Description
Tender cinnamon-spiced apples bake beneath a sweet, buttery buttermilk cobbler topping with crisp golden edges. This easy apple cobbler serves a crowd and tastes wonderful warm with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 pounds apples, peeled and thinly sliced, about 9 to 11 large apples
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons granulated or raw sugar
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Choose a mixture of firm tart and sweet apples. Zest and juice the lemon into a deep 12-inch skillet.
- Peel, core, and slice the apples about 1/8 inch thick. Add them to the skillet and toss them with the lemon juice as you work.
- Set the skillet over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, 5 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Fold the mixture gently until the apples carry an even coating and no dry flour remains.
- Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring carefully every 3 minutes, until the apples become fork-tender but still hold their shape.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Transfer the cooked apple filling and its juices to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Whisk the buttermilk and egg in a separate small bowl.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients. Cut the mixture together with a pastry cutter or fork until a shaggy dough forms.
- Spread the topping evenly over the apple filling without pressing it firmly into the fruit.
- Scatter the pieces of cold butter evenly over the topping.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the surface.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping turns evenly golden and the filling bubbles around the edges.
- For a darker, crisper surface, broil the cobbler for 1 to 2 minutes while watching it constantly.
- Rest the cobbler for 15 minutes before serving warm with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Use a mixture of Granny Smith, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady apples for balanced flavor and texture.
- To make a buttermilk substitute, place 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a measuring cup and add enough whole milk to reach 1/2 cup. Stir and rest for 5 minutes.
- To skip precooking the apples, place them directly in the baking dish and use 1/2 cup flour in the filling instead of 5 tablespoons.
- For a half batch, divide all ingredients in half and bake in an 8-by-8-inch or 9-by-9-inch dish.
- Store the cooled cobbler loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate for up to 2 additional days.
- For the best texture, reheat leftovers in a 325°F oven until warm.
- Freezing the completed cobbler may soften the topping. Freeze only the cooked apple filling, then thaw it partially and add a fresh topping before baking.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 492
- Sugar: 73
- Sodium: 315
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0.3
- Carbohydrates: 102
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 35