There’s nothing cozier than a warm apple dessert straight from the oven, and this Sourdough Caramel Apple is everything you want in a fall bake. It’s loaded with tender caramel-glazed Granny Smith apples, spiced just right, and topped with fluffy and sweet sourdough biscuits. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with salted caramel sauce, this cobbler tastes like caramel apple pie met your favorite biscuit and became best friends.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Mix the sourdough biscuits and allow them to rest overnight to ferment, or bake this cobbler up with discard! Either way, this recipe is as easy as it is delicious. The apples are perfectly tender and spiced, and this recipe is easily made in one pan using a cast iron skillet- just cook the apples on the stove and transfer to the oven to finish the biscuits! Less dishes? Say no more!

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Tools You’ll Need:

Digital scale– recommended for accurate measurements.
9×9 baking dish or 9-inch cast iron skillet- to bake cobbler. I love this Lodge cast iron pan linked here.
Spatula- to mix apple filling.
Veggie peeler- to peel apples. I love this peeler linked here.
Cutting board and knife- to chop apples.
Pastry cutter or fork- to combine biscuit dough.
Cheese grater- to grate butter for biscuits. You can also chop butter into small pieces if you prefer.
Measuring cups & spoons- to measure ingredients.
Small cookie scoop or spoon– to scoop batter. I like this scoop linked here.

Gather Your Ingredients:

Apples- I recommend using Granny Smith, they’re tart and very sturdy for baking.
Lemon juice- keeps apples fresh and balances the sweetness.
White Sugar- sweetens the filling and biscuits.
Brown Sugar- this helps the filling caramelize. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
Cinnamon and Cardamom- brings cozy warm spices to the cobbler.
Vanilla Extract- brings out the rich spices.
Butter- Creates a caramel apple filling and adds that flaky texture to the biscuits. I use unsalted but if you do want to use salted just reduce the salt in the recipe.
Heavy cream- adds that creamy caramel base to the sauce.
Sea Salt- balances the sweetness in the filling and biscuits.
All-purpose flour- creates the base of the biscuits and thickens the filling.
Baking powder and soda- creates a light and fluffy biscuit.
Buttermilk- creates a soft and tender biscuit. You can also substitute with whole milk.
Sourdough discard- key to fermentation and hydration for the biscuits, you can also use fresh starter if you’d like!
Sugar Crystals (optional)- for topping and adding a rustic finish. I like these sugar crystals from Wilton linked here.

Now let’s bake cobbler!

Instructions:

Step 1: Mix the Biscuit Dough

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for the topping.

Use a cheese grater to grate your butter. It’s best to use very cold butter for this step. If you don’t have a cheese grater, you can cut the butter up into 1/4 in cubes.

Add the butter to the dry ingredients, And mix with a fork or pastry cutter until all of the butter is well coated in flour and is about the size of a pea.

Add your buttermilk (or milk) and sourdough discard to the bowl. Stir until the batter is just combined.

Overnight Fermentation Option: Cover bowl with plastic and transfer to refrigerator overnight for optimal fermentation.

Step 2: Make Apple Filling

Note: If fermenting biscuit topping overnight, remove from the refrigerator at this time to soften while you prepare apple filling.

Wash your apples and peel all of the skins. Chop into 1/8 inch slices, and transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice to the apples and toss well. This keeps the apples fresh!

Add the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, salt and cream to the bowl. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.

In a large saucepan or 9-inch cast iron skillet on medium heat, add the butter. When butter has melted fully in the pan, add the apple filling to the pan. Cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes, making sure to lift the apples off of the bottom of the pan to avoid burning. Apple filling should go from runny to thickened and caramelized. You should be able to stick a fork in the apples and feel some firmness, but they shouldn’t be hard.

Apples should soften and a caramel sauce should form

Remove filling from heat.

Step 3: Top the Cobbler and Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

While oven is preheating, scoop rounded 1 Tablespoon spoonful’s of the biscuit dough and top the cobbler covering the entire surface.

Add rounded Tablespoons scoops of biscuit batter to the top of filling

Cover the top of the cobbler with biscuit dough — Add rounded Tablespoons scoops of biscuit batter to the top of filling

Top the cobbler with sugar crystals if desired for a more rustic finish.

Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes on the center rack, until biscuits are golden and filling is bubbling.

Note: This recipe cause bubble and overflow, so I like to place an additional baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any spills.

Cobbler after baking — Apple cobbler fresh from the oven!

Let cobbler cool for 10 minutes before serving.

I loved to serve this warm with a fresh scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with my Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce!

How to Store:

Room temperature- Cover and keep for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven for best texture.

FAQ’S:

Can I use a different apple variety?

Yes. Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Fuji work too, but Granny Smith holds its shape best.

Can I skip the overnight biscuit ferment?

Yes! Mix and bake same day if you prefer, but the overnight rise adds tang and tenderness.

Do I need a cast iron pan?

Nope, any 9×9 baking dish works just as well. Cast iron just gives a rustic look and holds heat beautifully, and keeps the dishes down!

If you loved this recipe, don’t forget to drop a comment below! Happy baking!