Southern Banana Cobbler (Printer-friendly)
Caramelized bananas under a golden buttery cobbler crust. A warm Southern comfort classic.
# What You Need:
→ Banana Filling
01 - 4 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
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 pinch kosher salt
→ Cobbler Topping
10 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
14 - 1/2 cup whole milk
15 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Optional Garnish
17 - Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
02 - Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced bananas, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring gently, until the bananas soften and the mixture develops a syrupy sauce. Remove from heat and spread the filling evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the whole milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
04 - Spoon the batter in rustic dollops over the banana filling. Use a spatula to gently spread the topping, leaving some gaps exposed to allow steam to escape during baking.
05 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cobbler topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
06 - Allow the cobbler to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Scoop into bowls while still warm and top with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The caramelized banana filling tastes like banana pudding met bread pudding and they became best friends.
- It uses ingredients you probably already have sitting in your kitchen right now.
- The rustic, spooned on topping means you never have to roll out dough or fuss with a crust.
- It tastes even better the second day, straight from the fridge, eaten standing over the sink.
02 -
- Do not skip the lemon juice because it keeps the bananas bright and adds a barely there tang that balances all that sweetness.
- Overmixing the topping batter is the quickest way to end up with something closer to a biscuit than a cobbler.
- Extra ripe bananas with heavily spotted peels will give you a dramatically better result than firm, yellow ones.
03 -
- Cook the banana filling just until the slices soften but still hold their shape because they will continue cooking in the oven.
- Dollop the batter unevenly on purpose because those gaps are where the best crispy edges form.