17 Dessert Cobbler Recipes That Are Better & Easier Than Pie (2024)

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By Camille Lowder
17 Dessert Cobbler Recipes That Are Better & Easier Than Pie (1)

When it comes to summer desserts, there’s nothing more classic than a pie. Warm, bubbly fruit encased in a buttery, flaky crust? There’s nothing better… well, almost nothing. There are actually a number of baked goods that we think might just take the crown away from pie, like crumbles, crisps, slumps, and more (bonus: no finicky pie crusts!). One of our absolute faves? Gotta be the cobbler. Whether you’re a master just looking for flavor inspiration, or have never experienced the delight of a cobbler and need somewhere to start, we’ve got recipes here for you. Check out our 17 cobbler recipes for ideas, then get excited—your dessert game just leveled up.

First things first, what is a cobbler? A cobbler is a baked fruit dessert in which a fruit filling is covered by flaky biscuits, then baked all together. The biscuits are usually scattered on top of the fruit filling, giving the overall visual of a cobbled road (hence the name).

Now, what should you fill it with? Though cobblers are great with nearly any fruit you can think of, we have to admit that there’s one in particular we’re especially fond of—peaches! Peaches are perfect for a cobbler because they’re sweet and seasonal, and they don’t completely fall apart when baked (though their skins do, so no peeling required!). Use them on their own, like in our peach cobbler, or pair them with other fruits, like in our peach blueberry cobbler, our Instant Pot blackberry peach cobbler, or our campfire berry peach cobbler.

That said, tons of other fresh fruits are lovely in a cobbler. Try our apple cobbler, our strawberry cobbler, our blackberry cobbler, or our cherry cobbler to see just how versatile they can be, then have fun coming up with your own combinations. You can even use sweet-adjacent veggies like sweet potatoes or tomatoes—our savory tomato cobbler and our dessert-worthy sweet potato cobbler are proof.

1

Peach Blueberry Cobbler

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Warm fruit cobblers are our absolute favorite summer desserts. The buttery biscuit-like topping over juicy, jammy fruits like peaches or blueberries make for a perfect combo. If you don’t have fresh fruit, you can go frozen! Let the fruit thaw out first, then you’ll be good to go.

Get the Peach Blueberry Cobbler recipe.

2

Strawberry Cobbler

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Fresh fruit topped with a biscuit-like topping is the perfect formula for an irresistible, not-too-sweet summer dessert. Here, peak season strawberries really make this easy dessert shine and create an almost syrupy juice that you'll be scraping the pan for.

Get the Strawberry Cobbler recipe.

3

Campfire Berry-Peach Cobbler

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You can cobbler over a fire—and it even browns like the real thing. Stupid-easy to prep, this bubbling fruit skillet is impossible to mess up. Change up this recipe with your favorite berries, we think strawberries or blueberries would pair nicely with peach too.

Get the Campfire Berry-Peach Cobbler recipe.

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4

Blueberry Cobbler

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We just can't choose between our favorite part of this cobbler: the juicy, burst of blueberries or the crispy, not-to-sweet biscuit topping? The jury is out.

Get the Blueberry Cobbler recipe.

5

Peach Cobbler

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This peach cobbler is juicy and sweet with just a hint of spice from ginger. The crackly top here is buttery with the perfect crunch from coarse sugar sprinkled on top.

Get the Peach Cobbler recipe.

6

Cherry Cobbler

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Like in most cobblers, this cherry version is adorned with a buttery, buttermilk biscuit topping. What makes it extra special is the cherries—they create their own sauce while baking, but hold their shape well and stay nice and tart.

Get the Cherry Cobbler recipe.

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7

Blackberry Cobbler

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One of summer's simple pleasures is cobbler. This is our perfected biscuit topping—don't be intimidated by the word biscuit—that works with any type of fruit you want. Blackberries are perfect for their sweet-tart flavor, but use whatever fruit you have on hand. Just don't forget to serve with ice cream.

Get the Blackberry Cobbler recipe.

8

Strawberry Pop-Tart Cobbler

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Pop-Tarts are wonderful, but not the best (or fanciest) for sharing. Enter: a Pop-Tart cobbler you can serve for breakfast or dessert. Want even more Pop-Tart-inspired flavor? Try our strawberry Pop-Tart blondies next.

Get the Strawberry Pop-Tart Cobbler recipe.

9

Instant Pot Blackberry-Peach Cobbler

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Summer calls for as many fruit cobblers as possible. There's just one thing: when it's hot out, we HATE turning on the oven. Enter, the Instant Pot. No need for extra heat, and the cobbler only needs 15 minutes (!!) to cook.

Get the Instant Pot Blackberry-Peach Cobbler recipe.

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10

Apple Cobbler

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Nothing says fall better than an apple cobbler. It's amazing right out of the oven with a big scoop of ice cream on top.

Get the Apple Cobbler recipe.

11

Sweet Potato Cobbler

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Sweet potatoes want to be more than just a marshmallow-topped casserole, and we don't blame them. Boiling them in a mixture of water, sugar, vanilla, and spices infuses them with a ton of flavor, making them just as good as their summer desserts counterparts like peach or blackberry cobbler.

Get the Sweet Potato Cobbler recipe.

12

Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler

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It’s as if peaches existed solely to be topped with this fluffy buttermilk biscuit topping. And with almond flour and Swerve granular, this recipe is gluten-free and keto-friendly.

Get the Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler recipe.

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13

Tomato Cobbler

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If you think a non-berry-or-peach cobbler sounds odd, just wait until you dip a fluffy cheddar biscuit into the mess of bursting roasted tomatoes and caramelized onions beneath. 😍

Get the Tomato Cobbler recipe.

14

Mini Upside-Down Peach Cobblers

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Cooking these mini cobblers in a muffin tin creates a delicious caramel layer on the bottom that, once flipped, makes a beautiful topping. Serve these babies warm with some whipped cream for the cutest individual desserts.

Get the Mini Upside-Down Peach Cobblers recipe.

15

Chocolate Caramel Cobbler

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When winter rolls around and our favorite fruits are out of season, we're making this chocolate cobbler. With equal parts gooey caramel and tender, ultra-chocolatey cake, we think its a great replacement for its summer counterparts.

Get the Chocolate Caramel Cobbler recipe.

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16

Triple Berry Cobbler

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Never made a cobbler before? This is a great place to start—take note of the proportions of the berries (we used raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries), then feel free to swap in your faves!

Get the Triple Berry Cobbler recipe.

17

Pumpkin Pie Cobbler

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We've done away with pie crust completely and we have NO REGRETS. The pumpkin pie filling itself is about as classic as it gets: pumpkin, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and plenty of pumpkin spice. The topping is where things get interesting, and spoiler: It's SO much easier to make than pie crust.

Get the Pumpkin Pie Cobbler recipe.

17 Dessert Cobbler Recipes That Are Better & Easier Than Pie (2024)

FAQs

Is cobbler easier than pie? ›

The biggest difference is that a cobbler is so easy to make (easier than pie!). While a pie is made with a bottom crust and often a top crust, the dough and the fruit filling cook together in a cobbler.

What is cobblers dessert? ›

Cobbler is a dessert consisting of a fruit (or less commonly savory) filling poured into a large baking dish and covered with a batter, biscuit, or dumpling (in the United Kingdom) before being baked.

What is the difference between a cobbler and a betty? ›

Betty. Whereas crisps and cobblers are made up of a layer of fruit with either a streusel or pastry topping, with apple betty and its variations, we start constructing desserts made of alternating layers of fruit and pastry—or in this case crumbs.

What type of food is cobbler? ›

A cobbler is a baked fruit dessert in which a fruit filling is covered by flaky biscuits, then baked all together. The biscuits are usually scattered on top of the fruit filling, giving the overall visual of a cobbled road (hence the name).

Is cobbler supposed to be crunchy? ›

The topping bakes up light and pillowy with a crunchy crust giving way to a soft interior- it's so good you'll want to eat it plain! The whole cobbler is a beautiful marriage of warm, tender, sweet, soft and crunchy mingled with creamy, cooling vanilla ice cream.

Why is my cobbler soggy? ›

Not coating the fruit in some starch.

The result is a soupy cobbler with a soggy top. Try this: Add one to two tablespoons of cornstarch to the filling. Partnered with a little sugar and lemon juice, this will make a lush sauce for the fruit.

What is the old name for a cobbler? ›

A cobbler, also known as a shoemaker or cordwainer, repairs and restores footwear. It's one of the world's oldest professions that peaked long ago, but is still going strong. In the United States there are 7,000 shoe repair shops that serve 300 million people – that's more than 600 million shoes.

What is American cobbler? ›

Cobbler is a traditional baked dessert that is enjoyed in households throughout the USA and Britain. It is typically made with a fruit filling and a golden brown biscuit topping (known as dumplings or scones in the UK).

What is the topping on cobbler called? ›

Cobbler is usually topped with batter or biscuits in lieu of crust. Cobbler's name comes from its sometimes cobbled texture, which is a result of spooning or dropping the topping over the fruit rather than distributing it equally.

What is a buckle cobbler? ›

Though crumbles, crisps, and cobblers are more akin to pie, a buckle is a lot like cake. In fact, they look nearly identical to fruit-filled coffee cakes. As the batter rises in the oven, the weight of the fruit causes it to “buckle.”

What dessert is similar to a cobbler? ›

Pandowdy. A pandowdy is another deep dish stewed fruit dessert similar to a cobbler but made with a different technique. Here the biscuit dough (or pie dough) is rolled out and spread over the top of the fruit and set to bake.

Is cobbler a Southern thing? ›

The region most associated with cobbler is the American South, where the variation of choice remains peach cobbler (preferably with a pairing of vanilla ice cream). Per Culture Trip, peach cobbler is thought to have originated with the recipe common to all early cobblers: essentially, fruit plus dough plus fire.

What is a cobbler slang? ›

/ (ˈkɒbləz) British slang / pl n. rubbish; nonsense: a load of old cobblers. another word for testicl*s: See testicl*.

Do cobblers have a bottom crust? ›

Pies have, at a minimum, a bottom crust with the fruit placed on top, while a cobbler has the fruit on the bottom and a dolloped dough on top instead. The doughs used are also different, with a pie typically using a rolled-out pastry versus the dropped biscuit topping of a cobbler.

What is a street cobbler? ›

Traditional cobblers were once a common sight in Singapore. They repaired footwear and provided shoe polishing services along the five-foot-way in front of shophouses and on street pavements.

Is the cobbler difficult? ›

Get to know this 11.6-km out-and-back trail near Arrochar, Argyll and Bute. Generally considered a challenging route. This is a very popular area for hiking, running, and walking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring.

What's the difference between a cobbler and a regular pie? ›

Cobbler vs.

pie really comes down to the crust (or lack thereof). A pie, whether sweet or savory, always has a bottom crust, while a cobbler doesn't. A cobbler is a baked fruit dessert without a bottom crust and the top crust is a kind of biscuit dough instead of a traditional pastry or pie dough.

Why is my cobbler tough? ›

Not cooking it long enough.

Try this: Because the cobbler topping is a variation on a quick bread, we can take its temperature to ensure doneness. A probe thermometer inserted in the center of the cobbler should reach 200°F in the thickest part of the topping.

Is it easier to make pie or cake? ›

Pie is hard. Getting the crust right, getting the filling right, pie take skills and patience and practice. Anyone can make cake.

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