Easy apple cobbler with pie crust is one of the best old fashioned desserts you can make. My recipe for this southern favorite starts by making apple filling with the perfect mix of fresh apples, sugar, and spices. Pie crust, whether homemade or storebought, is then used to make a lattice top and add dumplings to the filling, the combination of textures really putting this over the top. If you want to learn how to make apple cobbler with pie crust, this is the one.

Easy Apple Cobbler with Pie Crust vs. Cake Mix

When making apple cobbler, many people dread the crust. They imagine getting flour all over their kitchen and then struggling to roll out the dough, all for a dessert that is mostly fruit filling. Intimidated by the possible struggle, people looking for a quick dessert often choose an apple cobbler with cake mix recipe since all they have to do is sprinkle the cake mix over the pie filling to make the topping.

Although cake mix cobblers are good, there is nothing like an old fashioned apple cobbler with pie crust. Pie crust is essential is a good southern apple cobbler because of the:

Crispy pie crust on top – The contrast between crispy pie crust on top and goey fruit filling in the middle is amazing.
Extra crust on the bottom – Even more texture contrast
Dumplings – Many old fashioned southern cobbler recipes have small bits of pie crust in the apple filling that turns soft and pillowy as it soaks up the fruity juice.
Not as sweet – Cake mix comes with sugar, but pie crust only has a small amount. Combined with the sweet fruit filling, some people think that cake mix cobblers are too sweet–not so with pie crust cobblers.

As you can see, making apple cobbler with pie crust gives the dessert a texture contrast that using cake mix does not. You can also control the sweetness of an old fashioned pie crust cobbler a bit more, so making apple cobbler with pie crust is definitely a good idea.

Refrigerated vs. Frozen Pie Crust

Even though the taste and texture of apple cobbler with pie crust is worth a bit more effort, most people still want the recipe to be as easy possible. Instead of making a crust, they usually turn to storebought crusts such as Pillsbury for convenience. Although there are a lot of options, it can be hard to decide between a refrigerated or a frozen pie crust when making cobbler.

In an article on SimplyRecipes.com, Elise Bauer did a review of storebought pie crusts. Although she included both frozen and refrigerated crusts, the top 4 crusts were all frozen. Interestingly, Pillsbury was the highest rated refrigerated crust, but at number 5 it was far from the top-ranked option.

She noted that the frozen crusts have fewer preservatives. Also, all of the crusts that had butter as an ingredient were frozen, so that may have something to do with her rankings as well.

Although the frozen pie crusts performed better in the taste test, when reviewing the Trader Joe’s frozen crust she warned her readers to make sure the crust is completely thawed before attempting to roll out; otherwise, the crust will break into pieces.

Considering Bauer’s rankings, if you are looking for a premade pie crust for your apple cobbler, I would suggest a frozen pie crust, preferably one that has butter as an ingredient–just make sure it isn’t still frozen when you try to roll it out.

Apple Cobbler with Pie Crust Recipe — My apple cobbler with pie crust recipe is one of the best desserts ever.

Making a Homemade Crust

However, if you want to make a homemade crust, I highly suggest my easy melted butter and oil pie crust recipe. Even though it isn’t as flakey as other crusts, the recipe is super easy since there is no grating in cold butter. Also, it is very flavorful–but not too flavorful–so it complements the pie’s filling perfectly without competing against it.

Everyone who tries my pies and cobblers loves the crust, so I hope that you give it a try!

Apple Cobbler with Canned Apples and Pie Crust?

If it’s possible to use a ready-made crust for the cobbler, you might be wondering if it’s possible to use canned pie filling, too.

Honestly, I think it’s probably possible, but I wouldn’t because making homemade cobbler filling with fresh apples allows you to control the sweetness, spices, amount of juice, as well as the thickness of the filling.

In regards to canned apples, the old fashioned kind of preserved apples that are sweet but not too sweet, I think those would be a better option. I have never used them, so you would have to experiment with the amount of sugar, cornstarch, and spices that you would need.

Even though apple cobbler with canned apples and pie crust would be possible, I don’t recommend it–leave the canned apples for dump cake cobblers.

Can You Make Apple Cobbler Ahead of Time?

Since preparing fresh apples, making the filling, rolling out dough, and putting everything together can take a bit of time, you might be wondering if you can make apple cobbler ahead of time.

Yes, you can! But there are a few things to consider:

If making more than an hour or two ahead of time, freeze it – Otherwise, the pie crust will likely start to get soggy.
Freeze in an aluminum or ceramic pan, not glass – Glass can shatter if the temperature changes too quickly, so a glass Pyrex dish probably isn’t the best option when you make apple cobbler ahead of time.
For best results, do not defrost first – This is my opinion, but in my experience, things like empanadas and tarts that have a crust similar to a cobbler or pie seem to bake better if put in the oven straight from the freezer and not allowed to thaw.

Even though there are a few rules to keep in mind, you can definitely make your apple cobbler ahead of time so that you don’t have as much work to do on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Sunday.

Prepping Apples Ahead of Time

Although you have to be careful when making an entire cobbler ahead of time, I highly recommend prepping the fruit ahead of time and freezing it. Prepping apples and making a cobbler all in one day is a lot of work, so just like when I make collard greens, prepping, cutting, and then freezing the day before can be a lifesaver.

Can You Freeze Baked Apple Cobbler?

Unfortunately, I do not recommend freezing apple cobbler–or any baked good–that has already been cooked. Although many people bake pies ahead of time for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or other holidays and then freeze them, I think that freezing already cooked crust changes the texture negatively.

Since freezing leftover apple cobbler would negatively affect the texture, that’s all the more reason to eat 2–if not 3–slices so that it doesn’t go to waste, haha!

Delicious Apple Cobbler Recipe — This delicious apple cobbler recipe is super easy, especially if you use ready made crust.

How to Make Easy Apple Cobbler with Pie Crust

Although my old fashioned apple cobbler with pie crust recipe has multiple steps, this article explains what needs to be done in detail. If you take note of my instructions, I am sure your cobbler will turn out great.

Making the Filling

Choosing and Prepping the Apples

The first step in the recipe is making the filling. Although using gala or honeycrisp apples in pies is very popular, most traditional cooks use granny smith apples. I actually use golden delicious apples when baking because I think they are the best apple for pie. They have the perfect balance of sweetness, tartness, and pectin. If you don’t have access to really good yellow apples, I would use a 50 / 50 combination of green apples and a sweet eating apple just as honeycrisp.

Do You Have To Peel The Apples?

Honestly, peeling and cutting the apples is probably the most difficult part of making this apple cobbler recipe. As I peel and cut the apples, I squeeze some lemon juice over them so that they don’t start oxidizing. The lemon juice adds more depth of flavor, too.

It might be temping to leave the peel on the apples, but they likely won’t break down completely in the pie, leaving somewhat tough bits of apple skin in the filling. Once again, a bit extra work will pay off later.

Can You Make Apple Cobbler Without Brown Sugar?

Most apple pie and cobbler recipes call for brown sugar, but you can definitely make apple cobbler without brown sugar. I think that an even split between white and light brown sugar gives the filling just the right hint of molasses, but all white sugar would be fine, too.

I have not experimented with honey or sugar-free sweeteners, so I will have to try that in the future.

Cinnamon and Other Spices

The key to good apple cobbler filling is using the right amount of spices. Too few, and the cobbler will lack flavor; too many, and you will cover up the apple flavor.

Although I used to be a minimalist when it came to spices in apple pie filling, I know use a combination of:

Cinnamon
Ginger
Nutmeg

I am now in love with this mix of spices, and the amounts I use, so if you have never made an apple cobbler before and you aren’t sure how to spice the filling, I highly suggest using my recommendations.

Dumplings in the Filling?

The crust is a very important part of this recipe, so it makes sense to include more if possible. Many old fashioned cobblers such as southern blackberry cobbler call for adding dumplings, small pieces of pie crust, to the fruit filling.

Adding small bits of pie dough to the fruit filling may sound odd, but it’s actually delicious. The dumplings don’t turn out leathery; instead, they are soft and pillowy, the sweet fruit juice soaking in and making them very flavorful, too.

I know that dumplings in apple cobbler may be a bit controversial, but I love adding dumplings to my cobblers. However, I have to admit that I may have added a bit too many dumplings to this one.

For people who want to give dumplings a try without overwhelming the fruit filling, I would add 1/2 of a 9-inch pie crust, not the almost entire 9-inch crust that I added.

Southern Apple Cobbler with Pie Crust — Southern style apple cobbler with pie crust has dumplings in the filling.

Lattice Crust Top

Almost all cobblers have some sort of topping, and when making a cobbler with pie crust, you can decide whether to add a solid layer or a lattice top.

Even though a solid layer would be perfectly fine, I tend to use lattice tops with my cobblers as a way to differentiate my pies from my cobblers: if the fillings are the same, why not change up the crust on top.

Another reason to use a lattice top is that it will allow more liquid to evaporate, allowing you to thicken the filling with less cornstarch. If I decided to use a solid top, I probably wouldn’t change the recipe for the filling and add more cornstarch. Cobblers are meant to be juicier, so I would be OK with a slightly runnier filling.

To make the lattice strips, simply use a knife to cut strings of pie crust, pick up the strips, and gently lay them over the apple filling. You could try weaving the strips if you want, but I think that is more work than is necessary–just laying the strips on top of each other gives this old fashioned apple cobbler a rustic look.

Possible Changes to the Recipe

Even though this apple cobbler was a hit, possible future tweaks to the recipe include:

Using fewer dumplings – 1/2 of a pie crust instead of a whole pie crust

Double crust cobbler – Instead of dumplings, adding a solid crust to the bottom would make this more reminiscent of a pie. For people who are unsure about the dumplings, a bottom crust would be a good option.

Deep dish cobbler – The apple filling was delicious, so making a deep dish version of this cobbler would be a good way to get more of the amazing fruit filling.

I guess I have some cooking to do…

Other Cobbler Recipes with Pie Crust

If you love old-fashioned cobblers with plenty of crispy pie crust, you might want to also read about:

Peach Cobbler with Canned Peaches and Pie Crust – There’s no prep work in this recipe, so it’s easy.

Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust – Using frozen sour cherries to make the filling means this recipe is easy.