Apple Cobbler
This apple cobbler recipe pairs glossy, cinnamon-spiced apple slices with a buttery drop-biscuit topping that bakes up golden and crackly, with syrupy juices bubbling through every gap.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch glass baking dish - holds all the apples with room for the topping to spread
- Large mixing bowl set - one large bowl for the apples and a medium bowl for the topping
- Pastry Cutter - cuts cold butter into the flour without warming it with your hands
- Large cookie scoop - portions the biscuit dough into even mounds
- Oven thermometer - confirms the oven is truly at 375°F (190°C)
- Wire cooling rack - lets air circulate under the dish so the bottom does not steam
- Vegetable peeler - for peeling the apples
- Sharp chef's knife - for slicing the apples thin
- Kitchen scale - (optional) if you prefer grams
- Small bowl and whisk - for the cornstarch and spice mixture
- Rimmed baking sheet - to catch any bubbling juices
- Rubber spatula - for folding the dough
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 8 medium firm apples - about 3 lb / 1.4 kg, a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp works best, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch (6 mm) thick
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice - 15 ml
- ½ cup light brown sugar - 100 g, packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar - 65 g
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch - 16 g
- 1½ teaspoons ground Saigon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons European-style unsalted butter - 28 g, cut into small pieces
For the Biscuit Topping
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour - 190 g
- ¼ cup granulated sugar - 50 g
- 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter - 85 g, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
- ⅔ cup cold whole milk - 160 ml
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar - 12 g, for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon - for sprinkling
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 375°F (190°C). Place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack below where the baking dish will sit and set out a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish.
- Peel the 8 apples, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Slice each half into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour the lemon juice over them right away to slow browning.
- Whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl until no cornstarch lumps remain. Sprinkle over the apples, add the vanilla, and toss until every slice is coated. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Pour the apples and all their juices into the baking dish, spread into an even layer, and press down lightly to remove large gaps. Scatter the 2 tablespoons of butter pieces over the top.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt until evenly combined.
- Add the cold butter cubes and cut them in with a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces still visible. Keep the butter cold and do not overwork it.
- Pour in the cold milk and stir with a rubber spatula just until the dough comes together and no dry flour remains. Drop mounds of dough (about 2 tablespoons each) over the apples, leaving ½-inch (1.25 cm) gaps between them. Mix the turbinado sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon, then sprinkle over the mounds.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the biscuits are deep golden brown and the filling bubbles thickly at the edges and in the center. Tent with foil for the last 10 minutes if the topping browns too fast.
- Move the dish to a wire cooling rack and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes so the juices thicken. Serve warm, spooning apples and biscuit into each bowl.
Notes
- Choose firm, tart apples: Granny Smith holds up better than Golden Delicious. Adding Honeycrisp brings sweetness without losing structure.
- Slice evenly: Slices of the same thickness finish cooking together, so you avoid mushy pieces beside firm ones.
- Taste a slice first: If the apples are very tart, add 1 extra tablespoon of granulated sugar; if very sweet, add a second squeeze of lemon.
- Whisk the cornstarch with the sugar first: Dry cornstarch clumps when it hits wet apples, but mixed into sugar it disperses evenly.
- Keep the butter cold: Chill the cubed butter in the freezer for 10 minutes while peeling apples, because softened butter makes a greasy, flat topping.
- Use cold milk: Warm milk melts the butter pieces early, and those pieces create the flaky pockets in the biscuits.
- Do not overmix: Stir only until the dough holds together, and stop even if it looks lumpy.
- Leave gaps in the topping: Covering the apples completely traps steam and leaves the underside of the biscuits doughy.
- Watch for bubbling in the center: Cornstarch only thickens fully once the liquid boils, so look for bubbles in the middle, not just at the edges.
- Storage: Cool to room temperature but refrigerate within 2 hours. Cover tightly and keep for up to 4 days, or freeze portions for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes to recrisp the biscuits.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 340mgFiber: 4gSugar: 47g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!