September is my favorite in food, weather and outlook. The number of days above 90 degrees finally peters off. I live for cardigan weather. I love that it goes in with a beach weekend and goes out with cinnamon sticks and warm cider. The markets are still teeming with peaches and plum, zucchini and eggplant, but you can also go apple picking and find some fancy new squash to cook. But my cooking always feels like it’s on one team or another — we’re either making caprese or we’re baking ziti, little for the in-between days. Where are the intersections of summer and winter squash? Where’s the peach and grape pie? Let’s fix this.
If you can read about something called a magic peach cobbler that you make more or less entirely in the pan you bake it and not have it in the oven, say, 15 minutes later, you are made of stronger stuff than me. It comes by way of the grandmother of Ian Knauer and if you go way back on this site, you’ll find he’s also the person behind those exquisite Brown Butter Brown Sugar Shorties from his days at Gourmet. These days, he’s got a place called The Farm Cooking School in Stockton, New Jersey and spoke recently about his grandmother who, with seven kids, had no time to fuss with anything but straightforward recipes like this.
I have scoured hundreds of recipes and concluded that nobody agrees on what a cobbler is aside from being cousins of grunts, pandowdys, slumps, dough-boys and, no, I will never get tired of referencing baked goods with funny names. Most recipes agree that there’s fruit at the bottom and topped with either a cake batter or dollops of biscuit or dumpling dough, and sure enough, we have examples of each in the archives one with cornmeal drop biscuits and another with a crispy cake lid. But this renegade grandmother — sounds like a good life goal, tbh — doesn’t even follow those rules. There’s butter, an eggless pancake-like batter over it and then the fruit goes on top and in the oven gets enveloped like a buckle–style cake, creating deep pockets of collapsed fruit and crisp edges. You scoop it, still warm, from the dish so that the vanilla ice cream on top quickly succumbs unless you finish it first. I believe you have it in you.
Previously
One year ago: Zucchini, Rice and Cheese Gratin
Two years ago: Cauliflower Slaw
Three years ago: Fudgy Chocolate Sheet Cake
Four years ago: Roasted Apple Spice Sheet Cake
Five years ago: Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar
Six years ago: Skirt Steak Salad with Arugula and Blue Cheese
Seven years ago: Snickerdoodles
Eight years ago: Spinach Quiche
Nine years ago: Chocolate Babka and Red Velvet Cake
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Sesame Soba and Ribboned Omelet Salad
1.5 Years Ago: Potatoes with Soft Eggs and Bacon Vinaigrette
2.5 Years Ago: Double Chocolate Banana Bread
3.5 Years Ago: Coconut Bread
4.5 Years Ago: Carrot Cake Pancakes
Magic Apple and Plum Cobbler
I’d say this runs a tiny bit sweet (it’s supposed to) but if you think this might bother you, you could reduce the sugar in the filling by 3 tablespoons. Or, instead of ice cream, you could offset the sweetness with a spoonful of crème fraîche , mascarpone or unsweetened whipped cream on top.
- 1/2 cup (115 grams or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
- 3/4 cup (175 ml) whole milk
- 2 medium apples, peeled
- 3 small (I used Italian prune plums) or 2 medium plums, no need to peel
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Whisk together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and stir in milk. Mix until smooth. Pour batter over the butter but do not stir, even if it looks like a puddle-y buttery mess.
Cut apples into 8 wedges, small plums into 4 wedges and medium ones into 4 to 6. Space fruit over batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and then remaining sugar.
Bake the cobbler until it is set and golden on top, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly on a rack. Serve the cobbler warm or at room temperature.
This looks perfect for Rosh or Yom… sweet for the new year. I’ve yet to see Italian plums anywhere though :(
I just recently discovered that peaches and grapes (green) go well together sliced on top of yogurt. Who knew? Maybe a peach & grape cake is in the future?
Peaches and red grapes with plain yogurt is one of my favorite-est things in the world. My mouth is watering just typing this…
This was my mothers cobbler making method. She’d make it all summer long but with peaches and blueberries as the fruit. I’m excited to try it with the apples and plums, what a perfect transitional dessert!
As an Englishman, a cobbler to me has always involved lots of fruit & sugar underneath, with ‘cobbles’ of scone dough on top, giving a lumpy feel. This looks almost like a sort of fruit toad-in-the-hole to me.
That said, it still looks delicious, and I’ll certainly be giving it a try. We have guests this weekend and (completely at random) we have a couple of largish plums in the kitchen, about the same size as our apples. Then I open my news reader and find this — serendipitous food is the best food they say*.
*Well, they don’t really, but it sounds pretty good, no?
cobbles of scones…”cobblescones”, if you will?
lol lol lol lol
Yes.
Love the pan! Do you mind sharing the source?
Yes, it is this roasting pan. It weighs a ton. I love it for casseroles.
This is the recipe, more or less, I learned from my Appalachian grandmother. We always called it Poor Man’s Cobbler, because the ingredients are in amounts easy to borrow (stick of butter, cup of flour, cup of milk, quart of fruit). It’s oh so good! Definitely making one this weekend!
Me, too! Except that my grandmother was from south Georgia instead of Appalachia. We’ve always made peach cobbler this way, and it’s so easy that I memorized the recipe when I was 7 or 8 (and then added my own special touches as an adult: cinnamon in the batter, a little bourbon and brown sugar with the peaches… the possibilities are endless).
Same! Two of my great grandmothers had the exact same recipe (one in Kansas, one in Louisiana) and we assume that maybe it was originally posted in a newspaper column or similar. This will forever be my default cobbler recipe. Easy to double or halve, as well! We even use frozen fruit, depending on the season.
This is pretty much what I grew up having as cobbler. My grandma’s recipe was 1 stick of butter, 1 cup SR flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, 1 qt home canned pears or peaches. Melted butter goes in the pan, mix everything but the fruit, pour it over the butter, dump in the fruit and it’s liquid, sprinkle with cinnamon, bake at 350º F 45min to an hour (browned and bubbly). I put one in the oven 15 mins before I saw this.
When I learned this recipe it was called Cuppa Cuppa cake because it had a stick of butter and a cup of everything else and fruit for the bottom of the pan, as much as you had on hand.
That’s what we call it too! My Grandmother made it with all kinds of fruit, but my favorite was when she used sour cherries tossed with a little extra sugar and a little almond extract in the batter. I always end up making this with whatever fruit I’ve bought too much of during the week. It’s a regular Sunday dessert for us. Waiting for the 90 degree weather to cease here so we can really celebrate September – it is the best! Happy almost fall!
We’re going apple picking this weekend. No reason this couldn’t be made with just apples, right? Thanks!
Absolutely.
Make it with anything you’ve got that you like to bake with.
Hooray for plum season! I recently made the famous Plum Cake for the first time. Wow, wow, wow.
Eatsbyem, would you mind sharing which Plum Cake you made? Is it the Dimply Plum Cake?
My birthday is on Sunday, and I think I would love something magical for a treat!!
This is my favorite kind of cobbler! I make it with plums, cardamom, almond extract, and sprinkle sliced almonds on top. So rich, so yummy.
I’ve been cooking for sixty plus years, and have made this countless times. I grew up in the hollers of Kentucky, and was fortunate to have a clan of gardeners, hunters and fisher men and women to call family. Food was a very important part of family life; my mother, and her mother before her, cooked a complete dinner every day in addition to a hearty breakfast and during harvest times, canning, pickling and preserving the garden’s bounty. On days when she didn’t have time for a layer cake or pie, this was the fallback dessert. She called it BUSY DAY CAKE. Love your site, and have cooked many of your recipes.
This is the same recipe (sans cinnamon) my mother has used my whole life – mainly for peach cobbler, but it is also great for blueberries, sour cherries, raspberries, etc. I even made a red & white current cobbler with this recipe a few years ago. It never disappoints.
OMG. I hope there’s still plums around here so I can make this, but if not apples will have to do. This looks incredible.
You cut the fruit up after the batter is poured? It’s OK to let it wait while you do that? Thanks!
Yes, it’s fine for a little bit — shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes, right?
I’m over sixty and grew up in Kentucky. My family used this recipe a lot. My grandmother made strawberry, my mother mostly peach. The fruit was always heated before being poured over the batter. I used cherries sometimes and a bit of almond extract. Water can be used instead of milk.
This looks fabulous, can’t wait to try it! FYI, the recipe title is listed as “Magic Apple and Plum Cobble” (missing an “r”). :)
Gah! Thanks, now fixed.
This will be my breakfast this weekend :D
My family makes this! My grandmother heard the recipe on a radio show called Lum and Abner in the 50s. One of my favorites, but I never use canned peaches in it like my grandmother and mom do :)
This is how I’ve been making cobbler since I was a teenager…I think I learned it from some kind of southern church lady cookbook my mom had. It’s the most delightful/only way to eat cobbler IMO. :-) Now you’re making me regret missing our local weekly farmers market. They’ve been selling these gorgeous emerald pluots that would be perfect for this. Will have to wait until next week I guess.
If I remember correctly, boxes of Bisquick used to have recipes for
“Impossible——- pie. And there were fruit versions as well as savory vegetable versions. I’ll have to look in the old family recipe files, but I think it came out looking something like like this one.
Can only imagine that this would be delicious with almost any fruit…think of rhubarb/strawberry or cranberry/apple. But the ice cream? Well, in my opinion, the ice cream is NOT an option! Thanks for another winner!
It’s in the oven!
OMG! I made this as soon as I finished reading the recipe. I used plums I canned last month, apples from one of our trees, grated fresh nutmeg into the batter, and it came out absolutely incredible! Next time I will omit the nutmeg and try only cinnamon. Thank you for this recipe and thanks for your blog. I regularly check in here because I have had such good results with your recipes. Cheers!
BTW, as someone who lives hours away from a grocery store, I really appreciate how simple this was to make. Small amt of ingredients, only a few steps, etc.. It will be going into my regular rotation.
This is so delicious I made it tonight, can’t stop eating it out of the pan!!
HI DEB,
How I love getting mail from SK!!
Not only do I get great recipes to try and enjoy, (All copied and now my “SK FAVS”!) but some words of wisdom, often of humour, and ALWAYS a great wit!
Hugging you girl, at Smitten Kitchen!!!
Mary DiOrio
and Smeagoluccio, a very unextraordinary cat
As I have commented before, the “read the rest of >>” doesn’t work on your email. And in the past I followed your instructions and used the first picture to access the post. But this time when I did that it led me to a Flicker/Yahoo sign up. I would prefer not to do that.
So I had to use the “more recent articles >>” to get to the general post and find there the “magic apple plum cobbler” post. What happened? This seems unnecessarily complicated. Of course I will persevere as I love you blog.
Sadly, I too am having the same issue but like Heather, shall persevere and just click on your website under my Favorites Folder.
This is a FeedBlitz problem, not SK. She discussed this after the site redesign.
I have the same issue, but I just click on the “smitten kitchen” title (preceding the post’s title) at the beginning and am taken to SK’s blog/front page.
Yay! Thanks for the tip to click on the “SK” logo. Works like a charm and eliminates the tedious clicks of the “more recent articles >>” route.
Sorry for the trouble. It’s a Feedblitz issue but also a feed issue but also really a Deb issue. I cannot figure out how to fix it and have nobody to outsource it to — they don’t “support” the account because it’s a free one and have I mentioned that we have a lovely high-functioning newsletter that goes out weekly? You can sign up in the sidebar. I promise this isn’t an elaborate ploy to get everyone to subscribe to the new one, it’s just that the formatting and whole system there is at least functioning. :) In time, I will move the Feedblitz (new recipes) email over to the system (Mailchimp) we use for the weekly and all will be well. In the meanwhile, the top photo links to the full post, and the logo always links to the full site and will try again to file a ticket and see if there is someone at Feedblitz that can help.
Maybe you could remove the line that says “read the rest of >>” and put something else in its place, like “click on logo at the top of this post>>”
Now this I can do!
Same here. Been reading, and cooking from, your blog for years. Haven’t found that recent changes have made it any easier to access your content. But I’ll still be making this tonight, although using nectarines in place of the plums :)
Looks fantastic! Is it possible to substitute the butter with oil? I know it will alter the taste, but don’t consume butter. Thank you!
Shouldn’t be a problem.
This looks delicious but any suggestion on a milk replacement? With it being whole milk, would it work with a dairy free milk alternative?
I used coconut oil for the butter and almond milk for the milk, and it was delicious! It was a 1:1 substitution, and I didn’t have any issues.
This is how my dad’s family has always made cobbler. Delicious for peach, as well.
I made it this morning and now, at 4 p.m., it is long gone. I come from a no-cobbler country – well, as far as I know – so this form of dessert was new to me, but I am now definitely a convert to this notion. So simple yet so good! I modified it very slightly by only adding plums (no apples), but adding a lot of them, maybe as much as twice the volume of fruit originally called for here. It worked out beautifully. I’ll be making it often now, given how fast and easy it is, and the result is just great.
Just made this, with less than half the sugar (because breakfast), and with the last of our peaches from the farmer’s market. Added a little extra milk (1 T?) to account for the loss of moisture from the reduced sugar. Following your cinnamon lead, I added a little cardamom and nutmeg as suggested by my 8 year old. It was delicious. I suspect I’ll be making it often, in many variations! Thank you.
Made this again for breakfast w plums. A little more than half the sugar (my daughter said it was too sweet), 3/4c white whole wheat flour, 1/2 c almond meal, T flax, cinnamon, ginger, and some lemon juice with the milk so I could use baking soda since I am out of powder.
I used half the butter as another person mentioned, and it browned in the oven-all these changes worked, and it was a decadent, delicious breakfast.
Looks very similar to your Strawberry Summer Cake..which I love!
HI Deb…
I have frozen peaches( August delivery from Utah ) and would like to use in this. What are your thoughts?
I think you should be just fine.
Such timing! Book club on the 26th, dessert course now on menu!!
This is my favorite cobbler recipe. My mom made it with boysenberries during their short season because boysenberries were my dad’s favorite. I like it best with berries, but have been known to choke some down when made with other fruit…ha ha.
I made with just plums. So good! Agree with less sugar though
I had to google this recipe in order to get it. The email you send would/couldn’t/didn’t show the recipe. Very frustrating.
That looks great! I will have to make it with just apples- my husband is now allergic to plums (and peaches). Maybe I will bake it with plums when he goes on his next business trip…though that is a lot for one person to eat. Do you think I could half it?
A delightfully easy recipe and a great way to use up fruit (I used some questionable peaches). I also subbed 1/4 c. almond flour because why not? It turned out well despite my initial panic over batter to butter ratio (when poured in the pan, the batter seemed VERY scant but it bulked up after I added the fruit). For a quick, easy dessert I would definitely make it again.
I have made the same recipe for years with strawberries (1 container, spread pointy side up in rows on tope of the batter) and it never dawned on me to try with other fruit. What a great idea! It is an easy wonderful dessert, fit for family or friends, and perfect to pop into the oven before you sit down to eat.
I made this today right after I received it from smitten kitchen. Had apples and plums, but no milk!! Had a can of evaporated milk, which I diluted half and half. It worked. This was fabulous!!!
This recipe was given to me back in the late 1960’s (1969) when I lived in Georgia. It may have been printed in the newspaper. I made it with juicy Georgia peaches then and I make it with ripe Northern peaches now. I love the idea of making it with prune plums (which I have in the fridge).
This is basically the same recipe as one I’ve been using (and modifying – mostly reducing the sugar by at least half and the butter some too) for decades, from a restaurant in Orinda, CA, which they called a “clafouti cake.” After awhile, I realized that a clafouti was different (i.e., eggier), but I think it’s a closer match than a cobbler, which I understood came from the cobbled-together pieces of the biscuit topping, looking like cobblestone. I usually make it with blackberries and/or plums, since that’s what are the easiest to find by the side of the road in the Bay Area. It’s a great recipe for getting the maximum buttery bang for your buck!
I just made this and my son is still asking for more even though it is all gone. Again, the weights and the way she writes the recipes make it so easy!
I did make my own substitutions and I’ll share. I did what DEVORAHVESTER asked and switched the butter with coconut oil. I did what someone else mentioned and cut the sugar in half. I might have added just a touch too much oil to make up for the moisture loss from the sugar, which ended up with a moister cake like an upside down pineapple cake moist. And on top I put some organic light brown sugar mixed with cinnamon and ginger & my fruit was a ripe bartlett pear and some frozen blueberries.
Deb, you are the bomb for always having the best recipes that I love to make and your adaptations on recipes and the descriptions of your results is what leads me to my own. Thanks for all the hard work!!
If I increase the ingredients to 1 1/2 times the original recipe, do you think I could make it in a 13×9 pan? I don’t want to go buy a brand new dish just for one recipe.
Yes, I think it would work. It does puff a little, so if you want to be cautious you could put a cookie sheet on the bottom rack in case any butter & juices run over. I’m considering it for next time, since I had only a scoop left over when I made it yesterday.
No need to increase or buy another pan — any casserole dish you have should be fine. A gratin, maybe? It might be thinner or thicker but shouldn’t matter. Or, yes, you could scale it up a little for a 9×13 if you wanted it as thick as shown.
I happen to stop at our local market and pick up Italian plums (we live in Italy), and then saw this on my FB feed once I got home. It seemed so quick and so easy (I wondered if it was too simple?!?). I threw it together for a dinner party and took it along with my other, already made, chocolate cake. It was wonderful and everyone loved it! There was one small scoop left over, which I left at their house. Then this morning, I really wished I had it for breakfast. I can see where this would also make a yummy brunch dish, with maybe just a tad less sugar on top. I have 5 plums left & I’m sure this will come out of our oven again this week.
Oh boy ! This is fantastic Sunday afternoon dessert to have with coffee ! Thank you for this creation ! Simple dishes made in pace with the seasons’ fruits are the best !
I love the way you added cinnamon to this recipe. It is the cinnamon that really attracts me to it (as well as the fruit!). I’m going to make it but I’m not sure if I can get plums at the moment where I am. I am also tempted to try raspberries in this recipe. The no-fuss approach of this recipe is inspiring, I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing and I really like your clear photos.
I saw this recipe go up on Friday morning and made it on Saturday for a dinner party — it was SO delicious, so many great textures, and perfect for the early fall weather. I was a little worried because I had to use mediocre grocery store plums, and had to do a last minute substitution of confectioners for granulated sugar. But it was a total success anyway, my guests were fighting for the leftovers! Deb, you make me so popular, I don’t know what I would do without you. THANKS!!
I made this last night and we loved it! I grew up with crisps, not cobblers so it was a new recipe for me and I’m excited to think about all the variations in my future. I made it with just apples, reduced sugar (about 2/3 cup) and cinnamon in the batter. Delicious.
Hi Deb. Such a perfect dessert for this season. Would subbing almond milk make a difference? I’m thinking not, but would love your advice. :)
I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk in mine and it turned out perfectly!
Thank you, I enjoyed making and eating this dish.
I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so I used a little less sugar than the recipe says to sprinkle on top before placing in the oven (I used the 3/4 cup of sugar in the batter, but sprinkled about 2 teaspoons of sugar on top before putting it into the oven).
The adjustment worked for me because I the fruit and batter are sweet enough for me (and I often reduce the sugar in recipes as a habit).
It was lovely and I am looking forward to making it again.
OHEMGEE! Just made this with some gala apples that weren’t fit for eating raw. It is so very delicious! I baked mine about 10 minutes longer because I crammed an extra apple in the 3 qt. baking dish (skipped plums or other fruit). Also, someone in the house doesn’t like cinnamon (?? what even is that??), so I added about 1/4 tsp of ginger and 1/4 tsp cardamom in the dry ingredients (shhh, then I snuck just a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon on top before baking). Planning to make it again this week…..and next. Fabulous recipe!
Thanks for this amazing recipe, Deb! I imagine it will be good with any fruit filling! I had never made a cobbler but plum apple sounded like a perfect combo (and I needed to bake with plums at least one more time during plum season). Reduced the sugar by 2 tbs as suggested. I think it’s more like 4 servings though :)
Oh Deb…this is good. Like, REALLY GOOD. I literally had 2 granny smith apples and 3 plums in my fruit bowl, ready to head into the next chapter of their lives. And that chapter was cobbler. Added bonus? My house currently smells incredible. Truly a lovely dessert!
Deb
Just made this with Dinosaur plums(Pluots),last of the season in California,absolutely beyond delicious ! Would you be so kind to let me know the maker of your blue pinstriped napkin/towel,lost my similar design in recent move and have been looking for perfect new ones,I found it with you! Thanks for all you share. Lisa
Glad you enjoyed the cobbler. The cloth is from Fog Linen. This is actually gray, but the late afternoon light is blueish on it.
can’t wait to make this! thinking it would be nice with these gorgeous red d’anjou pears I found at the market today. a pear and plum combo still grasps that summer-autumn intersection, doesn’t it?
Great recipe! Easy to modify to whatever’s in the pantry. I made it tonight with three VERY ripe sweet pears. I added a touch of nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon to the batter and more cinnamon on top. I did reduce the sugar significantly, and with the very sweet fruit I’m glad I did. I suggest playing it by ear depending on the fruit being used.
This was so delicious and I liked that I had every ingredient already at home! Thank you, Deb, for this wonderful late summer/early fall-recipe! But – we were a crowd of 6 and we couldn’t figure out how this recipe should ever yield 8-10 servings… ;-) Next time I will double the recipe!
Also, I reduced the sugar in the batter as suggested by 3 tbsp, and I only used 1/8 cup for sprinkling. Next time I will reduce the sugar in the batter a little further (depending on the fruit I am using) because it still was very sweet for us.
I have three peaches and three apples I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with…I think this is it.
I made this yesterday! Super easy pesy! I used half Almond Flour and half organic flour and Stevia sugar blend. I put a scope of English Clotted Cream on top. Yummy! Will make it with pears next time since I have a pear tree.
This looks very much like my very favorite dessert, with a few tiny exceptions that I encourage you to try: Brown the butter (I make it in my cast iron skillet, so it’s still one pan) use peaches for the fruit, and serve it topped with the ice cream you show, but also a splash bourbon. Sooooo good!
I loooove cobblers, no matter the batter or process, or what you decide to call them. This one looks wonderfully easy as well, especially with my two little ones running around.
Very very nice indeed. I have a few plums in the house and I want to try this. It looks sooo delicious!!
I concur that cobbler means something different to everyone. I always call cakes like this buckles – but regardless of what you call it, it looks delicious!!! Also, so happy to see a fellow cast iron lover!!
I love subbing in all kinds of stone fruit in these types of cakes – depending on what is fresh and available:) But apple and plum may be too lovely of a combo to make substitutions!!
Interesting. Kind of like a clafoutis without the eggs. I’m gonna try it.
Absolutely magical. I made it exactly as described, just with apples because the plums at the store didn’t look so hot. It was almost too easy to whip together, and the moist cake with the crispy buttery edges and soft apples wedges. . . one of the best desserts I’ve never made.
This recipe is extremely forgiving–I used half the amount of butter by accident and a 9-inch round baking dish, and it came out delicious! I used peaches and added a tiny sprinkle of almond extract to the batter. As it was baking, I was sure I did something wrong–the butter was pooling on top of the cake and it looked like a wet mess. But somehow after about 35 minutes, the butter was soaked up and turned into these delicious crispy crackly bits at the edges. The perfect early fall breakfast cake with a cup of coffee on the porch.
Nothing wrong there, you intentionally don’t mix the butter so that you get puddles which create all those cool textures. Glad it was a hit.
Deb, can this be frozen? Does it taste as good once it’s been thawed? I have a rehearsal dinner coming up and would like to serve this, but would not have time to bake that day (or that month!!)
We ate it without freezing it but I can’t imagine it wouldn’t freeze well.
I made this for my allergy prone grandboyos and substituted smart balance light flax spread for butter and used coconut milk in place of milk. It turned out beautifully. The boys could not get enough…thank you from a grateful gramma!
I made this when I had last minute dinner guests over the weekend (using peaches). It was terrific!
I used an 8×8 pan, cut the sugar by a few tbsp as suggested, and used peaches that were a little too firm for eating as hand fruit.
I also added a little bit of almond extract to the batter. Just awesome.
This is a game changing recipie! So good. I used all plums. Word of caution, the butter was starting to brown in the over for me, after just a new minutes, so keep an eye on it!
Has anyone tried making this and scaling it up to put in a lasagna type pan that is 9×13? I will be serving a crowd of 10 and thinking I need to scale it up and use a larger dish. Would a glass pyrex type dish work okay or do you recommend a stoneware type dish (Emily Henry)? I will be making it this weekend. Any suggestions on how to do this would be much appreciated.
I make this same cobbler and double it (except for the sugar which I do not double) It has always worked in a 13×9 without any issues.
How deep is the 13X9 dish (or is it a pan?) that you use?
Made this right away, and loved it. I took your suggestion about cutting back on the sugar (def a good idea) and made one change and will make one other change when I do it again. Using 1/2 cup or 1 stick of butter seemed alarming for such a modest size custardy cake, so I literally halved it. It was delicious and seemed plenty buttery and crispy on the bottom. But that’s me, and I try to cut back on butter when possible. This recipe is a whole lotta bang for the buck, regardless, and I was totally happy w/o any topping at all.
I preferred the plums to the apples. The plums were melty and juicy, the apples a bit too crisp. I think if I was to do it with all apples or a combo, I would caramelized the apple wedges in a skillet for a few minutes to soften them up before placing them atop the batter.
I made this tonight with apples and topped it with powdered sugar and cinnamon and served it with homemade cinnamon ice cream. Everyone LOVED it. Thank you!!!
I make a peach version of something close to this, but I think apple would taste so much better. This looks and sounds too delicious to not try!
I really don’t like sugar much so I replaced the sugar with 1/4 cup maple syrup. Then I sprinkled a tbsp of sugar on top. I got nervous about lack of moisture though so I added about 2 tbsp water the batter. The sweetness level was great but the texture was a little odd (still good though) kind of like a very moist, slightly gummy muffin. So I probably didn’t need to add the water. Overall, a success though (I also doubled the fruit because I had it and I really like oven baked fruit).
traded plums and apples for home-canned pears, added some ginger and nutmeg, and a splash of cream on the cobbler at the end. delicious! i love a versatile recipe!
I made this for dessert tonight and we were all blown away by how delicious it was. We used pluots and apples and ate the cobbler with mounds of freshly whipped cream. As others have commented, it is so EASY and the results are better than anything I’ve baked in recent memory. This recipe promises to be in constant rotation. Thank you!
This is the kind of cobbler I grew up with (made with a batter), though I never had it with plums and apples :) Yum! As a child, this was the only way I would eat peaches :)
My husband’s favorite is made with frozen strawberries, which is convenient for me because I can always keep a carton of frozen strawberries (the large size) in the freezer.
Made this last night and loved it! Did a few things a little bit differently b/c of ingredients, convenience, etc:
– Made in an 8×8″ square pan. I cut the butter back to around ~90-95g since there was less surface area but other than that everything fit & cooked at same time/temp (35min at 350).
– Only had apples, so used three sm/med ones.
– Forgot the batter was supposed to go on first so I ended up arranging the apples on top of the butter and sprinkling them with the cinnamon & extra sugar. They caramelized nicely but they did separate from the cake layer a bit.
– Cut the sugar back to around ~120g in the cake and just a sprinkle on top. I’d stay there or possibly use even less next time.
– Added a splash of vanilla extract to the cake batter.
This was SO easy and SO delicious. I also think this’ll make a great base to start experimenting with different fruits, adding different extracts, spices, etc. Looking forward to warming up another piece tonight.
Wow, this was fabulous! Made this in a 2qt Pirex for a get together tonight and everyone raved. I had to bake about 50 mins total, but the final texture was heavenly. I couldn’t quite fit all of the fruit (perhaps because I did a 2qt, not a 3qt). Also swapped the whole milk for half and half because it’s what I had. The apples and plums complement each other so well. Contemplating another slice…
My 6 year old calls these clobbers! Add that to the list of funny named desserts. : )
That was fun! Unintentionally, mine was vegan. Used coconut oil, almond milk, brown sugar, 2 apples and a few blueberries. I also threw in a couple spoonfuls of cornmeal instead of only flour. Yum!
Might it be related to a clafouti?
Does anyone have any Great British Baking (or other!) acquired knowledge about surfacing fruit in baked cakes? My plums in the Marian Burros plum cake and my apples and plums here seem to shift… disappear… and generally make themselves unruly.
Since this might be the season you ask yourself this question again: switch to upside down cakes if you like the fruit to show nicely! They work with even the most basic batter – eggs, sugar, flour. Both cobblers and buckles (the Marian Burros plum cake) are supposed to have the fruit sink.
We made this – I used eight Italian Prune plums as our grocery store had them in stock and we wanted it to still taste like summer! The cobbler was literally jam-packed – almost like a clafoutis! Great with vanilla bean ice cream
This recipe I know as lazy day cobbler :). My grandma had an old newspaper clipping with pretty much the same recipe but it was using a can of fruit. Fresh fruit is always better though! :). Thanks for your blog it’s awesome! My husband and I have been fans for years. I only now subscribed (silly!)
This was amazingly easy and delicious! We had it for breakfast and dessert in the same day- perfect bookends to a lovely Saturday. Thanks for sharing this (and so many other) great recipes!
This might be the simplest, most delicious thing ever. I used all plums (regular old grocery store ones) and they melted into jammy puddles (SO GOOD). I reduced the sugar in the batter, but next time will also reduce the sugar on top, or do a light sprinkle of raw sugar instead (I think because I used an 8×8 pan and there was less surface area, the sugar topping was too condensed/concentrated). I cannot wait to try this with other fruits. Thank you!
Made this tonight and it was LOVELY and DELICIOUS but rather fell apart upon cutting it up. I may have used apples and plums that were larger than yours.
Last Friday I made this and it was in the oven while we ate dinner. So easy, fresh, and yummy. I halved the sugar but I also added strawberries to it. It’s an awesome recipe to use on “oldish” fruit. Thank you! I love your website.
I made this over the weekend and increased it by 1.5 and used a 9×13 Emily Henry lasagna dish. I baked it for 45 minutes. It took much longer than 5-7 minutes for the butter to melt, more like 10-13 minutes, and by that time my batter had puffed up and I was nervous it was going to be ruined. However, it turned out perfect and everyone loved it. I served it with homemade cinnamon ice cream which put it over the top.
i made half a portion of the recipe for dinner with a guest and it was a great success indeed. the fruit i used, frozen cherries and blueberries, disappeared under a dough cover, but everything tasted wonderfully!
God damn. This is amazing. Just made it with apples (no cinnamon, don’t really like that combo), eating it fresh out the oven now. Outstanding!
I knocked my boyfriend’s socks off AND impressed his boss with this one. Delicious and easy, I can’t wait to make it again.
I made this with peaches (3 medium), reduced the sugar by a couple tablespoons as suggested, and sprinkled cardamom and cinnamon on top. It was outstanding. My book club loved it. I might reduce the butter by a tablespoon or two next time. I have always been intimidated by cobblers, but this will be a go-to recipe.
I was (guardedly) skeptical with your “Magic” designation, but oh goodness. I can swear that nothing I’ve ever made has been this simple and turn out so good. I want to make a new batch every fifteen minutes, because the result so far exceeds the amount of work that goes into it. It will be sad when good plums are no longer available. Thank you.
I made this for guests a few weeks ago and it was a big hit. I am thinking of making it again for Rosh Hashanah, but I need it to be pareve. Do you think it would work with margarine and soy milk?
Ugh – tried it, don’t do it! It’s all about the dairy in this recipe
I made this pareve last night with coconut milk and coconut oil and it was awesome. Highly recommend! but i wouldn’t bother with soy milk and margarine, the fat has to have a good flavour.
Should we peel the apples for this recipe?
I do
this….this…was the BEST thing I have eaten this year! Made it again last night….this morning I stood at the counter and finished off the rest of the pan today. Make this people….I can only describe the batter as tasting almost like angel food cake.
We pour heavy crème over the top….today just ate it straight up with coffee.
Made this last night. It’s a definitely a different process! And definitely tasty.
I used a pan that was smaller than 9×13, so I don’t know if that’s why I have this opinion of it. But, I felt like it was too much butter. Eating it, I felt like I was tasting butter, and it had an aftertaste of it. I’m a big fan of butter, but maybe not so much! I would try halving the butter next time. I don’t think it would negatively affect it…?
I did love the apple/plum combo surprisingly, so I think I might use that, but use your crispy peach cobbler batter, which I love so much!
Deb, I have another strong summer/autumn bridge recom. for you — and of course it’s Yotam Ottolenghi.
Two words: pickled blackberries. I made both the peach-blackberry salad and the blackberry-mint salsa from this article, and they were pure magic.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/10/yotam-ottolenghi-blackberry-recipes-pickled-salsa-crumble-salad-duck-pear-peach
I hate to admit this, but I had trouble with this recipe, and I so wanted it to be great! I think the “medium apples” I used were actually too big – when I cut them into 8 pieces, the pieces were so thick the apple didn’t cook all the way through (I only used 1.5 apples because of this.) Also, I used a glass 11×7″ pan and it wouldn’t brown properly; the result was that I left it in the oven too long and it was dry (although saved by a scoop of ice cream.) Perhaps it would be helpful to specify a thickness for the apple slices rather than to call for cutting the apples into eighths. Am I the only person who had this problem?
Hi, I had apples and plums that were about the same size and cut both in 8 pieces. They were about 1.5-2 cm thick and cooked perfectly. I used a ceramic baking dish and it was soft underneath and crispy with a good chew on top. Did you put a lid on your pan- wondering whether you did and that stopped it going brown properly?
I made this (without plums – added 1 apple) for our Sunday morning dog playgroup and it was a big hit with the humans. No sharing with the dogs!
I also removed 3 tablespoons of sugar as suggested and might leave out more next time.
Mmmmmm had my eye on this since you posted it, waiting for the right Sunday to make it. Today was the day and flipping heck I am glad I did! I used some plums I have been waiting a week to soften (they haven’t) and a couple of apples. The ropey plums which were otherwise destined for the bin were deliciously sweet and jammy with the apples and don’t get me started on those crisp, chewy edges. Absolutely delicious. It’s going in the recipe book, its a keeper.
My boyfriend has Crohn’s disease, so baked goods are typically forgone or house but sometimes I have success converting them to gluten free. I’d call my conversion of this one a success – after the first bite he said: “I want this for my birthday!”
I used 140 grams Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour in place of the all purpose. I also used olive oil instead of butter, for no reason other than I forgot to get butter at the store (sacrilege). I kept it in about 55 minutes. I think next time if I used oil, I’d cut back a smidgen. The finished cobbler was definitely a bit oily, but I don’t know how it compares to using butter. Also, being gluten free, it doesn’t hold its structure perfectly over time, which gives us a fine excuse to eat as much of it as possible the first night. :)
This is a keeper!
Definition of success if ever I heard it: You give us great recipes and I gain the confidence to improvise. I used coconut milk and it gave it a nice sweetness, along with some alternative flours and it all turned out great … my 5-year-old son went to bed happy and is planning to have it for breakfast as well, apparently. If it lasts till then… I love everyone’s suggestions. Thank you!
I made this tonight with all plums because my farm share is sending home more than we can eat out of hand. Didn’t have ice cream, so I topped it with whole milk Greek yogurt that I mixed just a dab of honey into. It cut the sweet perfectly. There’s one piece left and I might have to fight my husband to see who gets it for breakfast.
Hi! Am going to need to make this in the morning, but serve it in the evening. I saw where you mentioned it can be served at room temp — so would it be sufficient to just keep it foiled covered after cooling?
Also, I saw that a few others had asked this but couldn’t see a reply to the specific question – I’m hoping to make this in a simple glass Pyrex dish. Would it compromise the buttery edges, you think?
Finally, some folks mention the batter “puffing” – how much room to leave once batter is poured in so it doesn’t bubble over?
Many thanks from Singapore – hope when I wake up in the morning I’ll have the expert answers I need :)
The batter should puff and envelop the fruit. Glad should be fine but I prefer to bake in glass at 25 degrees less. You could cover it with foil to keep it warm, but it will compromise the texture — it gets a little crispy/chewy at the edges.
This was nice and easy! Made it with two large plums and two small apples and 2/3 of the batter in the suggested 7×11-inch pan. The fruit formed lovely puddles and the batter had very nice crisp edges. Not quite sure the batter surrounding the fruit was entirely cooked (could have been wetness from the fruit) when the top was browned after the suggested 40 minutes.
I have made this two times in the last week. It is absolutely delicious and so quick and easy. The brown bits around the edge of the pan are my favorites. Great Fall recipe but it would be at any time of year. Make it now, your friends abd family will be very happy.
For the record: my wife, a cobbler skeptic (I’m always bothering her with baked fruit desserts when she really wants chocolate), says this was the best cobbler she’s ever had.
It’s also the easiest one I’ve ever made.
…I have a feeling this will go into our permanent dessert rotation.
(Protip: the creme fraiche is very, very welcome here.)
Yum! yum! yum! I used a 2 quart Pyrex based on Deb’s comments about her dish being big. It was a little tight but warning to others who use glass: you can see all the juices so it looks like it’s not done when it is though in the smaller size, it did take a bit longe and the juices will all get reabsorbed when it cools. It worked out but I probably would use a bigger dish next time. My tweaks: only used 1/2 cup sugar in the batter which was fine and for the topping used a mixture of brown sugar and white sugar with the cinnamon. Can’t wait to experiment with pears, ginger and a little cardamon. thank you Deb for another great recipe!
pears and ginger, YES! will be doing that on next try!
Divine. My husband, who doesn’t like cake (I know, crazy), LOVED this. So did I. Assuming that he wouldn’t eat it I had 3/4 of it in the two hours between it emerging gloriously puffy from the oven and husband coming home. Made it with plums and apples, added more fruit than I think you did looking at the pictures. Didn’t affect cooking time. I will be repeating this in the weekend with some peaches and pears I have in the fridge!
After drooling over all the SK recipes… I finally got my “bake on” and made the mini apple hand pie – best pastry recipe ever! Soo flakey and good.
And then decided to make this magic cobbler… Then panicked when I realised I didnt have enough butter.. Or baking powder.
But I refused to give up, and read thru all the comments and adapted the original recipe a little.
I used SR flour, and only 2.5oz butter, and 110gram sugar. And only a large pince of sugar sprinkled over the top.
Had to turn up the gas mark slightly at the end as it just wasnt browning enough after 35/40 mins… And ended up cooking for close to 50 mins. Also by then my little minions were more than ready for this magic cobbler so didnt really give it time to rest before dishing up.
There were little patches of the batter in the middle that looked not quite cooked and more like soft pancakey mix.. Taste tested and it was fine to eat but not looking like how I expected..
BUT o.m.g those browned edge bits!???? Heaven … I may or may not have only dished up those pieces to myself…. Perks of the chef.
The next day the small portion left over microwaved and served with ice cream was perfect for breakfast. The cake batter was looked set and even heated up tasted amazing.
Next time I might make it with even less sugar – we are a sweet tooth household but I felt it was just a tad too sweet for the dish. Would use same amount of butter. But might make a little more batter, as my ceramic lasagna dish was a little deep. So more batter would be yummy. The apples held up well even with the extra bake time.
Have never had a cobbler before and wasnt sure what to expect but this really is a winner!! So thank you soo much for this Deb.
Would deffo make this again… Like later today or tomorrow as soon as I can get some more butter!
Totally forgot to say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone who left their feedback along with any tweaks to the recipe.
As a not very confident cook, I get freaked out if I have sunflower oil instead of veg oil… And end up googling for advice and nore often than not, end up not making the dish until I have the exact ingredients. Which is often er never…
But this new feedback layout – is perfect.
I love the way everyone is just so nice and positive about their baking experiences. So from my happy tummy Thank you! Xx
I made this for my boyfriend and his kids last night with just tart plums and OMG it was so delicious, thank you so much for posting this fabulous recipe. Dude (who’s an awesome cook but like, *never* bakes) was so inspired by how easy it was that he said he’s going to try making it himself with other fruits! We especially loved how crispy the bottom got, that was a nice surprise.
Also, it was fun meeting you in Toronto on Saturday! I was the first one to get my book signed :)
Hiii! It was great to meet you too.
Made this last night as written, and it was delicious. I agree on lessening the sugar though I’d keep the 1/4 cup of sugar on top since it creates the most delicious butterscotchy crust. Instead I’d lessen the sugar in the batter. Thanks Deb!
A cobbler by any other name. . .
This is essentially clafoutis (Julia Child’s version) except that she makes it a bit more difficult by pouring the batter in two batches, which isn’t necessary — as can be seen here. I’ve been making it for years with any fruit I can get my hands on. Wish I’d thought of the apple plum combo. It sounds delicious. Now get out of my way while I run to the kitchen to make it with apples!
I did this in an 8×8 in pan and it fit perfectly. I also swapped plums for cranberries since it’s hard to find plums this time of year. It came out and great and was unbelievably easy to make! The only thing I would have done differently is to reduce the amount of sugar in the topping from 1/4 cup to 1/8 cup since the surface area is much smaller in a 8×8 pan, you don’t need so much for the topping.
Yes, we make this in Texas too! You can either make it with fresh peaches or frozen depending on the season. The only difference is that I make mine with 1/2 cup milk, other than that, everything is the same! Delicious.
Awesome! I will try it! I am gonna bookmark this page, thanks for sharing.
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I just made this last night and while it came out amazing, I made it in a 2qt baking dish and had not nearly enough room for all the fruit! I had to leave out a bunch of the apple wedges. So while she says she had extra room in the 3qt dish, that was probably a good thing!
Made this yesterday and it was amazing! I used about four small peaches. I didn’t have any milk on hand, only heavy cream, so I used a little less butter and had to add a little water to the batter so that it wasn’t too thick. Also added lemon zest and vanilla!
I made this twice.
First time was a flop, because I fiddled too much with the recipe. I subbed coconut oil for butter, left out the milk, and used the full amount of sugar, but used brown sugar. Also used Himalayan pink salt. The peaches were tasty, but the “cobbler” part was too sweet, and too crunchy for a cobbler. I felt like I had made a labor-intensive topping.
Second time looks good — haven’t eaten it yet, though. I used butter (recipe calls for one stick) and used skim milk. I used about 1/2 cup of sugar in the batter, and I overmeasured the milk slightly; it was a little bit between the 3/4 and 1 cup mark. Again, I used pink salt. There was also an eensy bit of coconut oil in the batter because I didn’t wash out my liquid measuring cup. (Shhh.)
Both times I used 2 large peaches.
Simple and delicious. Made this last night with a 2.75-quart baking dish and baked for 40 minutes. The outer edge comes out a little crusty which is great, and the inside is soft, a little spongy, and moist. The plum adds a little tartness to it and works nicely with the mild apples. Tastes great the next day too.
This has always, in my household anyway, been called the “Summer Dump” cake. If you plan ahead, you always have 4 peaches or 4 plums or, but there comes a day when you have a ripe peach, an apricot or two, a couple of any kind of berries…..and voila, the Summer Dump. I like your addition of cinnamon. I’ll try that next time.
Hi Deb! I love this recipe and want to try it soon, since apples and plums are bountiful right now! I have a question–is there a way on your blog to “favorite” or “star” recipes that I want to flag as personal favorites, or to make soon? Of course, ALL of your recipes tend to be favorites, but there are some that just absolutely ring my bell, or are so perfect for the season.
There isn’t at this time; I’d love to add the feature in the future.
I didn’t love this as much as I was hoping. The butter didn’t fully absorb into the batter everywhere, so some pieces ended up tasting almost disgustingly buttery. The “Crispy Peach Cobbler” recipe from 2015 is far superior (the peaches can be substituted for other fruits)
I’m making this for Thanksgiving and I’m so psyched! It looks super easy, and can I just tell you how much I appreciate sentences like this? “Pour batter over the butter but do not stir, even if it looks like a puddle-y buttery mess.” <— my brain needs all recipes to have reassurances.
This was delicious. I made it and my kids loved it. I had to use mostly apples but in the near future I’ll hope to try it with the plums too. And yes, the cinnamon smelled divine. I love the simplicity of it. It wasn’t too sweet for us. Just perfect.
To me, this isn’t a cobbler…it’s a cake with fruit on top. A cobbler has fruit on the bottom and a topping. At any rate, this wasn’t super for me…too buttery and too cake-like….not cobbler like. I guess I was expecting something like a traditional cobbler.
I get why this is popular…a few ingredients that taste great together and can be made quickly. So that part is fine, but it just wasn’t for me. The cake was a bit gummy on top. Also it seemed too buttery/oily and I actually left out a bit of butter. Glad so many like it though. Carry on!
Think this is a recipe that could be tweaked for single servings in a ramekin? You’d need to rejigger timing a bit, right?
I’d think you could. It would probably bake in under 20 minutes.
This looks lovely! Could I use buttermilk in place of the whole milk?
I’d think so.
Deb, I tried this recipe twice over the weekend. Took almost 50 minutes to bake and it does not look pretty like yours. I used the 8×8 Pyrex glass dish. Maybe I need to use the 3 quart. Maybe I used too many fruit. It was delicious my son said and I shouldn’t be fussy about how it looks :)
I don’t think mine was terribly pretty either — it’s just a dusting of powdered sugar and good window light helping the photo. Taste is all that matters!
This is my mother’s cobbler–beloved by all who have it. She made it with Boysenberries, but I’ve made it with other fruit, too. Her recipe calls for 4 tsp. baking powder and 4 cups fruit. Frozen fruit must be thawed and drained. I’ve made it with 1/2 cube butter and with 3/4 cup sugar–still yummy! I love cardamom, so may try that in the batter. Mom called it a cobbler, but I would call it a buckle. I love those old names too.
Minus apples and plums; plus one giant nectarine, half a bag of mini chocolate chips, and double the requested cinnamon (because I slipped). Delicious!
I took the kids apple and plum picking today at an orchard outside Syracuse. Since we want to go again soon, I turned to SK to help use up our bounty. Imagine my delight when I discovered this recipe! Since I wanted to feel better eating it at breakfast, I only used 2/3 c sugar in the batter and 2 Tbsp on top and subbed in 1/3 c whole wheat flour. So delicious!
Love these kind of deserts, may I offer my opinion? Use less butter, just a little less and increase flour to 1 cup. WE enjoyed it last night with vanilla ice cream.
Would love to make an apple pancake, recipe?? The kind that puffs up in the oven. Best, Gail
Gail, if you’re still seeking puffy pancakes, search for Deb’s Dutch baby recipes.
We have made this twice since the recipe was posted a mere 2 weeks ago. The first was to use up the Costco peaches I ambitiously thought our small family could eat in a week. The second time I purposely overbought peaches just so I would have an excuse to make this again. No substitutions or omissions. We eat this sweet, buttery concoction exactly as written (reheating each serving in the toaster oven). And each time we grab the final slice, we have mourned that tomorrow will be a day without cobbler. Now that fall is here, I am dreaming of a savory version…with browned butter….leeks…cornmeal….squash…?
The batter got HUGE, so I’m glad I made it in my 9×13 pan.
I melted the butter in the oven while preheating, until it was splattery. Then I (somewhat terrifyingly) added the batter. It puffed up a bunch. I added about six small wedged apples and six halved plums. It’s in the oven now!
Thanks for the recipe and inspiration! ❤️
I subscribe to a CSA “summer fruit” box and have been reveling in strawberries and peaches and apricots for weeks. But towards the end of the run, it’s nothing but apples, apples, apples — I’m not that fond of apples — and those annoying little plums that don’t make much of a snack. Trolled for a recipe just to use them up, came across this one, and made a double batch. It’s really delicious! Buttery and tart and sweet all at once. Will definitely bookmark it to make again!
This recipe is good and easy but next time, I will follow the picture rather than the measurements. I tried to cram all the fruit into the batter, which made the fruit to batter ratio a little off. I looked back at the pictures and I counted the slices, and they don’t add up to 16 apple slices and 12 plum. I will keep that in mind next time. On second thought, maybe I will cut the fruit in smaller pieces like in your apple cake.
The buttery-crisp edges framing this delightful cakey cobbler are not to be missed. It’s suitable for any fresh fruit you have around. Nectarines and blueberries have been showcased in both of ours this week. While it would be good with cinnamon, I just use sugar to top it to keep the taste clean.
Mostly I prefer it with a quick pour of cream (instead of ice cream); the straight cream lets the mid-summer-ripe fruit be the sweet star and makes it a more convincing breakfast food.
It’s my go-to and I can make it with clarified butter for my daughter who is quite allergic to dairy protein.
Your canned items looks sooooo good –congratualtions to you for all the work. You seem to enjoy the canning–I once did a bunch of canning myself. I was a HOme Ec. teacher for 40 some years, and managed to can on the side. Now that I am alone I no longer find the need. Canned Tuna was my favorite. Nothing like it in the world!!!
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Hi..I would like to try to make this a bit healthier. Do you believe I could use whole wheat flour, or would it be too heavy? (White wheat?) Also, it seems like I could cut the sugar a bit or use artificial sweetener. I would be counting on the fruit to make up for the sweetness! I love your site.
I’ve made it with white whole wheat flour (the Trader Joe’s brand) and it works out fine. I don’t know that regular whole wheat would behave the same.
Many thanks!
I used whole wheat pastry flour and coconut sugar. Mmmmmmm.
I used 120 g Purecane sweetener instead of the 150 g sugar in the batter. I used real sugar (50 g) for the sprinkle on top. It’s delicious and puffy with crispy golden edges that all the other reviewers describe, so I don’t think it suffered at all from the substitution. I usually do slightly less than 1:1 for Purecane to sugar substitutions just because I find it can get too sweet / off tasting if you do exactly 1:1.
I am making this with blackberries from our garden. Reminds me of Paula Dean’s peach cobbler recipe, which is fantastic.
I’ve got a batch of unexpectedly soft apples and Italian plums in the freezer, so this is perfect. Plus, it’s my wedding anniversary and my husband is away on business travel and having way more fun than me, so I’m inviting friends over and having this yummy treat with my kids tonight. Thanks!
This is a magical cobbler. The crusty edges and soft fruit were a comfort in the Autumn weather in Australia. Just right for confinement and an easy recipe to make with little ones.
I made this today and it was gobbled up so fast by my family! I improvised with plums and blackberries and something unexpected…I left the pan in the oven a little too long and the butter browned, What a pleasant surprise to have an extra yummy factor!
Just made this with pears and added a little ginger and almond extract — delish! Thank you for the recipe!
This is SO GOOD. We have a prolific plum tree in our yard and an apple tree that makes extremely tart, but pretty, apples at around the same time. I think this will be a go-to for years to come.
I can’t help minorly futzing with recipes, so for both my own recollection and the benefit of anyone who scrolls this far down the comments, I made these modifications:
More plums, a bit less apple, but cover the whole top in fruit. I think I could add even more plums next time.
A double recipe fits fine in a 3-quart dish.
Let the butter brown a bit in the oven.
For the sugar & cinnamon on top, I mixed together turbinado sugar with the cinnamon; I used regular white sugar in the batter.
I added vanilla in the batter, I think that was good. I like another commenter’s suggestion of ginger & almond extract; I’ll try than next time.
I made this at the weekend – unanimous enthusiasm from all recipients. Delicious and very easy.
But – surely the portion sizes are wrong – 3 of us got through half this quantity and I don’t *think* we are that greedy!
I also wondered about reducing the quantity of butter a bit – there was quite a lot that hadn’t really cooked into the cobbler and so formed a layer underneath. Interested in whether others experienced this.
You know what? I was in such a hurry to make this that I forgot to stir in the milk! BUT!!! It was still delicious, the plums were all melty and the underneath was all crusty and buttery. Well, that’s what butter and sugar and cinnamon do together.
I just made this and cannot get over how fast it is! It would be a go-to recipe desert to quickly put together for unexpected company. A a fast way to satisfy a craving. It’s delicious too. Definitely making this again!
This reminded me of a Dutch baby pancake only better. It was so easy to make and clean up and it was absolutely delicious. Juicy fruit and crisp around the edges – just about perfect. I know this will be a frequent visitor to my table.
I am making this for the third time in about ten days, because my spouse is a big fan and it is so easy! Have been substituting oat milk, and it works fine
I just made this the right way. Last time I forgot the milk. The easiest fancyish most delicious cakey dessert at this moment. Especially if you measure everything on a kitchen scale into the same bowl you mix it up in.
Deb, isn’t 1/2 cup of butter one stick of butter?
Never mind.
Often. But not everywhere, so I try not to use “stick” as a measurement. But yes, at most stores in the U.S., it’s 4 sticks to a pound.
Re-discovering this recipe I bookmarked so long ago. Holy crap… this is amazing. Everyone devoured this. I only wish I had made a 2nd one!
I’m not sure what went wrong, as I followed the recipe exactly, but mine came out like a soup – a lot of liquid rose to the top and didn’t bake off. Any suggestions for what to do if this happens?
I made this last night after reading all the positive reviews and looking at a lot of different cobbler recipes! This one was so fluffy – it is sweet as others have said – I used 2/3 cup sugar in the batter and just a nice sprinkle on top – but I did mine in a 2 quart oval dish and I think I could do it in a slightly larger dish with more surface area and I would then add a bit more fruit to contrast with the sweet batter. Mine puffed up beautifully around the fruit and was very cake like! We had it with vanilla ice cream. I look forward to trying it with juicy peaches.
We made this FREQUENTLY during apple season. I made a mixed berry version of this yesterday with fresh raz and blues. In order to make it more “breakfasty” I did half rolled oats and half flour, substituted brown sugar (1/2 cup instead of 3/4) for richness in the batter, and very little sugar sprinkled on top (1/8 cup). I also goofed and added an egg to the batter – oops! LOL I thought I must have missed something in the recipe and didn’t go back to check. Didn’t seem to hurt anything – protein – ha! It’s got a bit of chew to it, but I love that. It has earned my husband’s approval – so will definitely make again.
Oh my everlovin’! Cool enough today to turn on the oven – oh yeah, baby!
Followed the recipe almost exactly, but used nectarines and blackberries, and added 1/4 cup of yogurt cuz I was short on milk. Put 3/4 cup sugar in the batter, but only 1T scattered on the fruit, since the fruit was perfect and sweet. It was FABULOUS. Probably used too much fruit (is that possible?)….big hit with the fam.
I just made this with all plums and half the sugar. None of us liked it, unfortunately. The batter was pasty and too sweet despite cutting the sugar, and the magic incorporation of butter never happened for us so we just ended up with cobbler swimming in butter. I don’t understand the appeal of a batter where you mix nearly all ingredients together, dump that on top of one last ingredient, but don’t take the final step to mix them all together. It’s not like we just saved an incredible amount of time or number of dishes by not stirring the butter in!
Wow! Was looking for something easy that would use the last of our plums and this recipe was perfect! It’s truly magic. I was very skeptical when I put it in the oven but I should know better than to doubt a Deb recipe :)
This might be a dumb question, but would using died prunes be a no-no?
I haven’t come across this type of a cobbler. Mine is baking as I type. I wasn’t sure if I had enough apples, so I threw in a nice ripe Bosc pear and 4 soaked dried figs for good measure. By the looks of it, I think there should be ample fruit. I also added a dash of cardamom. My spices went into in the flour mixture and on the top for extra flavor layers. Can’t wait to see the finished dessert.
This is my ultimate back-pocket dessert. I know it by heart. On more than one occasion, I’ve successfully whipped this up like a tipsy magician in a friend’s kitchen, in the wee hours of a boisterous house party. If you ever want to feel like a hero to a group of drunk people, bake a cobbler (and maybe send someone to the bodega for a pint of vanilla ice cream).
On another occasion I made it with apples, and accidentally used cumin instead of cinnamon. Somehow it was still delicious? Bizarre, but delicious. My point is, this cobbler is impossible to mess up.
Rather than increasing the recipe, I would like to cut it in half. I can figure out how to halve the ingredients (thank you Deb for metric measurements). Not sure what size pan and how long to bake it.
I think an 8-inch round work work, or equivalent skillet.
Not a plum fan (I know, I know) – I have nectarines, though. OK to sub them for plums?
Duh, just re-read the recipe & comments & so I’ll be subbing nectarines for the plums (head slap)…
Back in 1985 I got a similar recipe from Gourmet Magazine and have been making it ever since, getting good reviews every time. The differences? 1 cup milk; 4 cups of sliced fruit macerated in 3/4 c sugar; and it’s spiced up with 1/2 tsp of mace.
Once the batter’s in the pan, you spoon the macerated fruit + juices on top and bake for about 45 minutes. Divine!
Love your skills and your great good sense of humor. Thanks, Deb!
I made this delicious cobbler today. I added a few more plums and it was so quick to make. No creaming of butter and sugar. Just mix all the ingredients for the batter and pour onto the melted butter. Easy peasy! And I had these ripened plums that just cried out to be used with the apples from my tree. Perfect. I lessened the amount of sugar to be sprinkled over the batter and the sweetness was then perfect. Served it with cream. Delicious!
Wow this looks amazing!!
I made this today as my first fall dessert this year and it is everything as promised. So easy, delish and satisfying. It does run a little sweet and I’ll cut back the sugar just a bit next time. Thank you.
Hello – I made this and it was delicious, but I had an issue with it being too wet. I suspect I used too much fruit. As fruit sizes vary so much — could you please give the approximate TOTAL amount of cut fruit to aim for, in cups? I tried looking for Knauer’s original recipe through your link, but it is private.
Thank you!
Totally a magic recipe! I have this huge bag of pancake mix but don’t actually make pancakes that often so I used that instead of the (flour/baking powder/salt) and also maple syrup instead of any sugar on the fruit and it was amazing!
This has become one of my favourite desserts to make when hosting – it’s delicious, easily adaptable for all seasons and diets, and so quick and simple to make! I love that I can throw it together in 15 minutes or less when our guests have already arrived. Thanks Deb!
What I love most about this recipe is the endless possibilities. Only have apples, use those! Apricots instead of plums, sure! Frozen cherries? Have at it. I’ve also used berries and was just as awesome. The batter itself is customizable too. I’ve added coriander, vanilla, all spice. It’s nearly impossible to mess up and always comes out delicious.
I have oodles of plums and want to make a Cobler or cake or for a giant horde of my favorite foodies. There are too many Plum recipes on this beautiful website. Should I make an all Plum version of this? Or the Cobblestone style Cobler posted last summer? Or something else? Too many wonderful options!
Made many times; with peaches, berries, cherries, you name it. Deliciously easy.
The glass inside my oven door cracked a few weeks back and we are still awaiting the replacement part. So thanks for a great recipe I can make quickly in the toaster oven since I only have a week until Rose Hashanah! Reminds me of the plum cake concept but with a much thinner batter. Easy and delish.
Do you think this could be frozen for Roshashana ?
Yes
In the 1950s this was called Lazy Day Duff in my house. Usually made with canned peaches in the winter.
Oh, Lawd, Deb….fabulous recipe. Thought I’d just have a wee taste hot out of the oven, then couldn’t stop myself…GAD! Ate about 1/4 of it right then and there. In desperation, I called my friend and asked if I could come over to share the rest. I just couldn’t leave it on my counter any longer.
She wolfed a big piece down and smacked her lips, then a big grin. LOL
We watched the sunset over the Cascade Mountains and, very sated, let the scrumptious dessert settle. HUGE HIT in the Pacific Northwest!!
I usually make Marion Burros Plum Torte (from the NY Times) and I found using my own Italian Plums from my dripping-with-fruit tree with your recipe just about TIES the deliciousness of her recipe, and SO much easier. I must add that I did include one egg as one of your commenters mentioned, for a bit more protein as well as subbing Cup4Cup GF flour (2/3 cup) and 1/4 cup almond flour, with two big TBS. of Coconut flour to help with the liquid sweetener and Earth Balance Vegan butter, cause I need to, AND used 2/3 cup maple syrup for the sugar IN the batter, but went ahead and used regular white sugar for dusting on top. The recipe rose to my personal dietary challenges and came out perfectly….THANKS!! Will be making many more of these using different fruits.
OH…one more thing, I also dotted the top with slices of pears in between the plum slices…..YUM.
Delicious! Way smaller than it looks in the images though. Could the recipe simply be doubled to make a larger cobbler?
Good, but… To me it was a little overly buttery. I may have had a little more fruit since I had a bunch of tiny plums needing to be used, so maybe it didn’t have room to rise up and combine? But still very satisfying and well enjoyed by the family.
I made yesterday when a neighbor invited us to join them for dinner. I had an hour before we were due to arrive at their house, and this recipe was no problem at all to whip up in time. It was a HIT! The plums were so delicious and now I want to make more plum desserts ! I served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Absolutely wonderful recipe (no surprise ! – I Love SK!)
Wow! This dessert is incredible. A new household favorite. Really fast, easy and minimal mess, but spectacular sweet treat. I love the warm cobbler melting with a dollop of chantilly cream on top. A little slice of heaven. Thank you for this method and recipe!
This was amazing. I didn’t have plums so I used some blueberries. New fave easy dessert!!!