Made from just 9 ingredients, this easy cherry cobbler is one of the simplest desserts you could make with fresh cherries. Pit and halve cherries, whisk together a batter, and bake—it really is that easy. When cherries aren’t in season, you can use frozen. Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream—dessert is served!
One reader, AHR, commented: “This recipe is definitely a keeper! The three of us nearly finished off the entire dish after dinner. I used the last of the frozen cherries we brought back from Michigan. So delicious! The crunchy corners were my favorite! ★★★★★“
Now don’t get me wrong, I love homemade cherry pie, but for most of us it is a special-occasion dessert, because it takes a good while to make (and cool) before you can dive in. If you like to make the most of fresh cherry season while it lasts, this quick and easy cherry dessert recipe is the one that you will make on repeat.
Here’s Why You Will Love This Cherry Cobbler:
- Quick to prep; pitting the cherries is the hardest part of the entire recipe
- Can use fresh or frozen cherries
- No mixer required
- 1-bowl batter
- An egg-free baking recipe
- Tastes incredible warm, topped with vanilla ice cream
Cobbler, crisp, and crumble recipes are wonderfully versatile and a great way to enjoy ripe fruits and berries. I have several dessert recipes on my website in this category, including peach cobbler and berry cobbler, both of which have a biscuit-style topping.
But when we were developing this cherry cobbler recipe, team member Beth introduced me to the way her grandmother used to make cobbler with the fruits and berries her grandfather grew in his garden, and I absolutely fell in love with this batter-based, rise-to-the-top style of fruit cobbler.
It’s almost unfair how something so delicious can be so easy. It’s even easier than my apple cobbler, which also uses a batter-style topping.
Grab These 9 Ingredients:
- Cherries: I recommend fresh dark sweet cherries for this cobbler, but you can use other varieties and even frozen—see the FAQs section below.
- Butter: For the most delicious taste, real butter is always better.
- Flour: Just a cup of all-purpose flour.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar sweetens this batter.
- Baking Powder: This key ingredient is what causes the batter to rise up as it bakes.
- Salt: Flavor enhancer.
- Milk: I recommend whole milk for the richest taste and texture, but you could use reduced-fat or nondairy milk if desired. Just avoid using nonfat.
- Vanilla Extract: Flavor enhancer.
- Almond Extract: Almond extract pairs so beautifully with cherries; we use it in these cherry pie bars, too.
I Use & Recommend This Cherry Pitter
Pitting fresh cherries can be a tedious—and finger-staining—task, so if you want to save time and prep work, pick up a cherry pitter. And, if you really want to save time, here’s a 7-cherry-at-a-time cherry pitter. I just got this and it’s AWESOME. If you’re anything like me, you don’t like stuffing your kitchen drawers with endless gizmos and gadgets, but a cherry pitter is most definitely an exception. I don’t bake with cherries all the time, but when I do, I’m VERY thankful I have a pitter!
It’s also a timesaver if you’re baking bourbon cherry crisp or my cake-like cherry buckle.
How to Make It
After pitting and halving your cherries, it’s just a few easy steps to get to cherry cobbler first-bite bliss!
Melt the butter in the baking dish in the preheated oven, then whisk together the batter. Spread cherries on top of melted butter, then pour the batter over them:
The batter is a little thinner than pancake batter.
And, bake! I like to sprinkle the top with coarse sugar before baking for a little extra sparkle and sweet crunch on the surface, but this is optional.
Best Pan Size to Use
The best pan to use for this cobbler is a 2.5-quart baking dish, such as a 9-inch square baking pan, 10-inch cast iron skillet, or a 10-inch pie dish or cake pan. Glass, metal, or ceramic are all fine.
Cherry Cobbler Success Tips + FAQs
Yes, but you’ll need to extend the baking time, and let it cool for a bit before serving, to allow it some extra time to fully set. See recipe Notes for instructions. Do not thaw the frozen cherries, and no need to halve them. The finished cobbler won’t look quite as pretty, but I promise it tastes just as delicious!
Yes, but the amount of sugar may need to change depending on what you use. If you use sour cherries, increase sugar to 1 cup (200g). You can also make this with berries instead. (But for more tart berries like boysenberries/marionberries, increase sugar to 1 cup.) If you want to use raspberries, I recommend mixing them with another berry because they’re so fragile and delicate. I’m sure you could use sliced peaches, apricots, or plums; we just haven’t tested it yet.
Yes, and in fact, that’s what Beth’s grandmother’s recipe calls for. Because self-rising flour includes baking powder and salt, omit those two added ingredients if using self-rising flour. The rest of the recipe is the same.
I don’t know who coined the phrase “easy as pie,” but it really should be “easy as cobbler!” I still can’t believe how something this tasty could come together with so little effort. It’s a “piece of cake”… nope, that phrase should be about this cobbler, too. LOL.
Easy Cherry Cobbler
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: serves 8
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Made from just 9 ingredients, this cherry cobbler is one of the easiest desserts you could make with fresh cherries. See Notes if using frozen cherries or if you want to try other fruits. Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
- 4 cups (560–660g) fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved (see Note)
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk (nondairy is fine, see Note)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- optional: 1–2 Tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Place the butter in a deep-dish 9-inch pie dish, 9-inch square pan, 10-inch cast iron skillet, or any 2.5-quart baking dish. Melt it in the oven as it preheats.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl preferably with a pour spout, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Add the milk, vanilla, and almond extract and whisk until batter is smooth.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and spread the cherries over the melted butter in an even layer. Pour the batter evenly over the top of the cherries. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if using.
- Bake for 55–60 minutes. The cobbler is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs. If you find the top of the cobbler is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil (I usually do this about halfway through baking).
- Remove from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Cover leftover cobbler tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because of the fresh fruit, this dessert tastes best within the first couple days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: I do not recommend preparing and refrigerating the cobbler, unbaked, because the butter will solidify, the cherries may begin to soften too much, and the batter can become watery/thinner the longer it sits. You also do not want to prepare the batter in advance as the baking powder is initially activated once mixed with wet ingredients. The only way to prepare ahead of time is to have the cherries pitted and ready to go. Baked cobbler freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 300°F (149°C) oven, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes or until heated through.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Cherry Pitter or this Mega Cherry Pitter | Mixing Bowl (preferably with pour spout) | Whisk | 9-inch Square Baking Dish or 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet (or similar size) | Cooling Rack
- Cherries: I use fresh dark sweet cherries in the pictured cobbler, but you can also use Rainier cherries or a 50/50 combination of dark sweet and Rainier cherries. If using sour cherries, increase sugar to 1 cup (200g). You can also use frozen cherries; do not thaw. Halve them while they’re frozen, or you can simply keep them whole. If using frozen, bake time will be 5–10 minutes longer. Allow to cool for 15–20 minutes before serving; cobbler made with frozen cherries needs a little extra time to set after baking. It also doesn’t look quite as pretty on top, but tastes just as delicious!
- Other Fruits: You can make this with berries instead. (But for more tart berries like boysenberries/marionberries, increase sugar to 1 cup.) If you want to use raspberries, I recommend mixing them with another berry because they’re so fragile and delicate. I’m sure you could use sliced peaches, apricots, or plums; we just haven’t tested it yet.
- Flour: If preferred, you can use self-rising flour in this recipe. If you do, omit the added baking powder and salt.
- Milk: I recommend whole milk for the best taste and texture, but you can use buttermilk, reduced-fat or nondairy milk in a pinch. Avoid using nonfat milk.
- Almond Extract: If you omit the almond extract, I recommend adding about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest for some extra flavor.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Thank you for this very easy and delicious dessert. I used sweet dark cherries, and my spouse thinks it’s more like a pudding than a cobbler, but it reminds me of a buckle with the fruit enclosed in a fluffy bake. I’m going to try substituting brandy for vanilla and adding lemon zest and juice to mix it up a little. Not to take away from the already delicious use of vanilla. Just for variety.
Enjoyed this seasonal fruit recipe. Made it gluten-free using the Bob’s Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Flour. Baked 60 minutes for a cake-like texture. Second time I halved the recipe to divide among four individual 5″ Emile Henry tart dishes cooking them for only 50 minutes. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make a satisfying but not overwhelming after dinner dessert.
Just made this with some very juicy tart cherries that we just picked. It tastes amazing! I noticed there was quite a bit of juice at the bottom though. Would it be best to try and strain some of it out or use corn starch to help thicken it up?
You could try adding some cornstarch, but it’s likely best to strain some of the liquid out!
I just made it and it’s in the oven! Thanks 4 the amazing recipe!!
I used half fresh and half frozen cherries and it turned out well, easy to make. In the future, however, I would lessen the amount of cherries as a personal preference.
Looks delicious. I’m curious if I could sub honey or syrup for the sugar and if so, how much? My husband is cutting out refund sugars and I want him to feel good eating it! thank you!
Hi Sally, we fear liquid sugars would not be ideal here. This is already a pretty wet batter, so adding more liquid may compromise how the cobbler bakes up. Best to stick with granulated sugar here!
Thank you!! What about coconut sugar? Same amount, if so?
Super easy and super delicious! Made one using all cherries and one with a combination of cherries and peaches. Both were fantastic, especially topped with vanilla ice cream!
I overall liked it, it was very tasty. I made it with blueberries as that’s what I had fresh. I feel a it had way too much butter, so next time I’d use less. The almond flavor was too strong so I’d use 1/8 teaspoon or leave it out. I’d like more batter.
I brought this to dinner at a cottage neighbour’s yesterday. My cherry picker was at home so it was a labour of love to pit the cherries. I omitted the vanilla and almond extract because I didn’t have any. I used 1/2 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 cup almond flour and added a handful of chocolate chips which took it to the next level. I added sliced almonds about 10 min into the bake. It was declared delicious by all. I will definitely make this again but next time will use 4 or 5 tablespoons of butter insteaad of 6. I also reduced the sugar by a couple of tablespoons. I also subbed oat milk for whole milk
Your review was not for this recipe. You changed too much to give the recipe 5 stars.
I wanted to love this but it just wasn’t quite right somehow. The batter cooked up kinda rubbery and gummy, and seemed like far too small an amount to accompany four whole cups of cherries. Everyone liked it but to me it felt like I had forgotten an ingredient in the batter or something. I don’t know what went wrong.
Mine did the same tonight, I’m combing over other similar recipes to see what went wrong. The one I followed called for a 13×9 pan, but aside from that was nearly identical. It was really greasy when it came out of the oven, and it’s rubbery. I know I didn’t forget the baking powder and mines fresh. Looking for answers too!
For your easy cherry cobbler, will the buttermilk biscuit-like crust from your peach cobbler work with it? We absolutely love that topping.
Hi Janet, instead we’d use our peach cobbler recipe, following the recipe notes there about swapping with other fruits. Enjoy!
Can you use buttermilk instead of whole milk?
Absolutely. In fact, that’s how I made it most recently.
Thank you for the perfect cobbler recipe! I have tried many over the years and was not thrilled, but this one is perfect for us in every way! I used a mix of frozen tart cherries which I halved and frozen blueberries
Soooo Good. This was awesome. I used half cherries half blackberries as I have an abundance growing in my garden. I also topped with Swedish sugar and that added a wonderful crunch. Will definitely make this again.
Great receipe. Can you make it with apples?
Absolutely! I would add a little cinnamon and nutmeg if using apples.
I made this for a dinner party last night and everyone loved it. I think it tasted even better the day after it was made!
Hi, Sally! I’ve planning to make a peach-something next week. This recipe came at a great time! My question is how would you compare/contrast this with your Peach Cobbler recipe so I can decide which to make? Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth, the peach cobbler recipe has a drop-biscuit-style topping, vs this batter-style cobbler which tastes a bit more cakey. Both are delicious, and you could use either with peeled chopped peaches!
Hi Sally,
I am not sure what happened but I used a 2.8 oval casserole dish and my batter did not rise. It was very gluey. I did follow your recipe to the letter and put it back in the oven several times. Do you think I used too much fruit? I did measure the cherries after I halved them. Any ideas? We use your recipes all the time and this has never happened!
Thanks for your help!
Hi Jennifer, yes, I wonder if there was simply too much fruit and the cherries were particularly juicy? Because that can affect how the batter bakes. When we originally tested this recipe, we used 5 cups of halved cherries and while it was still delicious, the texture was much better after reducing the amount. You can certainly try it again with less fruit.
This recipe is definitely a keeper! The three of us nearly finished the entire dish after dinner. I used the last of the frozen cherries we brought back from a trip to Michigan. So delicious! The crunchy corners were my favorite!
I’ve been using this recipe for 40 years it originally came from southern living. You can use self rising flour and cut out the salt and baking powder
Yes, that’s right! That’s how the recipe was originally.
This recipe is practically the same as my mom’s Southern-style Cobbler that she used to make all the time when I was a child. I make it regularly as an adult because it’s so tasty and to remember her since she died. I make it with peaches or blueberries or sour cherries, either frozen or fresh. I also sometimes mix multiple fruits together. My mom’s recipe calls for pouring the batter over top of the melted butter and then the fruit on top of that. I’ll have to try putting the fruit in first to see what that’s like. I also regularly substitute oat milk because my kids are lactose intolerant, and it works just fine. My mom’s recipe doesn’t include vanilla or almond extract and that sounds like a good addition. I also like sprinkling cinnamon on top before baking.
Hi Carol! It’s nice to read how you have used different ingredients/fruits etc. Last night, actually, some friends and I tried it with a mix of blueberries, peaches, and blackberries. It was incredible! I really like the extra flavor from vanilla and almond extracts.
I want to try peach only. Would you recommend slices or chunks?
When I tested, I chopped them into 1/2-inch chunks. Same bake time.
Please let us know what difference if any you notice putting batter first vs fruit first.
Yes, now that you mention it I do remember that being part of the magic of a cobbler was at the batter rose to the top and the fruit sunk to the bottom, while baking.
So good! I’d like to make this in individual (pot pie)style disposable pans. How full to fill and how long to bake do you suggest?
Thank you!
Hi Terry, We haven’t tested this but can’t see why it wouldn’t work. Fill your pans about half way but we are unsure of the exact bake time you would need. Let us know if you give it a try!
Can this be done in a 9X13 pan? I’d like to make it for a large group
Hi Joan, we haven’t tested it, but it would likely work if you double the recipe. I’m unsure of the bake time. If you try it, please let us know if it works!
Hi! Loved this cobbler recipe, so delicious and the tart sweetness of the fresh cherries screams summer. I was wondering where the pink round baking dish in the pictures is from?
Hi Haley! Thank you so much. It’s from Anthropologie, specifically Jerrelle Guy’s line. I got it several months ago and I don’t see it available any more!
I love this recipe, except mine is called ‘Miss Avon’s Peach Cobbler’ because we never used cherries only fresh peaches. This is the first thing I learned to bake at age 7! My summer visits always included helping her peel fresh peaches for cobbler and to freeze.
My mom used to make this kind of dessert all the time, with the addition of an egg to the batter. She called it a “cuppa cake” because she used a cup of this and a cup of that. I have made it with fresh peaches, berries (mixed or not), and cherries. Canned fruit works great, too! All very good. I think I like the tenderness of the cake better with your recipe.
Can you use other fruit besides cherries? Just wondering.
Hi Linda, yes you can–see the recipe Notes about that!
I’ve used this recipe for years. The only difference is, I use a teaspoon of lemon zest and lemon juice in with the fruit, it really does brighten up the flavors!
This brings back such wonderful memories. My French great-grandmother also called this a clafoutis. We would pit the cherries the day before, then, she would soak them in a few tablespoons of brandy overnight before starting the recipe. She was over 100 years old when she made her last clafoutis for our extended family, even though she could no longer lift her cast iron skillet but that only slowed her down a little bit.
This cobbler was the first baked item I made as a child from a local radio station cookbook about 50 yrs ago! Yes, even canned fruit! (Which is what that recipe called for)
Could I use almond milk instead of whole milk and forgo adding the extract?
Hi Patrick, You can use nondairy milk in a pinch. We don’t recommend skipping the vanilla extract as your batter will taste a little flat. If you omit the almond extract, we recommend adding about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest for some extra flavor.
Hallo Sally,
i’m an adoring, but quiet fan of your page!
This Cherry Cubbler (for me Clafoutis) is a wonderful memory of warm summer days in my childhood.
y mother never pitted the cherries. That way the cubbler wasn’t as juicy. My 4 siblings and I loved this lunch.
But the best part was that we ate outside in the shade of an apple tree and we were allowed to spit the pits out into the garden.
It was just heavenly!!
This is the only way to make cobbler. I never tried cherries before & now they are right next to peaches as my favorite. Depending on the fruit I will use half white sugar & half brown sugar.