Sweet Cherry Cobbler

Sometimes things work out just right, and cherry season is one of those times. Red, shiny, and all-American, cherries come around but once per year. And once you make this, it will become your annual cherry season tradition. A sweet but not too sweet filling, a perfect cookie-like topping, and an absolutely gorgeous presentation with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

This one is super easy. This recipe uses a self-layering technique: you pour a quick batter right over melted butter, spoon your fresh cherries on top, and let the oven do the rest. There is no rolling out dough or cutting in cold butter. As it bakes, the batter rises to the surface, creating a golden, slightly crisp topping over the bubbling fruit.

Shopping List

I don’t always wear aprons, but I always, always wear an apron when I’m dealing with cherries. Probably the worst staining thing ever, and you have to be so hands-on with them.

Equipment

Produce

• 6 cups fresh Bing cherries, pitted. Other sweet varieties like Lapins, Lambert, or Sweetheart work beautifully. If you only have tart cherries available, you will need to increase the sugar to balance the tartness.
• 1 lemon (you need 1 tablespoon of fresh juice)

Dairy

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup whole milk

Pantry Staples (Baking Aisle)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (divided between the filling and batter)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (divided between the filling and batter)
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional). 

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Pan and Melt the Butter

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. You need ½ cup of melted unsalted butter in your 9×13-inch baking dish. The easiest way to do this is to just place the stick of butter right into the dish and set it in the oven while it preheats.

Keep a close eye on it, though. You want to pull it out as soon as it’s melted so it doesn’t brown.

Step 2: Prep the Cherry Filling

If you have a cherry pitter, now is the time to pull it out for your 6 cups of Bing cherries. If you don’t have one, don’t worry about it. You can push the pits out with a metal straw or a chopstick, or just use a paring knife to slice around the cherry and twist the halves apart.

Once your cherries are pitted, toss them in a large bowl with ½ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. If you are using the optional ½ teaspoon of almond extract, toss that in, too.

Make-Ahead Tip: If you know you’ll be short on time right before dinner, you can actually do this entire step up to 12 hours in advance. Just cover the bowl and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cobbler.

Step 3: Mix the Batter

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ¾ cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Create a little well in the center of your dry mixture and pour in 1 cup of whole milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Gradually stir from the center outwards, pulling in a little bit of the flour mixture with each stir. This helps prevent big lumps from forming and gives you a really smooth batter.

Step 4: Assemble (But Do Not Stir!)

This is the most important part of the whole recipe. Pour your smooth batter directly over the melted butter in your baking dish. Do not stir them together. 

Next, grab your bowl of cherries and spoon them evenly right over the top of the batter.

Again, do not mix anything. It looks a little weird right now, but the cobbler is going to self-layer in the oven. The batter will rise up and bake around the fruit perfectly.

Step 5: Bake and Cool

Pop the dish into the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. You are looking for a golden, slightly crisp topping, and you want to see the cherry juices actively bubbling around the edges of the pan.

When you pull it out, let it sit and cool for about 15 minutes. This step is crucial! It gives the jammy cherry filling a few minutes to set up before you scoop into it. Serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Storage Instructions

If you happen to have leftover cobbler, let it cool completely before covering the baking dish tightly. Store it in the refrigerator for up to four days.

To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave or place the covered dish back into a 350°F oven for a few minutes until warmed through. The buttery crust will soften a bit in the fridge overnight, but it will still be very good.

More to Make During Cherry Season

• Classic cherry pie filling, which you can use as a filling for this recipe, by the way, if you’d like to make it out of season.
• Cherry jam is one of my favorites.
• Canned bourbon cherries are just the thing for desserts or cocktails and also are beautiful in a gift basket.

Troubleshooting

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