Almond Spiced Cherry Cobbler Recipe

There are few baked desserts that are easier or more fool-proof to assemble than a cobbler. Delicious stewed fruit with a light, scone-like batter baked on top; cobblers are a truly classic pudding option and it's clear to see why they are so adored. But, what is the difference between a cobbler and a crisp? It's all in the topping; a crisp has an oat-based streusel-like top, while a cobbler is comprised of a softer, biscuit or cake-like topping that is mixed together as a batter and then dolloped on the top of the fruit layer. The cobbler has American colonial period origins and was originally consumed at any time of day, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It's only more recently that we have categorized this dish as a dessert. 

This almond spiced cherry cobbler created by Tasting Table's recipe developer Jennine Rye combines the rich sweet flavor of cherry with nutty almond and warming spices to make a treat that everyone will enjoy.

To make this almond spiced cherry cobbler recipe, you will need to gather the ingredients. For the fruit layer, you will want cherries, sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg. For the cobbler topping, you will additionally require almond flour, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

For this recipe, we advise that you use either frozen cherries or fresh cherries, rather than the canned variety which often comes in its own flavored syrup. If you are using fresh cherries you will want to pit them before cooking with them, and one of the easiest ways to do this is by using a piping nozzle! Simply find a piping nozzle that is slightly smaller than the cherries and push it down gently through the cherry to push the pit out.

The easiest way to prepare the fruit layer for this almond spiced cherry cobbler is by using the baking dish as your mixing bowl; it's both quicker and it creates less washing up. Add the cherries and then scatter over some sugar and flour, along with the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Then, using a wooden spoon, simply mix everything together so that the cherries are throughly coated and the flavors are evenly infused throughout the dish.

To make the topping, first you will want to whisk together the dry ingredients; the flour, the sugar, the almond flour, the baking powder, and the salt. Then, add cold, diced butter to the bowl and rub it in using your fingertips, to create a mixture that resembles wet sand. For this stage you will ideally want to have cold hands so that the butter doesn't melt and get greasy. Then, simply fold in the buttermilk along with the vanilla and almond extracts, and then you are ready to assemble the cobbler.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out spoonfuls of the batter and dollop it on the top of the fruit layer; this doesn't have to be neat, cobbler is a fairly rustic dessert after all. Once all of the batter is on the fruit layer, you can sprinkle it with some sugar if you wish, then, place the cobbler in the oven and let the heat do all of the hard work for you. The cobbler will be ready in about an hour, when the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling up around the sides.

Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a little while before serving, then enjoy! "A big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dash of whipped cream is the perfect way to serve this dessert," Rye says. Store any cold leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.