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This easy strawberry cobbler is the perfect summer dessert! Fresh, sweet gooey strawberries in a warm buttery crust are irresistable with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s made with simple ingredients and will have everyone reaching for seconds!
Warm homemade strawberry cobbler is one of my favorite fruit desserts to make in the summer. Along with this peach blueberry cobbler, it’s always a hit with family and friends when I serve it at barbecues and picnics, plus it’s super easy to make!
Making this cobbler doesn’t require any fancy equipment, just a couple mixing bowls. While the strawberries macerate stir together the batter, then combine them in a baking dish and pop it in the oven to bake. Serve it with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate strawberry dessert! If you’re looking for more fresh strawberry desserts, try these no bake strawberry pie bites, chocolate strawberry cream pie, and strawberry cheesecake bars.
Table of Contents
- Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tips for the Best Strawberry Cobbler
- Recipe Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Cobbler vs. Crisp vs. Crumble: What’s the Difference?
- Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?
- How to Store Leftover Strawberry Cobbler
- How to Reheat Strawberry Cobbler
- More Fruit Desserts
- Strawberry Cobbler Recipe
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Strawberries – Fresh strawberries work best for this recipe. Ripe strawberries should be red all the way up to the stem. Smell them, they should smell sweet.
Sugar – Granulated sugar is needed to macerate the berries and sweeten the batter.
Lemon – Lemon juice enhances the strawberries natural sweetness. I prefer to use fresh lemon juice vs bottled lemon juice for the best flavor.
Almond and vanilla extract – Both extracts deepen the flavor of the strawberries and enhance their sweetness. For the best vanilla flavor use vanilla bean paste.
Flour – All-purpose keeps the cobbler batter nice and light. If you want to use whole wheat I recommend white whole wheat flour to keep the flavor mild. Regular whole wheat has a more bitter and earthy flavor. You can also use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour such as Bob’s Red Mill.
Baking powder – Baking powder is needed for the batter to rise and get a fluffy texture.
Butter – Use unsalted butter so the cobbler isn’t too salty. No need to soften it, you’ll be melting it in the baking dish.
Milk – Whole milk will give the the best flavor, however you can use any type of milk.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Cobbler
- Hull the strawberries and cut in half. Use the tip of a knife to cut around the stem of the strawberry and remove it. Cut the berries in half or if they’re large, quarter them.
- Add extra sugar if your strawberries aren’t very sweet. I recommend adding an additional 2-4 tablespoons of sugar to the berries when you macerate them.
- Don’t dump the excess strawberry juices in with the cobbler. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out into the melted butter and batter. Using the excess juice will prevent the cobbler from setting up correctly and make it soggy.
- Let the cobbler cool before serving it. The cobbler needs to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. This will allow it to set up and the juices to thicken.
- Serving suggestions. Strawberry cobbler pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. I highly recommend either option for an easy fruit cobbler, including apple cobbler.
Recipe Variations
Berry Variations – If you want to use a mix of berries, try adding raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries in with the strawberries. Just be sure you keep the total amount of berries the same.
Gluten-free – To make a gluten-free strawberry cobbler, replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour. Be sure it’s a 1:1 flour and not something such as chickpea flour.
Use a cast iron skillet – If you don’t have a 9×13 baking dish use a 12 inch cast iron skillet instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cobbler vs. Crisp vs. Crumble: What’s the Difference?
A cobbler has a fluffy biscuit or pie crust topping, or cake batter that bakes in with the fruit. A crisp, such as this peach crisp, blueberry crisp, and apple crisp, has a crunchy buttery streusel topping that uses oats, while a crumble has the same streusel topping, but without the oats.
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?
I find that fresh strawberries work best, but you can use frozen strawberries. Be sure to defrost them first then drain any excess juices and pat them dry before macerating them. If you skip those step you may end up with a soggy cobbler.
How to Store Leftover Strawberry Cobbler
Let the cobbler cool completely before covering the baking dish and refrigerating if for 3-4 days. You can also freeze leftover strawberry cobbler in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
How to Reheat Strawberry Cobbler
The best way to reheat fresh strawberry cobbler is in the oven. Let it sit out on the counter to take the chill off while the oven is preheating to 350° F. Cover the baking dish loosely with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until it bubbly.
More Fruit Desserts
Strawberry Cobbler Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 pounds strawberries hulled and halved
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Batter
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Wash, hull, and halve the strawberries. Place them in a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Set aside and let the berries macerate.
- Cut the butter into pieces and add them into a 9×13 baking dish. Place the dish into the oven and let the butter melt while you make the batter.
- In a mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Slowly pour in the milk and stir the batter together as you do. Stir just until combined.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven. Pour the batter on top of the melted butter and smooth it into an even layer.
- Use a slotted spoon the strawberries over the batter. Leave the remaining juices in the bowl and discard them. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar if desired, then place the baking dish back into the oven.
- Bake at 350° F. for 50-65 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crisp and the strawberry juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. This allows it to set up. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Warm, fruity, and ridiculously easy — this strawberry cobbler is summer dessert perfection.