Cherry cobbler recipes use a variety of techniques to create different textures. A cobbler is a pretty open category, defined as a dessert made with fruit filling covered with a biscuit, batter, or dumpling top and then baked in the oven.
Then there are regional variations like a grunt, slump, pandowdy, betty, buckle, dump cake, and sonker. It's a messy category without a clear definition, likey due to their improvisational origin.
This collection of recipes focuses on the more common types of cherry cobblers that use biscuit and batter toppings. I look for recipes that use fresh cherries (with only a couple of exceptions) since this is part of my series of cherry recipes while they are in season.
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Biscuit cobblers
Biscuit cherry cobblers are the classic cobbler most people picture. Within this category, there are still a bunch of variations:
- Distinct biscuits on top that hold their shape
- A biscuit dough that spreads out to cover the whole top
- The British scone-topped style
Biscuits that hold their shape
A thicker biscuit dough, usually one that you can work with your hands, will keep its shape when baked rather than spread out.
Look for cherry cobbler recipes where the biscuit dough uses a lot less liquid - typically around half the amount compared to flour. For example, this recipe from Barley & Sage uses ½ a cup of heavy cream and 1 cup of flour. And here's another version from Bon Appetit.
These types of recipes also tend cut the biscuits, but not always. Here's a drop biscuit cherry cobbler (that still holds its shape) from Katiebird Bakes.
Biscuits that spread
If you want biscuits that spread to make more of a crust on your cherry cobbler, look for a recipe where the batter isn't as firm. This topping tends to be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Cindy Rahe's version (pictured above) on Simply Recipes says, "the topping spreads and puffs over the fruit filling as it bakes, so don't worry too much about gaps when you're dolloping.
"Magic" batter cobblers
The other main type of cherry cobbler recipes are "magic" cobblers, where a runny batter is poured into a hot pan that's coated in melted butter. These batters will have about equal amounts of flour and milk.
The batter fills in around the cherries and cooks up with a fluffy, almost pancake-like interior. The hot butter sets the bottom right away, creating a crispy, brown-butter flavored crust. It's not unlike the crispy exterior of a waffle.
I tested out several variations of this style, and here's the cherry cobbler recipe I use when fresh cherries are in season every year.
For these cherry cobbler recipes, you'll probably want a metal baking pan, which will transfer heat better than glass or ceramic. Without that extra heat transfer, the bottoms can end up soggy. (Glass or ceramic are perfectly fine for the biscuit topping versions, by the way).
Buttermilk cherry cobblers
A lot of popular cherry cobbler recipes use buttermilk because the added sour tang amplifies the acidity in cherries. Buttermilk works for both biscuits and the pour-over batter style.
- Buttermilk biscuit cherry cobbler by Every Little Crumb
- Cherry cobbler with almond-buttermilk topping from NYTimes Cooking
- Pour-over batter "Magic" buttermilk cherry cobbler by Family Savvy
- Cherry cobbler made with Greek yogurt (also tangy!) from The Irishman's Wife
Scone topped cobblers
Scone topped cherry cobbler recipes are very similar to the biscuit style ones, but with a dryer texture that will definitely hold its shape. Some of them even use a boxed scone mix.
- Stone fruit cobbler with scones, recipe from Smitten Kitchen
- Cherry cobbler with boxed scone mix from Arizona's Family
- Buttermilk scone cherry cobbler recipe from Pemberley Cup & Cakes
Cornmeal cherry cobblers
Corn is an incredible pairing with certain summer fruits, specifically blueberries and cherries. Cherry cobbler recipes that use cornmeal will have more flavor depth and a courser texture to offset the soft, cooked cherries.
Cornmeal cobblers lean savory-sweet and less pie-like. Here are some recipes to try:
- Cherry & peach cornmeal cobbler from Brooklyn Supper (pictured above)
- Berry cobbler with Jiffy mix from Country Living (you can sub in cherries)
- Cornmeal cherry cobbler with biscuits that spread, from Chelsea Green
Skillet cobblers
Let's talk about cookware for a minute, because it matters!
Metal baking pans are excellent for the runny-batter (magic) style cherry cobblers because they ensure that batter fully cooks. On the other hand, ceramic baking dishes work great for biscuit-topped versions because they gently bake the cherries while the biscuits fluff and brown.
Cast iron gets hot and holds that heat. It works for both styles of cobbler, sometimes the cherry filling is pre-cooked, sometimes it's not. It's also a fun way to serve the dessert, since the cast iron will keep it warm while people help themselves.
Here are some skillet cherry cobbler recipes to try:
- Magic-style cherry cobbler in a skillet from Jo Cooks (pictured above)
- Biscuit topped cherry cobbler in a skillet from This is How I Cook
Cherry cobbler in a slow cooker
If there's a way you can make a recipe in a Crock Pot, someone has figured it out. Do cherry cobblers count? You betchya!
Some recipes keep things extremely easy and use cherry pie filling. While I focus on using fresh produce when it's in season, I'll make an exception and still recommend these recipes (because sometimes, you just can't pass up the convenience).
Most of the recipes I browsed also suggest placing a kitchen towel under the lid when covering the slow cooker so it absorbs the steam. This makes it cook faster and keeps the topping crispier.
Here are some cherry cobbler recipes to try in your slow cooker:
- His & Hers slow cooker cobbler (pictured above) from The Magical Slow Cooker that uses canned pie filling and yellow cake mix
- Slow cooker cherry cobbler using canned cherry pie filling and refrigerated biscuit dough, from Show Me The Yummy
- Chocolate cherry cobbler using chocolate cake mix from Amanda's Cookin'
- Slow cooker cherry cobbler with fresh cherries and homemade topping, from The Food Network
Chocolate cherry cobblers
Chocolate and cherries are a classic pairing, so why not mix the two into a cobbler recipe? You can make add chocolate chips to the batter or go bigger by making the whole batter chocolatey.
Here are some recipes to try:
- Black Forest cherry cobbler (biscuits that spread) - recipe from Food Fashion Party (pictured above)
- Cherry cobbler with chocolate chip biscuits, recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
- Cherry cobbler with white chocolate biscuits from Living Vegan
Looking for more chocolate & cherry desserts? Try this cherry tart with chocolate ganache.
Boozy cobblers
Want a boozy spin on a cherry cobbler? Maybe make your 4th of July party a little more interesting? I found a few recipes that you should try:
- Brandied cherry cobbler from Poetry and Pies
- Cherry cobbler with bourbon whipped cream from Honest Cooking & Travel
- Bourbon cherry cobbler from Bell'alimento
- Red wine cherry cobbler from The Flour Handprint
- Cherry cobbler with cherry liquor from Java Cupcake
Using box cake mixes (and more)
A handful of cherry cobbler recipes make use of the convenience of boxed mixes, like cake mix, Bisquick, and scone mix. Here are a few recipes to try:
- Cherry cobbler with Bisquick from Little Chef Within (pictured above)
- Cherry cobbler with a yellow cake mix crumbly topping from Crayons + Cravings
- Chocolate cake mix cherry cobbler recipe from Sugar, Spice, and Glitter
- Jiffy Cornmeal berry cobblers (sub in cherries) from Country Living
- Scone box mix cherry cobbler from Stonewall Kitchen
Unique cherry cobbler recipes
Now that we covered the most popular types of cherry cobbler recipes, let's take a look at some unique variations. I've put them into two categories: adding flavor to the topping and flavored cherry fillings.
For example, Kitchen Confidante adds coconut milk and shredded coconut into the biscuit batter (pictured above).
Flavored biscuit toppings
One way you can spice things up is to make a flavored biscuit or batter topping. You can add in nuts, chocolate, and other flavors.
- Cherry cobbler with honey & vanilla bean biscuits from Half Baked Harvest (pictured above)
- Cherry & pistachio cobbler from The English Home
- Cherry almond cobbler from What To Munch
- Cherry cobbler with a chewy cooking topping from Of Batter & Dough
- Cherry cobbler with rosemary flavored biscuits from The Spiffy Cookie
Flavored cherry fillings
Add some unique flavors to the cherry filling, or mix in other fruit. It's a flexible dessert, so have fun experimenting.
- Cherry & citrus cobbler recipe from Mommy Evolution, adding acidity with oranges and grapefruit (pictured above)
- Sumac cherry cobbler with buttermilk biscuits from Fanciful Eats
- Peach & cherry cobbler from Live, Love, Good Food
- Cherry & blueberry cobbler from Waiting for Blancmange
- Basil cherry cobbler from Main Street Farms
More recipes & resources
If you're wondering what else is currently in season, check out my calendars to see what produce is in season each month (and coming up soon).
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