to make a Lattice Pie Crust
Lattice pie crust is weaved pie dough across the pie filling. It’s not only a beautiful way to decorate a pie or fruit cobbler, it also lets steam escape between the holes.
- Use a quality pie – Whether that’s making your own pie crust or using a store-bought one. Make sure it’s a quality pie dough that is sturdy and will hold up to weaving a lattice crust.
- Cut dough into strips – Use a pastry wheel or small pizza cutter. You can also use a ruler as a guide to make straight lines.
- Refrigerate pie strips – Place strips onto a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (Making them super chilled.)
- Place pie strips vertically over pie – Lay strips vertically, starting in the center of the pie so it is even.
- Place pie strips opposite direction – Pull back every other strip and lay a strip of pie dough the opposite direction.
- Repeat these steps – Weaving the strips over and under until your pie is completely covered.
This apple cobbler recipe takes minutes to toss together. We love homemade pie crust and it’s super simple to make! Plus looks so pretty on top of this cobbler! You’ll be making this cobbler recipe again and again!
Tips on working with Pie Crust
- Keep the pie dough chilled– always. If it gets to warm, plop it back into the fridge or even the freezer for a bit.
- Doesn’t have to be perfect! Working with pie dough and weaving a lattice crust takes practice. Don’t stress and remember it doesn’t have to be perfect. It will still taste amazing!
Recipe FAQs
Cobblers have a biscuit dough topping or layer of pie crust on top. While crisps use oats and have a streusel topping.
Any type of baking apples work great! We tend to prefer any type of tart apple, including Granny Smith, McIntosh, Macoun, Cortland or Honeycrisp.
Yes! Prepare the apple cobbler as instructed. Cover loosely well with plastic wrap. Place on a flat surface in the freezer for up to two months.
More pie recipes
- Apple Pie
- Caramel Apple Pie
- Apple Hand Pies
- Peach Pie
- Blackberry Pie
- Blackberry Cobbler
- Blackberry Hand Pies
- Cherry Hand Pies
- Cherry Cobbler
- Cherry Crumb Pie
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Apple Cobbler
Ingredients
Apple Cobbler
- 7-8 large apples (cored, peeled and sliced)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (adjust based on how tart your apples are)
- 1 large lemon (juice)
- ½ cup instant tapioca
- 3-4 tablespoons butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Homemade or store bought pie crust
Instructions
Apple Cobbler
- If making homemade pie crust; make the pie crust and get it really well chilled.
- In a large bowl use a large spoon to combine the apples, sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice.
- Butter or spray with cooking spray a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add the apple mixture. Scrape all the sugar and tapioca out of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Cut the butter into pieces and distribute evenly over the apple mixture.
- Cut pie dough into wide strips. (about 2-inches wide) Lay pie crust strips across one length of the baking dish.
- Pull back every other pie strip. Add a pie crust strip going the opposite direction.
- Repeat this process until the entire baking dish is covered.
- Use a pastry brush top of pie crust with an egg wash. Sprinkle with granulated or turbinado sugar.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for about 60-65 minutes. Or until the filling is bubbling up nicely and the pie crust is golden browned.
- Remove the baking pan from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes prior to serving, which will help the filling set properly.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if desired.
Recipe Notes
Apple Cobbler
You can use homemade or store-bought pie crust. Adjust the sugar based off how sweet or tart your apples are. Use more sugar if you need. Set the baking dish on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper to catch any fruit juices that might overflow. Turn the baking dish fully around half way through the baking process to evenly brown the crust and cook the filling. Should the pie crust be browning too quickly, but pie filling not done or soft enough. Simply place a piece of aluminum foil with a slit in the center to let steam escape over the entire cobbler. I used about 8 fresh apples from the farmers market. Which is about 6-7 cups of apples. (It really depends on how big or small your apples are) Cobbler will keep for a few days stored in the refrigerator.Nutrition
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Ruby says
I will definitely make the oatmeal patties.
Jessica Robinson says
Thank you
Ruby says
looking forward to more recipes.