Why I love this easy apple cobbler recipe
Apple desserts are one of my favorite things to make in the fall, especially when they’re served warm with vanilla ice cream melting over the top.
But sometimes I want that warm apple-and-cinnamon dessert without having to peel and slice a whole bowl of apples first.
That’s where this easy apple cobbler recipe comes in.
Using canned apple pie filling and cake mix takes care of most of the prep.
While a few simple additions give it more flavor than you would expect from a shortcut dessert.
And since everything goes into one baking dish, it’s an easy option when you want a homemade dish without a lot of cleanup afterward.
More apple desserts
Ingredients
Here is your shopping list (for 12 scoops):
- Canned goods – 2 21-ounce cans apple pie filling
- Cake mix – 1 15.25-ounce box butter cake mix
- Fresh produce – 1 lemon
- Flavoring – 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Spices – ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Dairy – ½ cup salted or unsalted butter
Substitutions & Additions
- Yellow cake mix can be used in place of the butter cake mix. The flavor will be slightly less buttery, but the topping will bake in the same way.
How to make apple cobbler (the easy way)
1 | Prep work
Preheat the oven to 350°F so it is fully heated before the cobbler goes in.
Grease a 9- x 13-inch baking dish.
Cut the unsalted butter into small pieces.
Squeeze half a lemon to get 1 1/2 Tablespoons juice.
2 | Make the apple mixture
Add the apple pie filling to a large bowl.
Then stir in the lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon, taking care not to break up the apple slices more than necessary.
Pour the seasoned apple pie filling into the greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Spread it into an even layer so the fruit and sauce cover the bottom of the dish.
3 | Prepare for baking
Pour the dry butter cake mix evenly over the apple filling.
Spread it all the way to the edges of the baking dish so the apples are covered with an even layer.
Use a fork to poke some of the dry cake mix down into the apple pie filling.
You do not need to mix the layers together. Just push portions of the mix into the filling while leaving the rest spread across the top.
Scatter the small pieces of butter over the entire surface of the cake mix.
Distribute them as evenly as possible so the melting butter reaches as much of the dry topping as it can while the cobbler bakes.
4 | Bake
Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and look for areas of cake mix that are still dry on top.
Push those dry areas down into the apple filling so they can absorb moisture.
Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 30 minutes.
Remove the cobbler from the oven after the second 30-minute bake.
Serve it warm. Or let it cool before serving if you prefer a firmer, more settled filling.
How to make ahead
You can bake the apple cobbler up to 1 day ahead of time.
Let it cool completely, cover, and store it in the refrigerator.
You can either serve it cold (I usually take it out of the refrigerator an hour or so in advance so it has a chance to warm up a little.)
Or cover the baking dish loosely with foil. Then reheat it in a 350°F oven until warmed through (about 20 to 30 minutes).
Easy Apple Cobbler
Ingredients
- 2 21-ounce cans apple pie filling
- 1½ Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 15.25 ounce box butter cake mix
- ½ cup unsalted butter cut into small pieces
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- large bowl
- silicone spatula
- 9- x 13-inch baking dish, greased
- cutting board
- knife
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pour the apple pie filling Into a large bowl.2 21-ounce cans apple pie filling
- Stir the lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon being careful not to break up the apples.1½ Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Pour the cake mix on top and spread evenly to the edges.1 15.25 ounce box butter cake mix
- Poke some of the cake mix down into the apple pie filling with a fork.
- Scatter the pieces of butter all over the top.½ cup unsalted butter
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F.
- Then remove and push the drier areas down into the apple pie filling.
- Bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and enjoy warm or allow it to cool before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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