Name: Brown Butter Cherry Cobbler
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter; 1 to 1 & 1/2 pounds (454 to 680g) cherries, pitted; 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract*; 1/2 cup (60g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar; 3/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup (118ml) milk; sweetened whipped cream or ice cream, for garnish; toasted sliced almonds, for garnish

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Nutty brown butter and fresh cherries make this simple brown butter cherry cobbler recipe a standout. It’s an easy, rustic dessert that tastes like summer!

Brown butter cherry cobbler in bowl topped with dollop of whipped cream and almonds

Brown butter is one of my favorite ways to add more depth to the flavor of a recipe, whether it’s brown butter blondies or brown butter snickerdoodles. The simple trick of browning the butter transforms its flavor, making it aromatic and nutty. This is the kind of go-to cobbler recipe you’ll make over and over; you can use the brown butter cobbler base with any fruit that’s in season.

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Cobbler Recipe

Made with fresh cherries. Many cherry cobbler recipes rely upon canned cherry pie filling, which tends to be cloying and syrupy. Using fresh cherries avoids this and gives this cobbler a more authentic fruit flavor. (These cherry cheesecake bars are also made with real fruit.)
Simple to make. This brown butter cherry cobbler is made in three easy steps. Melt butter. Add batter. Add cherries. And just like that, it’s ready for the oven! There’s no need to stir it all together. It just works its magic while it bakes.
Two words: brown butter. The butter goes into the pan and is melted to the point of browning. Browned butter adds a whole other dimension with its rich, nutty flavor.

Overhead view of ingredients for brown butter cherry cobbler

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

Unsalted butter – When making brown butter, I do recommend springing for the good stuff. I’ve noticed that cheap store-brand butter is much foamier than quality European butters.
Cherries – I use Bing cherries, but any kind you like will work.
Granulated sugar
Cornstarch
Vanilla extract – I like to use my homemade vanilla extract.
All-purpose flour
Light brown sugar – While you could use dark brown sugar if that’s all you have on hand, it has a stronger molasses flavor. Learn more: Light Brown Sugar vs Dark Brown Sugar: What’s the Difference?
Baking powder
Salt
Milk – Whole milk is best, but you can use whatever you happen to have in the fridge.

Can I Use Frozen Cherries to Make Cobbler?

Yes! Simply let the cherries thaw in the refrigerator (or rinse them with warm water until they thaw) and then use them in this cobbler recipe.

How to Make Brown Butter Cherry Cobbler

Overhead view of ingredients for cherry filling in bowl — Combine the cherry filling ingredients in bowl.

Overhead view of cherry filling in mixing bowl — Combine the cherry filling ingredients in bowl.

Brown the butter. Cook the butter in a skillet set over medium heat until brown specks form and the butter is fragrant.
Make the fruit filling. Stir together the pitted cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
Make the cobbler batter. In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then stir in the milk until just combined.

Overhead view of brown butter in skillet — Start with brown butter in skillet.

Overhead view of batter for cobbler added to skillet — Start with brown butter in skillet.

Assemble. Pour the batter over the brown butter, then spoon the cherry mixture over the top.
Bake. Place the pan in an oven preheated to 350ºF and bake the cobbler for 30 to 35 minutes, or until it’s golden brown and the cherries are bubbly. Serve warm.

Brown butter cherry cobbler in white skillet

Tips for Success

Pit the cherries without buying a cherry pitter. If you bake with cherries often, a cherry pitter is a worthwhile investment. If not, no worries—you can push the pits out with a stainless steel straw or a chopstick. Place the straw or chopstick where the stem was and push it through.
Avoid cherry juice stains. Needless to say, pitting all of those cherries can make a mess! Rather than staining a cutting board (or, even worse, my countertop), I like to lay down a layer of foil on my work surface. When I’m done with the cherries, I leave the pits on the foil, crumple it up, and throw it away.
Use a pan that goes from stovetop to oven. I much prefer browning the butter on the stovetop where I can keep an eye on it. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan, you can brown the butter in a baking dish in the oven or in a separate pan on the stovetop, then pour it into a baking dish.

Overhead view of brown butter cherry cobbler in bowl

Variations

Give it a different flavor. You can use almond extract in place of the vanilla extract. It pairs beautifully with cherries! Another option is to swap the vanilla for the juice of half a lemon.
Try another fruit. Peaches would be sublime with the brown butter in this cobbler; when fall rolls around, try it with juicy ripe pears and a generous pinch of cardamom.
Add a crispy, sweet topping. Sprinkle sanding sugar or Demerara sugar over the cobbler before baking for some crunch and extra sweetness. This is especially good if you’re using tart cherries for your cobbler.

White bowl with brown butter cherry cobbler and dollop of whipped cream

My Favorite Way to Serve Cherry Cobbler

I may be in the minority here, but I often forego topping cobblers with vanilla ice cream in favor of some homemade whipped cream. I made a half batch of sweetened whipped cream, substituting almond extract for vanilla. Then, I topped each serving with a dollop of almond whipped cream and a sprinkling of toasted almonds. The almonds, vanilla, and cherries all work together so perfectly for big, big flavor.

Bowl of brown butter cherry cobbler with dollop of whipped cream

How to Store Leftovers

This brown butter cherry cobbler is best served warm and fresh out of the oven, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can be enjoyed cold or you can warm them up in the microwave.

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

You can freeze brown butter cherry cobbler after baking, either in the baking dish covered tightly or in one or more airtight containers. Freeze for up to 3 months and let it thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Overhead view of brown butter cherry cobbler in bowl with spoon

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