You know those days when you're craving something warm, sweet, and downright comforting? This apple cobbler with cake mix delivers exactly that, gooey apple filling topped with a buttery, golden cake mix crust.
With just three simple ingredients: apple pie filling, yellow cake mix, and butter, you can have a semi-homemade dessert in under an hour. It's the easiest way to enjoy the flavors of apple pie without the fuss.
Like my apple pastries, this recipe is almost too easy to be true, but it never disappoints. Perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or holiday gatherings, it's a quick apple dessert that feels homemade with hardly any effort.
For more easy cobbler recipes, try my cherry cobbler with cake mix, strawberry peach cobbler, or my old-fashioned peach cobbler.
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Love at first bite: recipe recap – the details that make this dish unforgettable!
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Inspiration: Apple pie filling
- Number of Ingredients: Just 3 simple ingredients (yellow cake mix, apple pie filling, and butter)
- Servings: 8-10
- Total Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Key Flavors: Sweet, apple, and buttery
Ingredients
Let's talk ingredients: what you need, what you can swap, and how to make it work with what's in your pantry. Specific measurements are waiting down in the recipe card.
- Apple pie filling
- Yellow cake mix
- Unsalted butter
Optional: add chopped nuts, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a drizzle of caramel before baking for extra flavor.)
Recipe variations
This easy cobbler recipe is versatile and can be easily changed up by substituting another canned pie filling such as peach, cherry, blueberry, blackberry, or strawberry.
How to make Apple Cobbler with Cake Mix
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 oven-safe casserole dish.
- Pour the cans of apple pie filling in the dish and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle cake mix over the top and use an offset spatula to smooth it out in an even layer.
- Pour melted butter all over and try to cover as much of the cake mix as possible.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes; the filling should be bubbling, and the topping should be golden brown.
- Apple cobbler is best enjoyed warm, with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Serving suggestions
Because it’s so easy, Apple Cobbler, like my Cherry Cobbler and Peach Cobbler makes an excellent fruit dessert for busy weeknights and special occasions. If you're serving at a holiday dinner, drizzle with caramel sauce or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar before baking for extra flavor.
I like to serve it with either my French Onion Soup Chicken Casserole or Chicken Divan. It also pairs well with my Blackened Grouper or Pan-Fried Shrimp.
How to store and reheat leftovers
- Once it's cooled, cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or transfer the cobbler to an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- If it's been in the fridge, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds. Just keep an eye on it so it doesn't overcook. For a bigger portion or the whole cobbler, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), cover the dish with foil, and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until it's warmed through.
Recipe FAQs
Both feature baked fruit, but a cobbler has a soft batter or biscuit topping, and a crumble has a streusel topping.
Cobblers have a biscuit or batter topping. Unlike pies with even crusts, cobblers have a more rustic, “cobbled” appearance. The topping is usually spooned over the fruit in small mounds, so you get these little gaps where the fruit peeks through.
Yes, assemble and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking.
Yellow cake mix is classic, but spice cake mix adds warm fall flavors.
Yes, but you'll need to cook them down with sugar and spices first.
Insider tips for the best results
- I've tested this with both melted and sliced butter; melted butter covers the cake mix more evenly for a crisp top.
- Keep an eye on the cobbler as it bakes. You'll know it's done when the topping is golden brown, and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.
- As tempting as it is to dive in immediately, give the cobbler a few minutes to cool before serving. This helps the juices thicken up.
- Apple cobbler is best enjoyed warm, with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top.
More apple recipes you’ll love
And, if you are a fan of apples like we are, you will also love this delicious apple pecan salad.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ If you make this dish, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones; I hope you come back soon.
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Apple Cobbler with Cake Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cans apple pie filling 19 ounce cans
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15.5 ounce box
- ¾ cup butter unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 oven-safe casserole dish.
- Pour the cans of apple pie filling into the dish and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle cake mix over the top and use an offset spatula to smooth it out in an even layer.
- Pour melted butter all over and cover as much of the cake mix as possible.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes; the filling should be bubbling, and the topping should be golden brown.
- Apple cobbler is best enjoyed warm, with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Sharon Rigsby
This has to be the easiest apple cobbler recipe ever! You would never know it only has three ingredients.