Perfect Apple Cobbler

This is truly the best homemade apple cobbler recipe I’ve made. The easy filling has fresh apples, cinnamon, and maple syrup, and the topping is outrageously good. It reminds me of a brown sugar cookie on top with a soft, fluffy, sweet biscuit in the middle.

I can’t get enough of this incredible homemade apple cobbler. The topping alone is worth making the recipe. It’s somewhere between a soft brown sugar cookie, a flaky pie crust, and a soft and fluffy biscuit.

Then there’s the filling, made with fresh apples that soften and release their juices as they bake, creating a sauce with the perfect consistency. This cobbler is truly one of my favorite apple recipes! It feels like a cozy, old-fashioned dessert, and I can’t wait for you to make it.

Key Ingredients

• Apples: In my easy apple cobbler recipe, I prefer fresh apples to canned ones. When choosing your apples, go for varieties you love. I like using two different kinds, just like we do for our homemade apple pie. In the photos, we used Honeycrisp and Pink Lady. But if you have canned apples you love, feel free to use those instead of our filling recipe below.
• Maple syrup and brown sugar: I use brown sugar in both the topping and the apple filling, and also love adding a touch of maple syrup to the apples for a little maple flavor (it’s so good!).
• Flour and baking powder: All-purpose flour works great in this recipe, but a gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose blend or even spelt flour would be delicious if you have them on hand. The baking powder helps keep the topping fluffy and soft.
• Lemon juice, vanilla, and spices: The lemon juice balances the sweetness of the filling, while vanilla adds classic flavor. I also include cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and a bit of salt, which makes the filling even more delicious.
• Butter: I use butter in the cobbler topping, and you should, too. When you mix the butter with the brown sugar, the topping resembles a soft brown sugar cookie!
• Milk: You only need a tablespoon of milk, but buttermilk or cream would work, too. You can also substitute dairy-free milk if you prefer.

How to Make the Best Apple Cobbler

To make my apple cobbler, I start with the topping. I stir melted butter into flour, baking powder, and salt until I get a crumbly, cookie-like dough. (If you’re looking for a crispier topping with oats, check out my easy apple crisp recipe. Or, for a simpler dessert, try these easy baked apples.)

I press the dough into a rough rectangle or disc, wrap it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. I’ll roll this out later, but I roughly form it into a shape that fits my baking dish. In the video, I shaped it into a rectangle since I plan to bake the cobbler in a rectangular dish.

While the topping chills, I prepare the fresh apple filling. I peel and core the apples, then slice them about 1/4-inch thick. With this thickness, my apples get nice and soft in the oven. (If you prefer a bit more crunch, slice them thicker.) Then I toss the sliced apples with maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla.

So that the filling tastes amazing and thickens a little, I scatter a mixture of flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt over the apples and toss really well.

Now it’s time to assemble our apple cobbler! I roll out the chilled topping and find it’s easier to place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper while rolling (trust me, it helps tremendously). The dough is more like sugar cookie consistency than pie dough, so it tends to stick to your rolling pin.

Moving the topping onto the apples can be tricky and causes the dough to crack, but that’s okay! I embrace the rustic charm and break it apart into shingles. Then, I place those shingles over the apple filling, overlapping them slightly.

I bake my cobbler until it’s bubbly, golden brown, and the topping feels firm, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Then, before serving, I let my apple cobbler cool a little. I love serving it warm with a scoop of ice cream, a drizzle of homemade salted caramel sauce, or a dollop of homemade whipped cream. If you want a dairy-free option, try my coconut whipped cream recipe.