This apple cobbler with cake mix also known as a dump cake, is made with a few simple ingredients and is the perfect dessert for fall!
This easy-to-make treat is made by layering sliced apples in a baking dish and topping them with a mixture of cake mix, butter, and cinnamon.
The result is a warm and comforting dessert that is perfect for any occasion.
Whether you're hosting a dinner party or simply craving something sweet, apple cobbler with cake mix is sure to satisfy your taste buds.
If you like apple recipes, check out our cinnamon apple cake, apple cinnamon rolls, apple crumble cake, apple fritters, apple crumble muffins, easy apple cake, apple crumble pie, and apple turnovers!
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- Ease- this dessert couldn’t be easier to make! All you will need are simple ingredients like apples, cake mix, butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
- Flavor- this easy cobbler has the most delicious flavors of fall: soft and gooey apples with cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg topped with a buttery topping.
- Time- this whole recipe will take you 10 minutes to prep and another 40-50 minutes to bake until you get a perfect fall dessert.
- Affordable- all of these ingredients are affordable and simple and you may have them laying in your kitchen right now!
- Texture- the cake mix with the butter creates the most delicious golden and crunchy topping that goes perfectly with the juicy and soft apples.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this cake mix apple cobbler recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of this dessert.
Apples- we like to use granny smith apples for this recipe, they are a little bit less sweet and very sturdy, but any kind of your favorite apples will work! I also love using pink lady apples for a sweeter dessert.
Yellow cake mix- we used Betty Crocker's cake mix, but you can use your favorite yellow cake mix for this!
Cinnamon- we love adding cinnamon to apple-flavored desserts, it adds so much flavor that compliments the apple flavor.
Flour- I used all-purpose flour for this recipe. This helps to thicken out the filling and prevents a runny filling. You can swap the flour with cornstarch to make the filling gluten free.
Brown sugar- I used light brown sugar for this, but you can use dark brown sugar or demerara sugar instead!
Milk- use your favorite milk for this. I used whole milk for this recipe.
Lemon juice- helps to balance the sweet flavor. Use fresh lemon for this recipe.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor. You can use vanilla extract or vanilla bean extract for even better flavor!
Kosher salt- you will need about ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 180c (350) and prep a nonstick 9 by 13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
Peel and cut the apples into thin slices. I like using my apple corer and slicer to make this process easy and quick.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the slices of apples, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, nutmeg, brown sugar, and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined and the apples are covered evenly.
Into a separate medium mixing bowl, add the cake mix, milk, and melted butter and mix with a spoon or a wooden spatula until just combined.
Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread the apples evenly with a spoon or spatula. Spoon the topping mixture on top of the apples into an even layer.
Bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until the apples are bubbly and the top is golden brown. Allow the cobbler to cool for 20 minutes, serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- For more delicious flavor, add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or cardamon. Also, you can add 1-2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond extract.
- Allow the apple cobbler to cool for 20 to 30 minutes before serving it. This step will allow the filling to thicken up and be more delicious!
- To make this process easy, quick, and clean, use an apple peeler and corer. Here is the one I use all the time.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour before making this dessert, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch but not too soft. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder for it to melt into the topping.
- For extra crunch, add chopped nuts of your choice on top of the cake mix like chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts.
Faq's
Apple cobbler is usually made with a spices oat topping, while apple crisp is usually topped with a biscuit, batter, or pie dough.
My biggest tip to prevent a soggy cobbler is to drain all liquid from the fruit. If you are using canned fruit or if you are using fresh fruit, you have to drain all the excess liquids to get a really crispy topping.
Yes! To make this recipe even easier, you can use apple pie filling. You can use either store-bought apple pie filling or homemade apple pie filling!
Use your favorite kind of apples! We like using granny smith apples, but any apple kind will work. If you like sweet apples, use Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady.
Storing
Store this cobbler in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. According to the FDA, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but it is best stored in the fridge.
Freezing
To freeze this cobbler, we suggest baking it in a foil baking pan, letting it cool completely, covering it with a few layers of plastic wrap and foil, and freezing it for up to 2 months.
Thaw in the fridge for a few hours or let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour or so.
Substitutions
Dairy-free- to make this cobbler dairy-free and vegan, replace the butter with vegan butter.
Gluten-free- to make this recipe gluten-free, replace the flour with gluten-free flour and make sure that you are using gluten-free oats.
Variations
Spices- add your favorite spices for apple cobbler! Like nutmeg, cloves, apple pie spice, ginger, etc.
Individuals- make these into individual apple cobblers by dividing the mixture and baking them into little ceramic soufflé ramekins. Make sure that you keep an eye on that they won't burn.
Fruit- spice up this recipe and add your favorite berries to the apple mixture. This will give this dessert a new flavor!
Nuts- add your favorite nuts to the mixture. We love adding chopped pecans.
Serving Tips
Serve this cobbler with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream or a big dollop of freshly made whipped cream for the best experience! You can also drizzle it with caramel sauce!
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Apple corer and slicer
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- 9x13 baking pan
More apple recipes
Apple pie cookies- These apple pie cookies are made with a soft cinnamon cookie and filled with apple pie filling. These taste just like apple pie in cookie form!
Apple Crisp Bars- These apple crisp bars are made with a shortcrust base, topped with a spiced apple mixture, topped with a crumble topping, and topped with caramel sauce.
Puff Pastry Apple Tart- This puff pastry apple tart is the perfect easy apple dessert. It is made with caramelized apples and store-bought puff pastry!
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
- Share/pin this recipe to Pinterest.
- Leave a comment down below!
📖 Recipe
Apple Cobbler With Cake Mix
Ingredients
Apple filling
- 5 Apples large, peeled and cored
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ cup Brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Flour or cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Cake mix topping
- 15.25 oz Yellow cake mix
- ½ cup Butter melted
- ¼ cup Milk
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 180c (350) and prep a nonstick 9 by 13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
- Peel and cut the apples into thin slices. I like using my apple corer and slicer to make this process easy and quick.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the slices of apples, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, nutmeg, brown sugar, and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined and the apples are covered evenly.
- Into a separate medium mixing bowl, add the cake mix, milk, and melted butter and mix with a spoon or a wooden spatula until just combined.
- Pour the apple mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread the apples evenly with a spoon or spatula. Spoon the topping mixture on top of the apples into an even layer.
- Bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 40-50 minutes or until the apples are bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Allow the cobbler to cool for 20 minutes, serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- For more delicious flavor, add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or cardamon. Also, you can add 1-2 teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond extract.
- Allow the apple cobbler to cool for 20 to 30 minutes before serving it. This step will allow the filling to thicken up and be more delicious!
- To make this process easy, quick, and clean, use an apple peeler and corer. Here is the one I use all the time.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour before making this dessert, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch but not too soft. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder for it to melt into the topping.
- For extra crunch, add chopped nuts of your choice on top of the cake mix like chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts.
Comments
No Comments