Classic Pear Cobbler Recipe: How to Make Pear Cobbler
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: May 29, 2022 • 2 min read
A pear cobbler is a fall dessert with a pear filling and biscuit top.
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What Is a Pear Cobbler?
Pear cobbler is a freeform fall dessert with a pear base and a biscuit topping. The name “cobbler” comes from the shape of the batter or biscuit dough dropped in dollops on the fruit—the dough puffs up to look like cobblestone streets. This old-fashioned fruit dessert dates back to the nineteenth century. Pear cobbler is not to be confused with pear crisp, which is a similar pear dessert recipe featuring a streusel, rather than biscuit, topping.
3 Tips for Making Pear Cobbler
Making a pear cobbler is just like making a blueberry cobbler, cherry cobbler, peach cobbler, or apple cobbler. Follow these tips to make the best pear cobbler.
- 1. Adjust the sugar. Pears range in sweetness, so it's important to taste them before adding the sugar. For pears that already taste sweet, use less sugar—as little as a quarter cup. For pears that taste very tart, use more sugar—as much as three quarters of a cup.
- 2. Mix and match. If you have a variety of different types of fruit, mix them all together in a cobbler. Pears go especially well with tart cranberries and blackberries.
- 3. Add your favorite spices. Cinnamon and pear is a classic pairing, but you can experiment with other warm spices like ground ginger and cardamom.
Cinnamon Pear Cobbler Recipe
makes
One 9x13-inch baking dishprep time
10 mintotal time
55 mincook time
45 minIngredients
For the pear filling:
For the topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- ½ cup buttermilk, plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Demerara sugar, for sprinkling
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, to serve (optional)
- 1
Preheat the oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 2
Combine the pear slices, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a medium bowl.
- 3
Stir to incorporate, and set the pear mixture aside.
- 4
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- 5
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- 6
Add the cubed butter, and work it into the flour mixture with your hands until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
- 7
Whisk a ½ cup of buttermilk, egg, and vanilla together in a glass measuring cup or small bowl; add it to the flour and butter mixture and stir together with your hands or a rubber spatula, just until combined.
- 8
Transfer the pear mixture to a large baking dish.
- 9
Use your hands to tear off a ½ cup of pieces of cobbler topping, and place it over the surface.
- 10
Brush the dough with the remaining tablespoons of buttermilk, and then sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
- 11
Bake until the tops are golden brown and crispy and juices are thick and bubbling, about 45 minutes.
- 12
Remove the pan from the oven.
- 13
Let the cobbler cool slightly before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
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