Southern Banana Cobbler (Printable Version)
Caramelized bananas baked beneath a golden buttery crust for a comforting Southern treat.
# What You Need:
→ Filling
01 - 4 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - Pinch of 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 salt
14 - 1/2 cup whole milk
15 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Optional Garnish
17 - Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
02 - Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 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 bananas soften and the mixture becomes syrupy. Remove from heat and spread evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the topping tender.
04 - Drop spoonfuls of batter over the banana filling, spreading gently with a spatula. Leave some gaps exposed to allow steam to escape and create a rustic, golden crust.
05 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the crust comes out clean.
06 - Allow the cobbler to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm, topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The caramelized banana filling tastes like banana bread met bread pudding and they became best friends.
- It uses ingredients you probably already have sitting in your pantry right now.
- The rustic cobbler topping gets golden and crisp on the edges while staying tender underneath.
- It feels fancy enough for company but easy enough for a random Tuesday night.
02 -
- Stirring the bananas too aggressively will turn them into mush instead of tender caramelized slices.
- Overmixing the batter creates a dense topping instead of the light golden crust you want.
- The cobbler is best served the same day because the topping loses its crispness overnight.
- Extra ripe bananas with heavily spotted peels will give you the deepest, most caramel-like flavor.
03 -
- Cut your banana slices about a half inch thick so they hold their shape during the caramelization instead of dissolving into sauce.
- The filling can be made a few hours ahead and kept at room temperature, then topped with batter and baked right before you want to serve it.