Name: Apple Cinnamon Cobbler
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 5 large apples (fuji, honey crisp, granny smith, pink lady) (- peeled and sliced); 1/2 fresh lemon (- freshly squeezed); 2 teaspoons vanilla; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar; 1/3 cup brown sugar; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 6 Tablespoons COLD unsalted butter (- cubed); 1/3 cup boiling water; a sprinkle of sugar

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Apple Cinnamon Cobbler is a classic recipe and will soon be your new favorite fall dessert. Use your favorite apples combined with the best cake-like cobbler topping! We like this warm with ice cream!

Fall desserts are the best, and we enjoy apple season to its fullest. Make sure you try my Apple Pie Banana Bundt Cake or my Apple Spice Cake (with caramel sauce) next!

A skillet of apple cobbler with sparkling sugar.

Best Apple Cobbler

Fall is almost here, and that means it’s all about apples. Apple cinnamon muffins, homemade cinnamon applesauce, apple cider margaritas, and Gourmet Caramel Apples.

Since I grew up in Iowa and lived in the Twin Cities for a couple of years, I spent many fall days at the apple orchards. Picking apples is such a sweet memory for me, and I almost ALWAYS 1) ate too many apples as I picked them, and 2) put too many apples in my basket.

I vividly recall bringing a BUSHEL of them back to our apartment one day, and Mike just rolling his eyes. Just like a kid in a candy store, I couldn’t contain myself.So what was I to do with so many apples for just two of us?

B A K E !

As you may recall, I have a Skillet Peach Cobbler on my blog too. It’s very similar to this one, except for quantities and of course, that one has peaches instead of apples. Both are delish, and I think the peach is naturally a juicier final product. But both are equally amazing.

A bowl of apple cobbler with two scoops of ice cream.

How to make Apple Cinnamon Cobbler:

Step 1
Prepare the apples. Peel and slice the apples, and add to a mixing bowl. Then add the fresh lemon juice and stir.

Step 2
Add sweetener to apples. To the sliced apples, add the vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, and corn starch – and mix well. Pour into a cast iron skillet or an 8×8 baking dish.

Step 3
Bake the apples. Bake the apples for about 20 minutes on 400 degrees. This will ensure that the apples are soft.

A bowl of the sliced apples with a citrus press squeezing a lemon over top.

A bowl of the peeled and sliced apples with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Step 4
Prepare the topping. In a mixing bowl, combine the topping ingredients – the flour, both sugars, baking soda, and salt. Use a pastry cutter (or your hands) to cut in the cold butter.

Step 5
Add topping to apples. Then heat up the water in the microwave and add it to the mixture. Use a spoon to add dollops of the topping to the partially cooked apples.

A bowl of the topping mixture with cubed butter.

A skillet of the apples with some cobbler topping.

Step 6
Bake. Finish the cobbler by baking for another 20-25 minutes. If the topping starts to get too brown, you can cover it with foil for part of the baking time.

Step 7
Serve. Serve this delicious apple cobbler with scoops of vanilla ice cream! Best eaten warm out of the oven!

Make my favorite Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream for the BEST combo!

Closeup on some apple cobbler with some missing.

What kind of apples should I use for cobbler?

I normally use a variety of apples for my cobbler. In this instance, I used three Fuji and two Granny Smith, but I’ve also made it with others too. Since I’m a Texan now, I go with whatever looks good at the grocery store and change it up almost every time.

My Favorite Baking Apples:

Braeburn
Fuji
Gala
Granny Smith
Honeycrisp
Jonathan
Pink Lady

What are your favorite apples to bake with?

How is apple cobbler different from apple crisp?

There is a difference between apple crisp and apple cobbler. Apple crisp (like its name) has a crispy crumble topping made with oatmeal. The topping for apple cobbler is generally a smooth batter that is poured on top of the apple filling and bakes more cake-like.

Is it necessary to par-bake the apples?

I prefer to par-bake the apples as the recipe states. This will guarantee a soft cobbler, especially if you cut the apples thicker than normal.

Can I Freeze Apple Cobbler?

This recipe doesn’t do especially well when frozen. The cobbler topping can get quite mushy, and the apple texture isn’t the best after freezing. Since this is such a quick dessert to make, I always recommend making it fresh!

To peel or not to peel?

I personally prefer to peel the apples for apple cobbler. But of course, you CAN leave them on. Just be aware that the skin doesn’t break down during baking and can make for a tougher texture.

Some healthy benefits of apples:

Apples aid in weight loss. With an average calorie count of only 80 each, you can afford to eat two.
Apples are heart healthy. High in soluble fiber, they help lower cholesterol.
They are good for your gut health, as the pectin feeds the good bacteria.
Apple juice may benefit our brain in old age, by preventing the decline of neurotransmitters that are involved in memory.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” – I’m not sure who came up with that, but I’ve used it several times with the boys over the years. Apples have powerful healthy benefits, and it’s best to eat the whole thing – both flesh and skin. I think I’ve even eaten a seed or two in my day. 🙂

Off to eat my apple (cobbler)!

A cast iron skillet with the baked apple cinnamon cobbler with a spoonful.

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xoxo ~Sue