There are many ways to make apple cobbler but this recipe is my all-time favorite.

The recipe includes saucy cinnamon and clove spiced apples baked under a chewy cookie topping. The gooey brown sugar topping takes about 5 minutes to make and tastes like a soft, buttery sugar cookie.

My favorite way to make apple cobbler is in a cast iron skillet, but the recipe also includes instructions for baking cobbler in a regular baking dish.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

"I've now made all three of your cobbler recipes and can't say enough good things about all of them. Everyone loved them! Thank you for showing us how to make people happy!" - Michelle

I can think of few things more delicious than Homemade Apple Cobbler, freshly baked and still warm, served all by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

But, it's possibly even better the next day, eaten straight out of the pan for breakfast, preferably in your bathrobe, a hot mug of coffee close at hand.

This Apple Cobbler is similar to my all-time favorite Berry Cobbler and Peach Cobbler with a few modifications. Mainly, of course, there are apples instead of peaches or berries.

But all three recipes include a chewy sugar cookie topping that is pure heaven.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

What’s the Difference Between Apple Cobbler and Apple Crisp?

Cobblers are called cobbler because of the topping. Unlike pie crust, where the dough is rolled out into a flaky pastry, cobbler topping is messily dropped or spooned over the fruit filling so that it resembles a cobbled road.

A fruit crisp also has a topping that is sprinkled over the filling. The difference is that a crisp topping is, well, crispy. Unlike the soft texture of a cobbler, the topping for a fruit crisp should have some crunch and often also includes things like chopped nuts or oatmeal to give it texture.

There are basically two kinds of cobbler in the world:

1. The kind with a biscuit topping
2. The kind with a cookie-like topping

This apple cobbler is the cookie covered variety. It's super saucy, but not overly sweet. And, the topping is this wonderful combination of textures - slightly crisp and crumbly on top, and deliciously soft and chewy in the middle.

It's the kind of thing that you scoop into a bowl and eat with a spoon on those days when you just KNOW that saucy apples covered in butter and brown sugar is the kind of self-care you need right now.

What Apples are Best for Cobbler?

I prefer using sweet apples in this cobbler recipe such as Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, Jazz, Sweet Tango, or Pink Lady.

There are two main reasons why I like to use sweet apples to make cobbler:

1. The fruit filling calls for a decent amount of lemon juice. When combined with cornstarch and sugar, the lemon juice creates a thick syrup that makes the baked apple filing saucy and delicious.
2. Sweet apples balance the tart flavor of the lemon juice. Using sweet apples means you don't need to use a lot of sugar to achieve the perfect balance of tart and sweet.

I like to save tart and sour apples like Granny Smith and Macintosh for things like Caramel Apple Pie. In that recipe, which includes a sweet crumb topping and plenty of caramel sauce, tart apples keep the pie from becoming cloying.

Tart apples also hold their shape even after a long bake time. This is a plus when cutting and serving slices of pie. But, cobbler is meant to be scooped out in messy spoonfuls. If the apples get soft while baking, it only contributes to the comforting saucy deliciousness.

Do You Have to Peel the Apples?

I prefer to peel the apples for this cobbler because the skins don't break down while baking and their tough texture interferes with the saucy texture of the filling.

But, peeling the apples is not a hard and fast rule. It's simply a matter of personal preference. If you'd rather leave the skins on, go for it.

I do recommend chopping the apples into smaller pieces if you decide to leave the skins on. Slice the apples as directed, then cut the slices into three pieces. This will ensure you don't have any long apple skins swimming around in all that saucy goodness.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ ofbatteranddough.com

Recipe: Apple Cobler with a Chewy Cookie Topping

For step-by-step photos showing how to make this cobbler, please see the original recipe: Apple Cobler with a Chewy Cookie Topping

Ingredients

For the Apple Cobbler Filling:

• ¼ cup (62.5ml) lemon juice
• 3 ½ lbs (1.58kg) sweet apples
• ⅓ cup (73g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
• ½ teaspoon (2.5g) almond extract (optional)
• ¼ tsp table salt (1.42g) - OR ½ teaspoon (3g) kosher salt
• 2 tablespoon (15g) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon (2.64g) ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon (1.1g) ground cloves

For the cookie topping:

• 1 ¼ cup (187.5g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon (2.64g) ground cinnamon
• 1 ¼ teaspoon (5g) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon table salt (2.84g) - OR ¾ teaspoon (4.5g) kosher salt
• 10 tablespoon (142g) butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon (139.38g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (62.5g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5g) pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Apple Cobbler Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Coat a well seasoned 12-inch cast iron skillet with a generous layer of butter. You can also use a square or rectangle baking dish.
2. Put the lemon juice into a large bowl.
3. Slice the apples into quarters, cut out the core, and slice off the peel. Cut each quarter into 3 slices and add to the bowl with the lemon juice. Stir the apples in the lemon juice to coat, to keep them from browning.
4. Add the rest of the filling ingredients to the bowl with the apples and toss gently to mix. Pour the filing into the skillet or baking dish, smoothing it out into an even layer, and bake for 15 minutes. While the apple filling bakes, prepare the cobbler topping.

Make the Apple Cobbler Topping:

1. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to a bowl and stir to mix. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula just until all the dry ingredients are moistened and the mixture comes together into a soft dough. Do not over mix.
2. Remove the pan with the apple filling from the oven. Use your fingers to crumble the topping over the apples into an even layer. Put the pan back in the oven and bake for an additional 40 - 45 minutes, until the apple filling is bubbling up all around the edges of the pan and the topping is golden brown and set.
3. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before scooping into bowls and serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

For more of my recipes, visit alittleandalot.com and ofbatteranddough.com.

Photo byRebecca Blackwell/ rebeccablackwell.com

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