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As soon as fall apples start showing up in the market, my mind goes to this Caramel Apple Cobbler. This simple cobbler bakes in a cast-iron skillet so the edges get a little crispy and the apples caramelize. The cinnamon-spiced apples nestle under a soft biscuit topping, with caramel sauce running through the filling and more drizzled over the top. It is divine, but more importantly, it’s so easy to make that anyone can do it.
Southerners love a good fruit cobbler. We love the easy kind where it makes its own crust, like my famous Southern Peach Cobbler and this sublime Blackberry Cobbler with Thyme. But sometimes we want something a little different, a little chunkier, and that’s where a biscuit-topped cobbler comes in.
The biscuit topping is not the same as my Buttermilk Biscuits. For one thing, we’re not using buttermilk, although I suppose you could. For another, we’ve added sugar and changed the flour-to-butter ratio. The dough for a biscuit-topped cobbler needs to be a little stiffer than a regular biscuit.
Testing results for apple cobbler
- Just like homemade biscuits, if you work the dough too much, the topping will turn out tough and heavy. Use a light hand and mix just until it comes together.
- Don’t omit that 10-minute cooling period. It lets the juices settle in a bit so you don’t have a runny mess when you serve the cobbler. I may or may not have done this. 🤪
- I’ve made this cobbler using Homemade Caramel Sauce and store-bought, and while homemade definitely has a bit of a flavor advantage, there are some really good store-bought caramel sauces out there. My favorite is Mrs. Richardson’s.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Apples: You need about six medium apples, peeled and diced. This is an apple cobbler with fresh apples rather than canned filling, so reach for a firm baking variety. I like to use a mix of tart and sweet, so I usually go with Granny Smith and Golden Delicious or Honeycrisp. Just don’t grab apples that will be too soft when baking.
Caramel sauce: Add a half cup to the filling, then drizzle more over the finished cobbler. If it’s cold and thick, warm it for a few seconds in the microwave so it spreads more easily.
Cold unsalted butter: Cube the butter straight out of the refrigerator and keep it cold until you cut it into the flour. Some of the small pieces stay separate in the dough and steam as the cobbler bakes, which is what keeps the topping tender rather than dense.
Related 📖 ➡️ How to cook and bake with apples
Pin this now to save it for laterHow to make apple cobbler
- Toss the diced apples with the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and lemon juice, then spread them into the skillet and drizzle caramel sauce over them.
- Whisk the dry topping ingredients together, cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then stir in the milk and vanilla just until a soft dough forms.
- Drop the apple cobbler topping over the fruit in spoonfuls, leaving gaps between them so steam can escape.
- Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles around the edges of the skillet. The apples should give easily when you test them with a fork.
Why cast iron works for cobbler
A skillet apple cobbler comes out differently than one baked in a glass dish. Cast iron holds onto heat once it’s hot, so the fruit along the outside cooks against a hot surface for the whole bake instead of a slowly warming one. That’s where the dark caramelized edge comes from.
This is also great for serving, because the cast iron will keep the cobbler warm longer than a baking dish.
Variations
- Pecans or walnuts. Stir in a half cup of chopped nuts before the topping goes on for a little crunch under the crust.
- Fruit. This cobbler is just as delicious made with pears.
What to serve with apple cobbler
All you need with this apple cobbler is a scoop of good-quality vanilla ice cream. The cobbler is good at room temperature, but I like to serve it warm with the vanilla ice cream so the ice cream starts melting a little.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Apple Cobbler Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the apple filling
- 6 medium apples, peeled and diced
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup caramel sauce
For the cobbler topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For serving
- Caramel sauce, for drizzling
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
Apple filling
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add 6 medium apples, peeled and diced to a large bowl and toss them with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice until evenly coated.
- Transfer the apple mixture to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and spread it into an even layer.
- Drizzle 1/2 cup caramel sauce over the apples.
Biscuit topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Cut 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour in 1/3 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir just until a soft dough forms.
- Drop spoonfuls of the topping over the apples, leaving a few gaps for steam to escape while it bakes.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges of the skillet. The apples should be fork-tender.
- Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with additional caramel sauce and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
Storage. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. The topping softens a little over that time, and reheating firms it back up slightly. I like to reheat in the air fryer to help with a little crispiness.
Freezing. Remove the cobbler from the cast iron skillet and place it in a freezer-safe container. Cool the cobbler completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating. Warm individual portions in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. For a bigger amount, put the skillet back in a 325-degree F oven until the filling is hot through or use the air fryer.
Firm baking apples are what you want. Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady all hold their shape through a long bake, and mixing a tart variety with a sweet one adds more flavor. Softer eating apples like McIntosh break down into sauce under the topping.
The cobbler thickens as it cools. Be sure to let the skillet cool for at least ten minutes after it comes out of the oven before you serve, so the juices in the filling can settle.
Yes. This recipe is written and tested with peeled apples. We did try with unpeeled apples and didn’t like the texture. Some of the peel releases while cooking, so you may have random pieces of apple peel floating around in there.
We used a 10-inch cast iron skillet for this apple cobbler.
