Easy Cherry Cobbler From Scratch
Print RecipeCherry pie is my absolute favorite, but when I'm short on time, this cherry cobbler hits the spot perfectly. It delivers the same irresistible sweet-tart cherry flavor with a tender, golden biscuit topping—faster and easier than pie!
Servings: 8 servings
equipment (affiliate links
- juicer for lemon juice in filling
- kitchen scale for best accuracy
- pastry blender or fingers
Ingredients
Cherry Filling
- 32 oz. (907 g) Wyman's Dark Sweet & Red Tart Cherries frozen
- ¾ c. (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ c. (32 g) cornstarch 30
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 5 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. almond extract optional
- ¼ tsp. salt
Cobbler Topping
- 1½ c. (188 g) unbleached all-purpose flour (RECOMMEND WEIGHING)
- ⅓ c. (66 g) granulated sugar plus 1-2 tablespoons extra for sprinkling on top
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 6 tbsp. (85 g) salted butter cold and cubed
- ¾ c. (177 g) buttermilk or milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Use a 9x9-inch (or similar 2-3 quart) baking dish—no need to grease it.
- Pre-cook the filling: In a large saucepan, combine the frozen cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract (if using), and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, for 10-12 minutes until thick, glossy, and syrupy.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ⅓ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold salted butter until you have coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla just until a soft dough forms—keep it light!
- Assemble: Pour the hot filling into the baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of the dough over the top, leaving gaps. Sprinkle with the extra sugar.
- Bake: Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes until deep golden and bubbling.
- Rest & Serve: Cool 20-30 minutes, then scoop and top with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Pre-cooking the filling is important for frozen cherries and ensures a perfect gooey, syrupy texture without risk of over-baking the cobbler.
- Using buttermilk adds extra tenderness and tang to the biscuit topping.
- Quick swap for canned tart cherries: Use two 14.5-oz cans (drained, ~680-800g cherries), reduce sugar to ½ to ⅔ cup (100-120g), reserve ½ cup to mix in with the rest of the cherry filling ingredients. No need to pre-cook filling.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Serving: 11 | Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 493mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 387IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 3mg
