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Apple Cobbler is one of the easiest and most delicious fall desserts you can make! This recipe uses a variety of fresh apples with a crunchy sweet topping.
Why this recipe works:
I’ve adapted this recipe to use with all sorts of different fruit. Once you find a wonderful cobbler recipe, you’ll never need another!
You’ll find that it is not only the easiest homemade cobbler recipe out there, but it is the most delicious!
All of my cobblers start with a base of fresh fruit and then are covered by the same sweet and crunchy topping.
How to make apple cobbler:
This recipe doesn’t use bisquick or oatmeal or pie filling. Just a ton of fresh fruit and short list of topping ingredients that you most likely already have on hand.
- First step is to peel, core, and cut the apples. I like to slice my apples pretty thin, less than a quarter inch wide, and also chop them into bite sized pieces. I also almost always use a variety of apples when I bake so that I get a combination of sweet and tart, soft and firm, juicy and not-so-juicy.
- I toss the apples with some pumpkin pie spice and lemon juice. You can also just use cinnamon if you don’t have any pumpkin pie spice.
- For the topping, you simply mix 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, and one large egg in a bowl. This will turn into a crumbly mixture that gets spread over the fresh apples.
- Next you’ll slice 6 tablespoons of butter real thin and set the pieces on top of the crumb mixture. That’s it! No cutting in with a pastry blender.
The butter melts as the cobbler bakes and creates a perfectly crisp and crunchy sweet topping. This recipe is so easy that you can memorize it!
How many apples?
This recipe calls for 5 cups of apples, but that doesn’t really help when you’re grocery shopping.
Of course, the amount of apple you get will depend on how much skin and core you remove, and I’m pretty good about maximizing the fruit and minimizing the waste (even though the waste all goes to my chickens).
My rule of thumb is basically one medium sized apple will yield about a cup of peeled sliced apples.
The larger the apple, the fewer you will need to get a cup. Inversely, the smaller the apple, the more you will need.
When I bake with apples, I always try to find the largest apples possible because they’re the easiest to work with since you have to peel them.
Choosing the right apples:
Whether you’re making an apple pie, cobbler, crisp, crumble, or cake, my answer will be the same.
Use a variety of apples.
I will always use some kind of combination of Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji or Gala. Of course, if I’m given other varieties of apples from friends with overflowing trees, I’ll use them too.
The reason you want to use a variety is because each apple not only offers a different flavor and texture, but the amount of juice will vary too. By using different apples, you’ll get the best results!
Everyone loves dessert recipes made with fresh apples! If you like this recipe, you’ll definitely want to try my Dutch Apple Pie, Apple Brown Betty, or my Salted Caramel Fresh Apple Cake.
Other great apple recipes:
What can you do with lots of apples?
Have an apple tree (or do your friends have one) that’s producing more than you know what to do with? I have a ton of apple recipes!
- Homemade no sugar Applesauce
- Hard Cider Caramel Apple Pie
- Applesauce Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
- Apple Fritter Monkey Bread
- Pressure Cooker Pork Roast with Apple Gravy
- Apple Pecan Bundt Cake
- Butternut Squash Soup with apples
- Apple Pie Bars
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups apples peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg slightly beaten
- 6 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add 6 cups apples (peeled and thinly sliced) to a 9×9 baking dish. Toss with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice).
- In small bowl, combine 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 large egg. Mixture will be crumbly and not fully mixed, but do your best. Cover apples with this crumb mixture. Slice 6 tablespoons butter into very thin slices and spread as evenly as possible on top of cobbler mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
- Apples: I prefer to use a variety of apples to give the best taste and texture. Choose from a mixture of sweet and tart. I used a combination of Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji and Jonagold (it was what I had on hand but it worked extremely well).
- This cobbler recipe is excellent on it’s own and even better when served warm a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Where’s the oven temperature in the recipe?
If you scroll down to the recipe card (or click “jump to recipe” at the top of the post it will take you to the recipe card) the oven temp is listed in step 1.
Can I bake ahead of time and still have the crumble remain crunchy?
I would probably prepare it ahead of time but wait to bake it until you’re ready to serve it. The topping will only be crunchy after you originally bake it. You could always reheat the cobbler in the toaster oven, but at room temperature or if refrigerated, the topping will be soft after being stored.
Best and easiest recipe ever .Everyone will love the taste.
Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe 😋
Looks wonderful! Can it be frozen? Thanks!
I’ve never frozen it, but I don’t see why not. Not much different than a frozen pie or cobbler. I would just fully thaw before baking.
THIS is so VERY YUMMY Mike my husband LOVES it !! Serve warm with Vanilla Icecream !! YUMMY Perfect to bring to an Event !!
Am trying to find on here.do I use salted or unsalted butter?
Thanks for your help
Annette P
It doesn’t make too much difference with this recipe. If I use unsalted I put a pinch of salt in with the flour, otherwise just use salted butter.
Can you use canned apples?
I suppose you can, but I never have. I assume canned apples have a ton of sugar, and all of my sugar is in the topping in this recipe. I would worry it would be way too sweet. I suppose you could always reduce the amount of sugar in the topping.
Can I switch out dark brown sugar for the “sugar” in the recipe? Or perhaps split granulated and brown?
yes!
I do have a question, should I freeze it before cooking? That way when I take it out and cook it it’s nice and hot.
You can freeze it. You’ll have to let it thaw before cooking.
Paulette, I have frozen before baking (my usual) but the crust on this dessert got soggy so think it might work better after baking………
I was skeptical because it was so simple to make I thought it wouldn’t be that good. But I have to say it is delicious. I’m going to try and freeze some because I have so many fresh apples from our farm that I can’t possibly eat them all. So I’m hoping it freezes well
Super easy to make and absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for sharing!!