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This easy strawberry cobbler is a delicious way to enjoy fresh spring and summer berries! The cake-like batter puffs up around the fruit, giving the dessert that classic “cobbled” texture on top. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
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If you’re looking for even more delicious strawberry recipes, be sure to try a strawberry tres leches cake with cake mix, this strawberry cream cheese icebox cake, these strawberry shortcake biscuits, a strawberry crisp, and this old-fashioned strawberry pie recipe, too!
During the sunny spring days and the warm summer months, you can’t beat a rustic dessert that takes advantage of fresh fruit. This old fashioned strawberry cobbler is made from scratch, comes together quickly, and is a lovely way to showcase your sweet, juicy berries!
Easy Strawberry Cobbler
The kids and I regularly pick baskets of fresh strawberries from nearby farms, and we’re always excited to use them in sweet, seasonal treats. This skillet strawberry cobbler is a perfect weeknight option when you want something special to enjoy after dinner, but you don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen.
The ingredients are simple, there’s no cutting biscuits or rolling dough necessary, and you don’t need any fancy equipment. Just stir together the batter and pour it into a hot cast iron skillet. Top with fresh berries, and you’ll have a made-from-scratch dessert that’s ready for the oven in about 15 minutes!
What is a cobbler in baking?
A cobbler is a rustic dessert that’s made with fruit (in this case strawberries) and covered with a batter or biscuit topping before baking. In some cases, the topping is a thick biscuit dough, which sits on top of a saucy fruit filling. There’s a little more effort involved in that type of cobbler, since you have to cut butter into the dough, and then roll out the pastry and cut out the biscuits.
For this easy strawberry cobbler, the batter is thinner, so it forms a cake-like texture around the fruit. Use a hot cast iron skillet (if you’ve got one) to achieve the perfect combination of crispy edges, a soft center, and a golden brown top. The recipe is a slight twist on the best blackberry cobbler from Morning Glory Farm.
The Difference Between a Cobbler, a Crisp, and a Crumble
A cobbler should not be confused with a crisp or a crumble, which are also desserts that feature fruit like peaches, apples, and berries. Crumbles and crisps are very similar, as they both include a fruit base with a streusel topping. Originally, a strawberry crisp would contain oats in the topping, while a crumble would not. These days, the words “crumble” and “crisp” are often used interchangeably when referring to these desserts. A cobbler, by contrast, is a fruit dessert with a biscuit or cake-like topping (no streusel).
Why is it called Strawberry Cobbler?
This rustic, old-fashioned dessert gets its name because the top crust is not smooth like a pie crust, but rather “cobbled” and coarse. In a biscuit-topped cobbler, the dough is dropped on top of the fruit to create that bumpy texture. In a cobbler with batter (like this one), the cake puffs up around the berries, giving the top its namesake “cobbled” texture.
The Best Pan for a Strawberry Cobbler
I prefer a cast iron skillet for baking my fruit cobblers, since the cast iron distributes the heat evenly and yields crispy edges. I’ve shown a deep 8-inch cast iron skillet here (which is very full); however, a 9-inch skillet or even a 10-inch skillet will also work well. The batter will just be thinner with the larger pans.
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can use an 8-inch or 9-inch baking dish (round or square) or another pan with about a 2-quart capacity.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you’ll need for an old fashioned strawberry cobbler. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Butter: I prefer salted butter for the best flavor.
- Strawberries: fresh is best! Frozen berries would probably work too, but I have not tested this recipe with anything other than fresh strawberries.
- Strawberry jam: macerates the berries, while also adding flavor and sweetness. You can use sugar if you don’t have jam on hand.
- Self-rising flour: a common pantry staple in most Southern households, self-rising flour is simply flour with the leavening and salt already added. I prefer an extra-fine soft winter wheat flour made by White Lily. This low-protein, low-gluten flour gives the cobbler a perfectly crisp-on-the-outside, light-on-the-inside texture. If you don’t have self-rising flour in your pantry, see my notes below for a substitution.
- Granulated sugar: for just the right amount of sweetness!
- Buttermilk: the acid in the buttermilk gives the cobbler a tender crumb, a subtle tang, and some extra “lift.” If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can substitute with regular whole milk or 2% milk.
- Vanilla extract: for warm flavor.
- Almond extract: for a delicious something special in the background. If you don’t have any almond extract on hand, you can omit this ingredient.
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream: for serving with your skillet strawberry cobbler!
How to Prepare Fresh Strawberries for Cobbler
You do not need to cook the strawberries before using them in this easy cobbler, so there’s really not much preparation necessary. Just wash the berries well, pat them dry, and toss them with some warm strawberry jam (or sprinkle with a little bit of granulated sugar). Let the berries sit in the jam or sugar for about 10 minutes.
This process of macerating the strawberries helps bring out their flavor, making them even sweeter and juicier before you use them in the cobbler. Make sure to strain off the juices before adding the strawberries to the skillet.
How to Make Strawberry Cobbler from Scratch
This easy strawberry cobbler recipe comes together in just 15 minutes! A cast iron skillet is best (if you have one), but you can also use a deep-dish pie plate or a 2-quart baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet.
- Toss together the strawberries and jam. Let the strawberry mixture sit for about 10 minutes, then drain off any excess juices.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the batter in a large bowl.
- Pour the batter in the hot buttered skillet.
- Sprinkle the strawberries on top.
- Bake in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm.
Serving Suggestions
There’s no better way to enjoy a fresh strawberry cobbler than when it’s served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! If you must, you can substitute with freshly-whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar, but it’s not quite the same. And if you want to eat the cobbler straight out of the refrigerator for breakfast while it’s still cold? I won’t judge you!
Preparation and Storage
If you’d like, you can make the cobbler ahead of time and reheat it just before serving. The cobbler will stay fresh when covered at room temperature for up to 12 hours. If you’d like to keep the cobbler fresh longer, you can store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Wrapped tightly in an airtight container, the leftovers will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover loosely with foil and bake until warm (about 10-15 minutes). You can also microwave individual servings of cobbler for 30 seconds, or just until warm. If the cobbler is frozen, reheating will take even longer (about 20-30 minutes).
Recipe Variations
- If you don’t have self-rising flour, use 1 cup of all-purpose flour mixed with ¼ teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
- Substitute whole milk or 2% milk for the buttermilk.
- A cast iron skillet is my preference for those great crispy edges and for its even heat distribution, but you can use a deep-dish pie plate or a 9-inch square or round baking pan.
- To feed a larger group, double all of the ingredients and bake the cobbler in a 9 x 13-inch dish. You’ll likely need to extend the baking time to 45-50 minutes.
- Omit the almond extract if you don’t have any in your pantry.
- Instead of strawberry jam, sprinkle a little bit of granulated sugar over the strawberries and let them sit and macerate for 10 minutes.
- Use any berries that you like, or a combination of berries to total about 2 cups. Blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries would all be delicious additions to the cobbler.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Cobbler Recipe
- Use sweet, fresh, strawberries. I have not tested this recipe with frozen strawberries, so let me know if you give it a shot! I think it would probably work, but I find that frozen berries release more liquid and have a tendency to turn the batter an odd color.
- A pre-heated cast iron skillet yields the best texture: crisp edges, a soft center, and a golden-brown top.
- The cobbler is done when the top is golden brown and the filling is set. Deep cobblers (like the one shown, that are baked in an 8-inch skillet) require about 45 minutes, while a larger skillet (and a thinner cobbler) may be done in as little as 35-40 minutes.
- Serve the cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
What to Do with Lots of Fresh Strawberries
Strawberry Freezer Jam
1 day d 26 minutes mins
Strawberry Crisp {Strawberry Crumble}
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Old-Fashioned Strawberry Pie Recipe
2 hours hrs 42 minutes mins
Easy Strawberry Cobbler
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
- 1 tablespoon warm strawberry jam
- 1 cup self-rising flour (I prefer White Lily brand)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole buttermilk, well shaken
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Optional, for serving: vanilla ice cream, freshly whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the butter in an 8-inch, 9-inch, or 10-inch cast iron skillet (or an 8-inch or 9-inch baking dish, or another pan with about a 2-quart capacity). Heat the skillet in the oven until the butter melts, about 4-5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, toss together the strawberries and the warm jam. Let stand for about 10 minutes. Drain well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together self-rising flour and granulated sugar. Whisk in buttermilk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until smooth.
- Pour batter into the buttered skillet or dish (do not stir the batter into the melted butter).
- Arrange the strawberries on top of the batter. Place the dish on top of a rimmed baking sheet in case any juices or batter bubble over.
- Bake until golden brown, about 40-45 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, or serve warm with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Notes
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- If you don’t have self-rising flour, use 1 cup of all-purpose flour mixed with ¼ teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
-
- Substitute whole milk or 2% milk for the buttermilk.
-
- A cast iron skillet is my preference for those great crispy edges and for its even heat distribution, but you can use a deep-dish pie plate or a 9-inch square or round baking dish.
-
- To feed a larger group, double all of the ingredients and bake the cobbler in a 9 x 13-inch dish. You’ll likely need to extend the baking time to 45-50 minutes.
-
- Omit the almond extract if you don’t have any in your pantry.
-
- Instead of strawberry jam, sprinkle a little bit of granulated sugar over the strawberries and let them sit and macerate for 10 minutes.
-
- Use any berries that you like, or a combination of berries to total about 2 cups. Blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries would all be delicious additions to the cobbler.
The strawberry cobbler recipe and instructions was very thorough, easy to follow and tempting to try
Thank you, Margie! We hope you do try it out.
Excellent recipe, I did use Almond Milk as that is what I had on hand & used a cast iron skillet. Will definitely make this again.
Thank you, Nancy! We’re glad it turned out well for you.