Easy Apple Cobbler with cake mix and fresh apples is a simple, delicious dessert with tender apples, warm spices, plump cranberries, and a soft, cookie-like cobbler topping. Perfect fall dessert that is easy enough for lazy weekends and special enough for Thanksgiving.
Try my easy Apple Pie Filling Recipe and Mini Apple Pies with Puff Pastry next!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more FREE recipes and tips from my Midwestern kitchen to yours!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Midwestern HomeLife
❤️Why You're Going to Love This Recipe
- Turns a box of cake mix into a soft, fluffy cobbler topping
- A mix of tart and sweet apples adds great flavor and texture
- Easy dessert to make ahead for fall gatherings or holidays
- Optional cranberries and walnuts add color, chew, and crunch
- Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream for a cozy, comforting dessert
This easy Apple Cobbler Recipe with Cake Mix combines the warm and cozy flavors of apple pie with the convenience of a cake mix recipe. Unlike dump cake recipes, which call for pouring melted butter over dry cake mix, this recipe turns the cake mix into a soft dough that bakes into a tender cobbler topping similar to a soft cookie. It's a very simple recipe that's quick, comforting, and delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Have extra apples on hand? Dip them in this easy Caramel Apple Dip or my friend's Cinnamon Apple Blondies Recipe.
🍎Ingredients
- Fresh apples. Use a mix of sweet and tart apples like Gala, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith, cut into a variety of ¼-½-inch slices and chunks for the best flavor and texture.
- Dried cranberries. Add tart flavor and a variety of textures. You could also use raisins or omit them altogether.
- Cornstarch. Slightly thickens the apple filling.
- Brown sugar. Adds rich molasses sweetness. You can also use white sugar.
- Spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice create a warm apple pie flavor. Apple pie spice works too.
- Box of yellow cake mix. Makes a buttery, vanilla-scented cobbler topping. Try white cake mix or spice cake mix for variation.
- Walnuts. Add crunch and nutty flavor. You can also use pecans or almonds, or leave them out.
- Sugar. Sprinkle turbinado or granulated sugar on top for a crunchy finish.
🥣How to Make Apple Cobbler with Cake Mix
Step 1. Peel, core, and chop the apples into a variety of ¼-½-inch pieces for chunky texture.
Step 2. In a large bowl, toss apples, cranberries, cornstarch, brown sugar, spices, and salt until evenly coated. Spread into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
Step 3. Stir the cake mix and melted butter until crumbly, then mix in the milk until thick and slightly lumpy.
Step 4. Spoon the batter on top of the apples, flatten gently, and sprinkle with walnuts, if desired.
Step 5. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the top with sugar, and bake for 30-45 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown, and the apples are tender. Cool for 30 minutes before serving warm.
Step 6. Serve cake mix apple cobbler warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
🏆Success Tips
- Cut the apples into thin slices, about ¼" thick, and small chunks, no more than ½ inch thick, for a variety of textures in the filling.
- Dried cranberries are optional, but they plump up during baking and provide a tart pop of flavor.
- Raw turbinado sugar or granulated sugar gives the cobbler topping a satisfying crunch.
🍦Toppings for Apple Cobbler with Cake Mix
❓FAQs
Store leftover cobbler in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Yes. Freeze baked apple cobbler with cake mix in a freezer-safe container covered with a double layer of plastic wrap. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheat apple cobbler with cake mix in a 350-degree oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes. You can also reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, however, the cobbler topping will be softer.
Apple crisp and apple cobbler are very similar in that they are both baked apple desserts with a topping. The difference lies in the topping. Apple crisp has a streusel topping that is made with flour, sugar, butter, and sometimes oats. Apple cobbler has a softer biscuit-like topping.
One medium apple yields ¾ to one cup of chopped apple. For 10 cups, plan on buying 12-13 apples to be on the safe side.
For best results, choose a variety of sweet and tart apples with a firm, crisp texture. Gala, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Granny Smith apples all work well.
No. Dump cake recipes involve sprinkling the dry cake mix over the fruit filling and drizzling melted butter on top, which results in a crisp topping. This recipe mixes cake mix with butter and a little milk for a softer cobbler topping that's kind of like a soft cookie.
💌Let's Stay in Touch
Follow Midwestern HomeLife on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of the latest recipes!
📖 Recipe
Cake Mix Apple Cobbler
Ingredients
- 10 cups chopped apples 10-13 apples, such as Gala, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, and Pink Lady
- ½ cup dried cranberries, optional
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 box yellow cake mix, 15.25 oz.
- ½ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional
- 1 tablespoon turbinado or granulated sugar, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Peel, core, and chop the apples into ¼ - ½" slices and chunks to give the filling variety of textures.
- Place the apples, dried cranberries, cornstarch, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt into a large bowl. Toss until the apples are completely coated. Pour the apples into the prepared baking dish.
- In the same bowl, stir the cake mix and butter until it comes together into a buttery crumble. Add the milk and stir until the mixture becomes thick and pasty. It's okay if there are lumps in it.
- Use two spoons to dollop the cake batter over the apples. Slightly flatten the batter to cover the apples as much as possible. It's okay if they're not completely covered. Sprinkle the walnuts over the cake batter.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and, if desired, sprinkle the top with sugar. Bake for 30-45 more minutes or until the topping is baked through and the apples are tender. It should reach an internal temperature of 200 degrees.
- Place on a wire baking rack to cool for 30 minutes. Serve warm.
Leave a Reply