Description
Made from just 9 ingredients, this cherry cobbler is one of the easiest desserts you could make with fresh cherries. See Notes if using frozen cherries or if you want to try other fruits. Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
- 4 cups (560–660g) fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved (see Note)
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk (nondairy is fine, see Note)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- optional: 1–2 Tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Place the butter in a deep-dish 9-inch pie dish, 9-inch square pan, 10-inch cast iron skillet, or any 2.5-quart baking dish. Melt it in the oven as it preheats.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl preferably with a pour spout, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Add the milk, vanilla, and almond extract and whisk until batter is smooth.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and spread the cherries over the melted butter in an even layer. Pour the batter evenly over the top of the cherries. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if using.
- Bake for 55–60 minutes. The cobbler is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs. If you find the top of the cobbler is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil (I usually do this about halfway through baking).
- Remove from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Cover leftover cobbler tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because of the fresh fruit, this dessert tastes best within the first couple days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: I do not recommend preparing and refrigerating the cobbler, unbaked, because the butter will solidify, the cherries may begin to soften too much, and the batter can become watery/thinner the longer it sits. You also do not want to prepare the batter in advance as the baking powder is initially activated once mixed with wet ingredients. The only way to prepare ahead of time is to have the cherries pitted and ready to go. Baked cobbler freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 300°F (149°C) oven, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes or until heated through.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Cherry Pitter or this Mega Cherry Pitter | Mixing Bowl (preferably with pour spout) | Whisk | 9-inch Square Baking Dish or 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet (or similar size) | Cooling Rack
- Cherries: I use fresh dark sweet cherries in the pictured cobbler, but you can also use Rainier cherries or a 50/50 combination of dark sweet and Rainier cherries. If using sour cherries, increase sugar to 1 cup (200g). You can also use frozen cherries; do not thaw. Halve them while they’re frozen, or you can simply keep them whole. If using frozen, bake time will be 5–10 minutes longer. Allow to cool for 15–20 minutes before serving; cobbler made with frozen cherries needs a little extra time to set after baking. It also doesn’t look quite as pretty on top, but tastes just as delicious!
- Other Fruits: You can make this with berries instead. (But for more tart berries like boysenberries/marionberries, increase sugar to 1 cup.) If you want to use raspberries, I recommend mixing them with another berry because they’re so fragile and delicate. I’m sure you could use sliced peaches, apricots, or plums; we just haven’t tested it yet.
- Flour: If preferred, you can use self-rising flour in this recipe. If you do, omit the added baking powder and salt.
- Milk: I recommend whole milk for the best taste and texture, but you can use buttermilk, reduced-fat or nondairy milk in a pinch. Avoid using nonfat milk.
- Almond Extract: If you omit the almond extract, I recommend adding about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest for some extra flavor.