Easy Cherry Cobbler with Fresh or Frozen Cherries (original) (raw)

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_This easy Cherry Cobbler recipe has delicious (fresh, frozen, or canned) cherries in a warm, tender cake. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Cherry Cobbler is the summer dessert that never disappoints.

This cherry cobbler recipe is as easy as it is irresistible, and although I love fresh cherries best, it will taste great with frozen or canned cherries, too. We make the juicy cherry filling and pour it right on top of the batter. Then while it bakes the batter will rise up over the filling, leaving a cake-like cobbler topping with juicy cherries throughout. Nothing beats serving it warm with a melty scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Don't miss my other cobbler recipes like Peach Cobbler, Blackberry Cobbler, Pecan Cobbler, Blueberry Cobbler, or Apple Cobbler!

How to make Cherry Cobbler:

Prep the Cherries: In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir in cherries and cook for a few minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. (See notes for canned or frozen cherries.)

Make the Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F. Add sliced butter to a 9×13-inch dish and place in the oven to melt. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk just until combined, then pour batter over the melted butter.

Assemble and Bake: Spoon the cherry mixture over the batter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

What Type of Cherries Work Best for Cobbler?

You can use sweet cherries (the big, dark red kind), sour cherries, or even a mix of both for this recipe. I love the balance of flavor when combining the two! If you’re using sour cherries, consider adding a bit more sugar to the filling to offset their tartness. For canned cherries, make sure to use plain sour cherries, not cherry pie filling, which won’t work well here. Frozen cherries are also a great option—just prepare them as directed, but stir in an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to help thicken the sauce.

Cherries:

• ▢ 4 cups fresh cherries*, (600g), pitted and halved (a little over 1 lb)
• ▢ 2/3 cup granulated sugar, (135g), (more or less depending on sweetness of cherries)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, (16g)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (30ml), about ½ a lemon
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (5ml)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Batter:

• ▢ 6 Tablespoons butter, (85g)

• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour, (125g)

• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar, (200g)

• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder, (8g)

• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt

• ▢ 3/4 cup milk, (180ml)

• ▢ ground cinnamon

• Make Cherry filling: Add sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract to a saucepan and stir. Add cherries and cook for a few minutes, until sugar is dissolved into a sauce and sauce has slightly thickened. (See notes if using canned or frozen cherries).
  2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract, 4 cups fresh cherries*

• Melt butter in pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice butter into pieces and add to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place the pan in the oven while it preheats, to allow the butter to melt. Once melted, remove the pan from the oven.
  6 Tablespoons butter

• Make the batter: In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, just until combined. Pour the mixture over melted butter in pan and smooth it into an even layer.
  1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¾ cup milk

• Bake: Spoon the cherries and sauce mixture over the batter. (the batter will rise up and over the cherries, while baking.) Sprinkle cinnamon generously over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
  ground cinnamon

• Serve warm, with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.

Cherries: Sweet (dark red) or tart cherries will work (or a combination). If using tart cherries you may want to add a little more sugar to the filling.

• Frozen Cherries: Prepare as directed but add 1 tablespoon additional cornstarch to saucepan.
• Canned Cherries: Use two 14.5 oz cans of cherries canned in water (or light syrup if necessary). Do not use canned cherry pie filling. Drain the juice from the cans of cherries, reserving ¼ cup. Stir cornstarch into reserved juice, then add to a saucepan with sugar, vanilla and almond extract. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in cherries.
• Uncooked Cherry Filling: you can mix the cherry fillings together and add to the cobbler without cooking in saucepan, but I think cooking first produces a better result.

Gluten Free Cherry Cobbler: Substitute a gluten-free baking flour mix.

Make Ahead Instructions: This cherry cobbler is best served immediately, but it can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Reheating Instructions: The microwave is the easiest and quickest way to heat a serving, but you can also use the oven. Take the cobbler out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until heated through. Place a sheet of foil over the cobbler if it starts getting too brown.

Freezing instructions: Baked cobbler can be frozen, covered well, for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge, then reheat in the oven.

Calories: 320kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 227mg, Potassium: 189mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 46g, Vitamin A: 306IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 90mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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I originally shared this recipe July 2022. Updated July 2025.

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Published July 7, 2025

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.