What is a cobbler?
Typically, a cobbler is a fruit-based dessert with a biscuit-like top crust—unlike a crisp which has oats in the topping. Cobblers got their name from their uneven top crust, which has lumpy, uneven dollops of dough and resembles a cobblestone path. Essentially, cobblers feature a baked fruit filling mixed with bread batter, stuffing, dumplings or biscuits and usually finished (although not always) with a crunchy topping of some sort. The goal is to create a winning dessert of perfectly golden biscuits and fruit that is bubbling when pulled from the oven. The soft, jammy fruit under a layer of flaky, subtly sweet dough served with a scoop of ice cream or a little whipped cream makes it a perfect end to any meal.
Why make cobbler?
Short of serving store-bought ice cream along with this warm dessert, you’d be hard-pressed to find an easier dessert than cobbler. Use any juicy summer fruit—peaches, nectarines, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, mangoes—and make a warm dessert in a jiffy.
What biscuits do cobblers use?
Cobbler recipes use different varieties of biscuits. There are drop biscuits and those that are rolled out as a dough and cut into rounds. The biscuits are there to absorb the juices of the fruit and give a pillow-like texture to the dessert. Here’s exactly how to make homemade biscuits.
Does cobbler need to be refrigerated?
As with anything food-related, it’s best to learn the proper storage rules for baked goods, which include cobbler recipes. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, fruit pies, which are very similar to cobblers, can sit out on the counter for a day or two after baking. At this point, move your cobbler to the refrigerator where it should last for up to seven days. Cover your cobbler when it sits on the counter and in the refrigerator to keep the biscuit topping from drying out. Keep in mind that most divine desserts like cobblers will be gobbled in mere days, but if yours lingers longer, you can reheat it gently in a low oven to perk it up. Yes, you can freeze any of these cobbler recipes for two or three months, but the dough on top may become soggy when exposed to very cold temperatures. Still, if you plan to freeze your fully cooked cobbler, cool it completely after baking and then wrap it well in a layer of plastic and then foil. Unbaked cobbler can also be frozen for the same amount of time and then baked directly from the freezer (just add about 15 or 20 minutes of cook time when preparing a cobbler this way). Another way to freeze cobbler is to make it without the dough topping and then make the batter or biscuits fresh and add them to the defrosted cobbler when you’re ready to bake.
Tips for making the best cobbler
Want to hone your skills when it comes to making cobbler recipes? Here are some smart ways to up your cobbler game.
Go for fresh or frozen cobbler
Both types of fruit work very nicely in cobbler recipes, but the canned variety isn’t as ideal. Cobblers are showcases for the best fruit you can obtain, so hold off until you get the plumpest berries or juiciest apples to bake them.
Handle the dough carefully
Working the biscuit topping or over-mixing the dough will activate the gluten in your recipe and result in a tougher texture. Always knead gently!
Consider some crunch
While it’s not required, a little bit of coarse sugar sprinkled over the biscuits before baking them adds a crunch that’s lovely with the softened fruit. Or use slivered almonds or chopped pecans for the same effect.
Add a cool topping
Cobblers are made infinitely yummier with a spoonful of whipped cream, a scoop of ice cream or just a small pour of half-and-half. Enjoy! If you love cobbler recipes, you should try making a buckle! Here’s how to make a lemon and blueberry buckle you’ll devour in an instant. Recipe here: Classic Blueberry Cobbler Get the recipe: Clinton Kelly’s Apple-Cranberry Cobbler Recipe here: Key Lime Cobbler Get the recipe: Catch-a-Husband Blackberry Cobbler Recipe here: Fresh Peach Cobbler Recipe here: Huckleberry Cobbler Recipe here: Berry Patch Cobbler Recipe here: Triple Berry Skillet Cobbler Recipe here: Easy Pantry Peach Cobbler Recipe here: Easy Canned Peach Cobbler
