This easy Cherry Cobbler recipe uses just a handful of ingredients, including cherry pie filling, and is ready faster than you can say “yum!” Perfect for those last-minute dessert decisions or when you just need a sweet fix without the fuss.
Try serving this easy dessert with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or fresh whipped cream for the perfect finish!
Why You’ll Love This Cherry Cobbler
- Super Easy: Cherry cobbler is a breeze to make. You basically mix, dump, and bake, making it perfect for baking beginners or anyone in a dessert hurry.
- Flexible and Forgiving: Got frozen or canned cherries? Perfect. Cherry cobbler is not picky about its ingredients, making it great for using whatever you have on hand.
- Perfect for Sharing: It’s a crowd-pleaser at any gathering. Whether it’s a family dinner or a casual hangout, everyone seems to love a good scoop of cobbler.
Cobbler recipes, especially homemade cherry cobbler, have become summer staples here in our home. The recipe is so simple! All you need are a few basic staple ingredients and your choice of fruit. The end result is a dessert that will win over the entire family.
The cherry filling is rich and tart, perfectly complementing the soft, fluffy topping that becomes slightly crispy on the edges while baking. The hint of vanilla adds a subtle, aromatic flavor that enhances the overall sweetness. It’s a warm, gooey treat that feels like a cozy, indulgent dessert, perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list for this recipe, like all of my treats, is very simple. Pantry staples are used for the dough base and canned fruit filling is added right on top.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is typically the best choice. It allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe, ensuring that the sweet flavors of the cherry and the topping are well balanced without becoming too salty.
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour helps to create a light, tender crust that complements the juicy filling without overpowering it.
- Sugar: s the most common type of sugar used in baking, including for cobblers. It dissolves well and provides a sweet, clean flavor without affecting the color of the topping.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder helps doughs and batters rise by producing carbon dioxide gas when it reacts with moisture and heat. This reaction helps create a light and airy structure in baked goods, making them soft and fluffy.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is a staple in baking that brings warmth and depth to the dish.
- Milk: We tested and found that 2% or higher works best for this cobbler.
- Cherry Pie Filling: I find that canned pie filling works the best for this recipe. However, I did include an option for fresh cherries below.
Toppings
Cherry cobbler is delicious on its own, but adding a topping can enhance its flavor and texture, making it even more irresistible. Here are some of the best topping options to consider:
- Vanilla Ice Cream: A classic choice, vanilla ice cream melts beautifully into the warm cobbler, creating a creamy and cool contrast to the sweet and tart cherries.
- Whipped Cream: A dollop of whipped cream adds a light, fluffy texture that complements the denseness of the cobbler. For extra flavor, add a hint of vanilla or almond extract to the cream before whipping.
- Caramel Sauce: Drizzling caramel sauce over the cobbler adds a buttery sweetness that goes well with cherries.
- Mascarpone Cheese: A scoop of mascarpone cheese offers a rich, creamy texture and a subtly sweet flavor that pairs beautifully with the tartness of the cherries.
Each of these toppings can elevate your cherry cobbler, making it a versatile dessert that can be adapted to different tastes and occasions.
Easy Cherry Cobbler Recipe
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Place the butter in an 8 or 9-inch baking pan. Put the pan into the oven while it’s still cold. Allow the butter to melt while the oven preheats. Remove and set aside for later.
- Make the Batter: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk these ingredients together until the batter is smooth. This should take about a minute.
- Assemble the Cobbler: Pour the batter gently over the melted butter in the pan. Do this slowly and try not to disturb the melted butter too much. Next, spoon the cherry pie filling evenly on top of the batter. It’s important not to stir the pie filling into the batter; just let it sit on top.
- Bake the Cobbler: Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Check to see if the center of the cobbler is cooked through – it should not jiggle when you gently shake the pan. If you like, sprinkle some sugar over the cobbler during the last 15 minutes of baking to add a sweet crust.
- Serving: Once baked, remove the cobbler from the oven and let it cool slightly. Serve warm, and if you’d like, add a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top for extra deliciousness.
Fresh Cherry Option
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen cherries. If using fresh, pit and slice them, and consider adding a little extra sugar and a thickener like cornstarch. If using frozen cherries, thaw and drain them first, and also adjust sugar and thickener as needed. I recommend making a homemade cherry pie filling.
Expert Recipe Tips:
- When melting the butter in the oven, keep an eye on it to prevent it from burning. The key is to remove it as soon as it’s fully melted. A burnt butter taste can overpower the flavors of your cobbler.
- Resist the urge to stir the batter and the cherry pie filling together. The charm of this cobbler recipe lies in the layers, as the batter will rise through the cherry pie filling to form a beautifully crusty top during baking.
- Serving the cobbler warm brings out the best in its flavors and textures. For a truly indulgent treat, pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream right before serving.
- Try this in a cast iron skillet. We have a dedicated cast iron skillet for desserts and this one is especially delicious when baked in it.
- Using whipped cream or vanilla ice cream is optional, but extremely delicious.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen cherries. If using fresh, pit and slice them, and consider adding a little extra sugar and a thickener like cornstarch. If using frozen cherries, thaw and drain them first, and also adjust sugar and thickener as needed. I recommend making a homemade cherry pie filling.
Yes, you can prepare the cobbler a day in advance and refrigerate it before baking. However, it’s best baked fresh for optimal texture. You can also pre-make and freeze the batter or the prepared unbaked cobbler. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Leftover cherry cobbler can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warm before serving.
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Easy Cherry Cobbler
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- 1 21oz can cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Place the butter in an 8 or 9-inch baking pan. Put the pan into the oven while it’s still cold. Allow the butter to melt while the oven preheats to 350 degrees. Remove and set aside for later.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk these ingredients together until the batter is smooth. This should take about a minute.
- Pour the batter gently over the melted butter in the pan. Do this slowly and try not to disturb the melted butter too much.
- Next, spoon the cherry pie filling evenly on top of the batter. It’s important not to stir the pie filling into the batter; just let it sit on top.
- Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Check to see if the center of the cobbler is cooked through – it should not jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
- Sprinkle some sugar over the cobbler during the last 15 minutes of baking to add a sweet crust.
- Once baked, remove the cobbler from the oven and let it cool slightly. Serve warm, and if you’d like, add a scoop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top for extra deliciousness.
Notes
- When melting the butter in the oven, keep an eye on it to prevent it from burning. The key is to remove it as soon as it’s fully melted. A burnt butter taste can overpower the flavors of your cobbler.
- Resist the urge to stir the batter and the cherry pie filling together. The charm of this cobbler recipe lies in the layers, as the batter will rise through the cherry pie filling to form a beautifully crusty top during baking.
- Serving the cobbler warm brings out the best in its flavors and textures. For a truly indulgent treat, pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream right before serving.
Nutrition
Equipment
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More Crisps and Cobblers
- Easy Apple Crumble
- Peach Pie Bars
- Easy Blueberry Cobbler
- Campfire Peach Cobbler
- Easy Cherry Pie Bars
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Comments & Reviews
Joe says
What in the world is the oven temperature?
Jesseca says
350 degrees
Polly says
Very disappointed that the intro to this recipe says it uses canned cherries. The recipe itself calls for cherry ***pie filling***. Canned cherries and cherry pie filling are totally different!
Jesseca says
Hi polly, you’re correct. Canned cherries can be different. However, if you google “canned cherries” it also includes pie filling in that classification. You can make your own pie filling with canned cherries with this simple recipe: https://www.food.com/recipe/cherry-pie-with-canned-cherries-417510
I’ll add that to the recipe notes.