Fresh Cherry Cobbler
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This fresh cherry cobbler is made with dark sweet cherries that are baked in their own juices and topped with a sweet, cinnamon biscuit dough. Enjoy warm with a scoop of ice cream.
An Easy Cherry Dessert
I love making cobblers and crisps. Fruit-laden desserts are my ultimate weakness and my go-to dessert if I’m not sure what to make.
Cobblers, like this fresh cherry cobbler, are simple to make and ready in almost no time at all. I’m all for easy desserts that taste like a million bucks!
This easy cherry cobbler is one of my favorites because there’s absolutely no canned filling or store-bought biscuit dough. It’s made entirely from scratch and still comes together easily!
Unlike my peach cobbler, where the fruits are simply added to the filling and baked, this fresh cherry cobbler starts by cooking the cherries on the stovetop. This helps the juices thicken and softens the cherries without burning the top.
Enjoy this dessert warm, fresh from the oven if you can, when the biscuit topping is freshly baked and the cherry filling still warm, for the ultimate cobbler experience.
You may also enjoy my blackberry cobbler, peach cobbler, and apple cobbler.
Why this recipe works
- The cakey biscuit topping pairs perfectly with the the sweet, gooey filling.
- A hint of almond extract adds depth of flavor to the filling.
- Fresh cherries that are in season give the cobbler the best flavor!
What You’ll Need
Like most cobblers, this fresh cherry cobbler is made with a handful of simple ingredients in both the filling and topping.
- Cherries – Sweet red cherries are ideal, if you choose a more tart variety you may want to add more sugar.
- Granulated sugar – Balances the tart flavor of the cherries.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the cherry filling.
- Salt – Just a pinch to taste.
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is best.
- Vanilla & almond extracts – Add a hint of sweet, warm flavor to the filling.
- Flour – All-purpose flour works fine for this recipe.
- Baking powder – Allows the cobbler topping to rise.
- Cinnamon – Adds a warm flavor.
- Butter – Cold butter, cut into pieces for making the crumble topping.
- Milk – Use cold milk to avoid softening the butter.
What are the best cherries for cherry cobbler?
The cherry filling can be made with any cherry variety. But, the sweeter the cherry, the better the cobbler will be. I used dark red Bing cherries as they tend to be sweeter than other varieties.
If you have access to Balaton cherries, those are great as well.
If you like sour cherries and prefer to use those, you certainly can as well. However, you may need to add more sugar to the filling depending on your tastes.
How to Pit Cherries
You will need to pit the cherries before making this fresh cherry cobbler. A cherry pitter works great but if you don’t have one, you can still easily pit the cherries with a knife.
Use a small paring knife and cut the cherry in half, circling all the way around the pit. Gently twist and the cherry should separate with the pit still attached one half. Slip the knife under the pit and pop it out.
It will take some practice but once you get the hang of it, pitting cherries without a pitter won’t take you very long at all. It took me 15-20 minutes to pit 5 cups of cherries this way.
How to Make Cherry Cobbler
There’s fresh cherry cobbler is as easy as 1-2-3! The ease of making cobbler is one of the main reasons they’re one of my favorite desserts to make.
Make the cherry filling. Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and salt then stir in lemon juice and extracts. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. The cherries should be tender and the juices thickened somewhat. Transfer to an ungreased baking pan.
Make the biscuit topping. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add enough milk to moisten the dough. Drop spoonfuls over the top of the cherries.
Bake. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the biscuit is fully cooked.
Tips for Success
If this is your first time making cobbler, here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind!
- Don’t forget to pit the cherries. It’s important to pit the cherries before cooking them. If you’ve never done so, see the section above for a how-to guide.
- No canned cherries! While there are varieties of cobblers you can make with canned cherries, this isn’t one. Fresh cherries only for this one!
- Adjust the sweetness. Dark red cherries naturally have a sweeter taste and are what I based the amount of sugar needed in this recipe on. If you swap them for a sour cherry variety, you may want to add up to ½ cup more sugar.
Serving Suggestions
One of the many great things about this fresh cherry cobbler is that it’s meant to be eaten warm. There’s no need to wait around for it to cool completely. In fact, it’s best when still warm from the oven.
Spoon some of the cobbler into a bowl and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How to Store & Freeze
Leftover cobbler should be stored in the fridge. It will last for up to 3 days. If you’re reheating a large portion, it’s best to warm it in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes or so. Individual portions can be popped into the microwave.
Baked cherry cobbler can be frozen for up to a month. Allow it to cool completely then cover tightly and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight, bring to room temperature, and reheat in the oven at 350°F.
Fresh Cherry Cobbler
Ingredients
For the filling
- 5 cups (770 g) pitted and halved sweet red cherries, about 1.7 pounds
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
For the topping
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
- ⅓ – ½ cup (80-120 ml) whole milk, cold
Instructions
Make the filling
- In a large saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until cherries are tender and juices have thickened.
- Transfer cherries to an ungreased 8-inch square baking pan.
Make the topping
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add enough milk to moisten the dough. Drop by the spoonfuls over the top of the cherries.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the biscuit is cooked through.
Notes
- Cherries: You’ll need about 1.7 pounds of cherries. Use any variety you like. For a sweeter taste, choose dark red cherries such as Bing or Balaton. If you prefer a sour variety, you may need to add ¼ to ½ cup more sugar depending on taste.
- The cobbler can be baked up to 6 hours ahead of time and cooled completely. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Before serving, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, then warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.
- The baked cobbler can also be frozen for up to 1 month. Allow it to cool completely. Cover tightly and freeze. Before serving, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. then warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. Keep in mind that the topping will be a little soggy after reheating.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.
This looks delicious!!!! Is the topping crunchy or soft?
The topping is biscuit so it’s soft in the middle but crisp on top where it’s browned.
Yesterday I went cherry picking and today I made my very first Fresh Cherry Cobbler (your recipe).
It isn’t every day that I have the opportunity to pick something fresh from the tree and prepare something so delicious from start to finish.
I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the cobbler!
Yesterday I went cherry picking and today I made my very first Fresh Cherry Cobbler (your recipe).
It isn’t every day that I have the opportunity to pick something fresh from the tree and prepare something so delicious from start to finish.
I just made this this afternoon, and wow, it’s so good! I’ve never made any cobbler that turned out well, but this one did great. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Next time I’ll use more cherries, too, because there doesn’t seem to be enough. I didn’t use full pound.
The cornstarch does a nice job of thickening up the juice, too.
I just made this this afternoon, and wow, it’s so good! I’ve never made any cobbler that turned out well, but this one did great. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Next time I’ll use more cherries, too, because there doesn’t seem to be enough. I didn’t use full pound.
The cornstarch does a nice job of thickening up the juice, too.
I just discovered your website and am very impressed with all of the great looking recipes. I’m especially excited to try this cobbler recipe, however I am making it for several people. Would this recipe easily double in a 9 by 13 pan or would it be better to just make two batches in 8 x 10 pans? if I made in an 9:x 13 pan, how much extra baking time do you think it will take?
It should be fine to double the recipe. I’m not sure exactly how long to bake it though. I’ve not made the recipe any larger than as written. I’d just keep an eye on it and remove it once the topping is golden brown and cooked through. Use a toothpick to test the doneness of the biscuits.
Thanks for the reply. I made it yesterday for a Mother’s Day gathering. It was delicious. And a big hit. I went ahead and made two pans of cobbler. I wasn’t sure there was enough topping on the first one so I made 1 and half times crust for the second, which was not necessary. It was actually a little too much, as it’s pretty thick. I was leery about putting too much milk in the topping so it was harder to spread. Next time I’ll be a little more liberal with the milk, as I saw you indicated you can use as much as a half cup. Thanks for the great recipe. It was right on., and I shouldn’t have second guessed the topping amount.
So glad to hear it worked out!
My father loves sweet cherries so I’m trying this recipe for Thanksgiving! Unfortunately cherries are not in season yet so I have to go with frozen sweet cherries….any tips or changes I need to make? Thanks so much, we can’t wait to try this!
Just make sure you cook the filling until it’s thickened before adding the topping and baking it.
Love this recipe! Absolutely Scrumptious!
My wife followed the recipe, other than going a little bit lighter on the sugar (still sweet though), we just can’t figure out why it turned out runny? Help 🙂
Any yes, it’s absolutely GREAT with and/or on ICE CREAM.
Signed,
Puzzled
Hi Johnny! I’m so glad to hear you loved the recipe. The trick to making sure the filling isn’t runny is to cook it on the stovetop with cornstarch until the cherries are soft and the juices have thickened. I’d try cooking it a bit longer next time.
Love this recipe! Absolutely Scrumptious!
My wife followed the recipe, other than going a little bit lighter on the sugar (still sweet though), we just can’t figure out why it turned out runny? Help 🙂
Any yes, it’s absolutely GREAT with and/or on ICE CREAM.
Signed,
Puzzled
This looks yummy. I just checked my cupboard and I don’t have any cornstarch. Drat! I’m going to try substituting flour. Since the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons I’ll try 3 tablespoons flour and I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Well? 🙂