Easy Apple Cobbler (Grandma's Recipe)

Name: Easy Apple Cobbler
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 8 cups apples (peeled and sliced (about 7 apples)); 1/2 cup brown sugar; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 2 tablespoons flour; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2/3 cup butter; 1 cup white sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 cup milk

This post may contain affiliate links, my full disclosure can be read here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe

This easy apple cobbler is an old-fashioned dessert made with sliced apples baked under a soft, buttery, cake-like topping. It’s a simple, from-scratch recipe that comes together with pantry staples. Perfect for a weeknight dessert or a fall potluck.

Unlike apple pie, there’s no crust to roll out, just apples, a quick batter, and about 15 minutes of prep.

This is actually the original recipe, straight from my grandmother’s recipe box. It’s the same easy method and topping I used to create my Easy Peach Cobbler Recipe and Easy Blueberry Cobbler. If you love this one, you’ll want to try those too.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Easy Apple Cobbler
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Main Ingredients: Apples, flour, butter
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Difficulty Level: Easy

Slice of golden brown apple cobbler on a white plate with tender cinnamon apples peeking out beneath the soft cake topping. This finished serving shows what the easy apple cobbler recipe looks like after baking.

This apple cobbler recipe has been in my family for generations, and it’s still one of my favorite fall desserts to make. The topping bakes up like a soft, golden cake over warm cinnamon apples, and it’s simple enough that my kids can help me make it.

I love how a dessert this simple can taste like such a special treat.

Why You’ll Love This Apple Cobbler

Easy to make: A simple filling and a cake topping, no complicated steps required.
Old-fashioned flavor: A family recipe passed down through generations, with that classic homemade cobbler taste.
Perfect for a crowd: A 9×13 dish makes 12 servings, ideal for a potluck or a big family dinner.
No pie crust needed: Skip rolling out dough, this cobbler comes together with a simple poured batter instead.

Ingredients

Filling

8 cups apples, peeled and sliced (about 7 apples)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

How To Make Easy Apple Cobbler

Prep The Pan

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and set it aside.

Make The Filling

Overhead view of peeled sliced apples in a large metal mixing bowl topped with brown sugar flour and warm spices. The ingredients are ready to be tossed together for the cobbler filling.

Overhead view of peeled apple slices coated with brown sugar and warm spices in a large metal mixing bowl.

In a bowl, mix the apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg, stirring until the apples are well coated. Set aside.

Combine The Dry Ingredients

Overhead view of a clear glass bowl holding flour and other dry ingredients with a mound of cinnamon and nutmeg spice in the center. The dry ingredients are ready to be mixed together for the cobbler topping.

Overhead view of a clear glass bowl filled with the mixed dry ingredients.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Cream The Butter

Overhead view of a white mixing bowl holding cubed butter, granulated sugar, an egg, and a small amount of brown liquid beside a plaid towel.

Overhead view of thick pale cobbler batter mixed in a large white bowl beside a red green and white plaid kitchen towel. The batter is ready to be added to the apple cobbler recipe.

In a separate mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until fluffy.

Combine The Batter

Overhead view of thick pale cobbler batter mixed until smooth and fluffy in a white bowl beside a plaid kitchen towel. The cake topping is ready to be spread over the apples.

Add half of the dry mixture to the butter mixture and mix well, then add half of the milk and mix well. Add the remaining flour mixture and milk, and stir until well mixed.

Assemble

Overhead view of peeled apple slices coated with brown sugar and warm spices spread evenly in a clear glass baking dish.

Overhead view of a glass baking dish filled with sliced spiced apples and thick cobbler batter spread over the top before baking. The apple cobbler recipe is ready to go into the oven.

Pour the apples into your prepared baking dish, then pour the batter evenly over the top.

Bake

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the filling is bubbly, and a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Let it rest: Give the cobbler 10 to 15 minutes to cool before serving, this helps the filling set up a little.
Check for doneness: The top should be golden brown, and you should see the filling bubbling around the edges. A toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake topping should come out clean.
Serve it warm: This cobbler is extra yummy served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Peeling is optional: I usually peel my apples for this recipe, but you can leave the skins on if you prefer, they soften quite a bit as it bakes.

How To Freeze Apple Cobbler

This apple cobbler freezes really well, so it’s worth making an extra one to tuck away. Let the baked cobbler cool completely, then wrap the dish tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of foil, or transfer individual portions to freezer-safe containers. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw, move it to the fridge overnight, then warm it in a 350°F oven until heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, though the topping will be softer than oven-reheated.

Overhead view of a baked apple cobbler in a glass dish with a golden brown cake topping and a serving spoon resting in a scooped out section. The easy apple cobbler recipe reveals soft cinnamon apples beneath the cake topping.

Substitutions

Apples: Any good baking apple works here, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith are all great choices. Firmer apples hold their shape a bit better.
Lemon juice: Bottled lemon juice works fine if you don’t have a fresh lemon on hand.
Brown sugar: White sugar can be used in the filling in a pinch, though brown sugar adds a little extra warmth and caramel flavor.

Variations

Mixed fruit cobbler: Swap a cup or two of the apples for pears or fresh cranberries.
Extra spice: Add a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, or ginger to the topping for a warmer, more spiced flavor.
Other fruits to try: This topping isn’t picky, apricots, blackberries, cherries, cranberries, plums, and strawberries all work well too. Just keep your total fruit amount close to 8 cups and adjust the sugar depending on how sweet or tart your fruit is.

FAQ’s

I like a firmer baking apple like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Granny Smith, they hold their shape well once baked. You can also mix a sweet apple with a tart one for a nice sweet-tart flavor.

The top should be golden brown, and you’ll see the apple filling bubbling around the edges. The topping will test clean in the center when poked with a toothpick.

This cobbler is best served the day it’s made, but leftovers reheat well the next day.

Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave, or warm the whole dish in the oven.

Yes! This is actually the original recipe I used to create my Easy Peach Cobbler Recipe and Easy Blueberry Cobbler, the topping stays mostly the same, just the fruit and filling spices change.

A cobbler is topped with a batter or dough, like the soft, cake-like topping in this recipe, while a crisp has a crumbly topping usually made with oats, flour, butter, and sugar. If you’re in the mood for that crumbly topping instead, try my Easy Apple Crisp Recipe.

Easy Apple Cobbler

This easy apple cobbler recipe is my grandmother's old-fashioned classic, sliced apples baked under a soft, buttery cake topping.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Serving Size servings

Ingredients

Filling

8 cups apples peeled and sliced (about 7 apples)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Topping

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
Mix the apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg together, and set aside.
For the topping, in a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, then set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat with a mixer until fluffy.
Add half of the dry mixture and mix well, then half of the milk, mixing well. Add the remaining flour mixture and milk, and stir until well combined.
Pour the apples into your prepared baking dish, then pour the batter evenly over the top.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly, the top is golden brown, and a toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition

These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.

Connect With Homestead Acres!

Be sure to follow me on social media, so you never miss a post!

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Visit my Amazon store to find all my favorite gardening, homesteading tools, and gadgets plus all of my printed garden books and journals!

Kim

Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.

Easy Apple Cobbler

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Apple Cobbler

Ingredients