Southern Banana Cobbler (Printable)
Caramelized bananas under a golden buttery crust, a classic Southern comfort dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Banana Filling
01 - 5 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Cobbler Topping
10 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
13 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
14 - 1/2 cup whole milk
15 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the sliced bananas with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract until evenly coated. Spread the mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the milk and 1/3 cup melted butter, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the topping tender.
04 - Spoon the batter in even dollops over the banana filling, then gently spread it with a spatula to cover most of the surface. Some fruit peeking through is perfectly fine.
05 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cobbler topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the crust comes out clean.
06 - Allow the cobbler to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm on its own or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The banana filling practically makes its own caramel sauce as it bakes, so you get that gooey, rich texture without any extra work.
- It uses pantry staples and takes almost no effort, which means you can pull it together on a random Tuesday and still feel like you made something special.
02 -
- If you overmix the cobbler batter it will turn tough and bready instead of tender, so stop stirring the moment the last streak of flour disappears.
- Letting the cobbler sit for those 10 minutes after baking is not optional, because the filling goes from lava hot to perfectly gooey and holds together on the spoon.
03 -
- Peel and freeze your overripe bananas whole in a zip top bag, then thaw them before making this recipe, because frozen then thawed bananas release more natural sweetness and break down into the filling beautifully.
- Dot a few tiny pieces of cold butter over the batter before baking for extra crispy golden patches on top that make people think you spent twice as long as you did.