Easy Apple Cobbler

Why make a cobbler?

Rescue recipe: a dessert that saves the occasion because it comes together quickly, is a total crowd-pleaser, travels well if needed, and can be made year-round.

This recipe today can be considered a basic cobbler recipe.

Versatile: apples and cinnamon are a no-brainer, but they can easily be made with other fruit like pears, peaches, plums, cherries, or pineapple, to name a few.

Ingredients

There are two parts to this easy apple dessert, and both use everyday ingredients that you probably have at home right now.

For the apple filling:

• Apples: I'm partial to granny smith (the green ones) because they have a sharper flavor and hold their shape, but any baking apple you regularly use works. For sweeter apples, you might consider reducing the sugar unless you like very sweet desserts.
• Lemon juice: a drizzle over the pears brings out the flavors and adds acidity.
• Brown sugar: light or dark.
• Cinnamon: any ground cinnamon you normally use works fine. I like Frontier Vietnamese cinnamon and Simply Organic Ceylon cinnamon. 
• Cornstarch: it will thicken the syrup that forms with the fruit juices as they bake.

For the topping:

• Flour: all-purpose flour or pastry flour, both work.
• Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
• Baking powder: it's the leavener and will help the biscuit topping rise as it bakes, so make sure it's not expired.
• Sugar.
• Milk: use whole or almond milk.
• Unsalted butter.

See the recipe card at the end of this post for quantities.

The fruit layer

• Apples: cutting the fruit in chunks works best. They make good-sized bites and hold their shape well after baking. I'd rather cut large chunks than risk the pears disintegrating too much, which is bound to happen if you cut very small dice. But it's up to you.
• Lemon: I find the drizzle of lemon juice to be essential in most cobblers and crumbles. No matter what fruit I use, they all benefit from citrus, which balances the butter and sugar. Pears are sweet by themselves, so I find it even more necessary to add lemon juice.
• Sugar: some sugar is added to the apples before the topping. It mixes with the cornstarch and liquid and created a thick juice, much like it does in a pie. This is where you can add more or less, depending on your sweet tooth.
• Cornstarch: it acts as a thickener when mixed with the water and creates a wonderfully thick syrup that mixes with the natural juices released from the pears as they bake. It's added before the topping.

Place the apple pieces in the baking dish. They should cover ¾ of its capacity.

Add the cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch slurry. I don't mix everything before adding the biscuit batter, but you can.

Vintage Kitchen tip: if it's easier for you, mix the fruit layer ingredients in a separate large bowl before spreading them in the baking dish.

The biscuit topping

This is my favorite part, as I love biscuits and scones.

The recipe is similar to drop scones, a very old-fashioned recipe from Ireland if you asked my grandmother, but is also claimed as being from Scotland or England. A question for another moment.

This part is easy to make, a one-bowl mixture that comes together in no time and doesn't even have to be spread carefully.

It won't cover all the fruit, and that's the beauty of this dessert. It's rustic and irregular, with different textures in every bite.

It bakes into a fluffy, starchy, and tender biscuit that pairs wonderfully with the warm and syrupy fruit.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and add the melted butter and milk. Stir with a spoon or spatula until you have a thick batter, similar to a wet scone.

Drop mounds on top of the apples and lightly spread. Don't cover all the fruit, as the juices need to bubble up during baking.

Baking

Make sure the biscuits are fully baked!

Sometimes it looks golden brown and dry on top, but when you lift the topping, it's still a little wet inside, similar to uncooked pancake batter. Even though the juices are bubbling.

So check before removing this apple dessert from the oven.

Types of apples to use

Depending on the kind of apples you use, you can vary the sweetness of this dessert.

• Granny smith: I use them exclusively (the green ones, my absolute favorites for baking due to their tartness). They bring some acid to the mix that complements the overall sweetness of the cake. And they hold their shape and don't turn mushy in the oven.
• Other popular ones: if you have another favorite that you usually bake with (pink lady, fuji, gala, Honeycrisp apples), by all means, use it.
• A mix of apples: you can also mix them to create different textures and sweetness levels.

Kitchen notes

• Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
• Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
• How long does it keep? I like to eat it the day it's baked as the juices will thicken with each passing day. But you can refrigerate it or freeze it. Add a few tablespoons of water, if needed, while you're warming it in the oven before eating.

Variations

This is a basic recipe that can be adjusted to different palates.

• Fruit: use plums, pears, or peaches. Add some berries to the mix.
• Extra flavorings: use orange zest in addition to the lemon juice. Add a tablespoon or two of brandy, cognac, Calvados (apple liqueur), or apple cider to the fruit layer.
• Apple pie spice mix: instead of the cinnamon. Or add another spice like ginger or nutmeg in addition to the cinnamon.

Storing

You can freeze this dessert, and it keeps for 2-4 weeks in the freezer. Always well wrapped.

To defrost: put it in the fridge overnight or leave it at room temperature before warming it in a 325°F oven before eating.

You can keep it in the refrigerator for several days, well covered. Warm it before eating.

Serving

• Individual servings: use small ramekins to make individual pear cobblers. They are ideal if you have a dinner party.
• Whipped cream: warm with barely sweetened whipped cream is always a good plan. Or, as my father eats it, with unsweetened cream straight from the container.
• Ice cream: this is my favorite way to serve it, warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. And sometimes some toasted sliced almonds on top.
• Caramel sauce or dulce de leche: they pair very well with apples and cinnamon. I like to drizzle it on top of the whipped cream or ice cream, similar to how I serve the caramel apple dump cake.

Family style desserts

Cobblers are baked in ceramic or glass dishes and then taken to the table. They are not removed from the pan. Similar to dump cakes.

What type of dish to use 

Choose a nice baking dish you like to showcase on the table.

For me, ceramic ones are the best (I use my favorite Emile Henry small ceramic rectangular dish whenever possible). There are several rectangular ceramic dishes, porcelain bakeware sets, glass baking dishes, or round ceramic baking dish that work.

Also, a cast-iron skillet fits this type of dessert if you like the Southern way.