Strawberry Cobbler (fresh or frozen)
This cobbler with fresh strawberries is an easy recipe that brings out the best of this favorite fruit and involves little time in the kitchen. A cobbler means that juicy, sweet strawberries are topped with a layer of biscuit dough to produce a scrumptious dessert.
This recipe uses a 9-inch round pan.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the fruit layer:
- 2 pounds of fresh strawberries or frozen, see Notes
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup cold buttermilk
For serving (optional):
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
- Extra fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)
- Have ready a 9-inch baking dish.
For the fruit layer:
- Wash, dry, stem, and cut strawberries into bite-size pieces. Scatter them in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle with the orange zest and add the vanilla.
- Mix the lemon juice with the cornstarch in a small bowl until no lumps remain. Drizzle over the strawberries. Mix lightly with a spoon.
- Sprinkle the ¼ cup sugar over the berries.
For the topping:
- Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a medium bowl.
- Add the buttermilk and the melted butter. Mix with a spoon *just* until no dry parts remain. Don't overmix or beat this dough.
- Drop mounds of this mixture on top of the strawberries.
- Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon, but leave space between them. The strawberry layer needs to bubble up while baking.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until the juices appear on the edges and the top is golden brown.
- Check that the dough is fully baked. This is important! Lift it here and there carefully and make sure it's dry inside and not wet. Sometimes the top is beautifully baked but the inside still needs more time.
- Let cool on a wire rack.
- Eat warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream and some extra fresh strawberries.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated, well covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
Notes
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Pan size: don't be tempted to use a smaller one as the filling will probably overflow before the topping is baked through. Trust me, it happened. This dessert is served in the same dish it's baked in, and you can check out the list of what types of dishes I use for family-style recipes.
Strawberries: this is a fresh strawberry cobbler, but if you only have frozen ones also work. Use them directly from the freezer, without thawing.
Sweetness: if you like sweeter desserts, you can omit the lemon juice and add up to 2 extra tablespoons of sugar to the strawberry mixture.
Cobbled topping: it's important to leave space between the mounds of dough so the fruit juices can bubble up during baking while the biscuits bake fully.
Does a cobbler need to be refrigerated? It lasts a day or two at room temperature in a cool environment, covered so it doesn't dry out. After that, I recommend wrapping and refrigerating it. Especially if the kitchen is hot because it's a fruit dessert, and you don't want it to start fermenting. Warm it lightly in a preheated oven before eating.
Serving it: I like it warm with fresh strawberries added, because the difference in textures and temperatures makes for a great bite. A dollop of sweet whipped cream or the popular big scoop of vanilla ice cream are great ways to serve this cobbler, one of our favorite summer desserts!
