My absolutely favorite dessert is the classic southern fruit cobbler (see recipe below). It is SO easy to make and you can use any fruit that is in season or that you have in the freezer. I’m calling it “classic” because it is one of those recipes that goes back several generations. My southern grandmother made it and I’m sure she got the recipe from her mom. My mother made it all of the time and I am continuing with the tradition. I call it “southern” but a friend of mine that was born and raised in New Mexico by native New Mexican parents has used the same recipe all of her life as well. So go figure. It’s obviously made and loved by a lot of people.
The only problem with the recipe is that it makes enough for 6 people. Since it’s just the two of us, that means Bobby eats two servings and I eat the rest. 
I have no willpower when it comes to this cobbler. If it’s sitting on the counter, I’ll take a bite every single time I walk through the kitchen. Before you know it, it’s gone. In an effort to be good, I decided to experiment with the recipe, by cutting back on the quantity as well as the fat and sugar. The result was excellent! The first time I made these individual servings I used a Bosc pear. The next time, I added a small Winesap apple with the pear. Both versions were delicious and very easy to throw together. Bobby and I each got one serving with no tempting leftovers. It was perfect.
Pear Apple Cobbler for Two Recipe
Prep and Cook time: 60 minutes
Serves 2 (will need two ramekins)
Ingredients
½ Tbsp. butter
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cardamom
¼ cup milk
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 firm pear, cored and chopped (peeling is optional)
1 small tart apple, chopped (e.g., winesap)
1 Tbsp. pecans, minced
A little maple syrup for the drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Cut the butter in half and place a piece in each of the ramekins. Heat in the oven until melted. Be careful not to let the butter burn.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom).
- Stir together the milk and maple syrup then stir into dry ingredients to just combine. Add the fruit and pecans and stir to coat. Be careful not to over stir or you’ll kill the baking powder.
- Divide the batter between the two ramekins.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.*
- Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup or a scoop of ice cream.
*I used a convection oven, so for standard bake you might need to add 5 to 10 minutes.
Kitchen Notes
The sweetener – I substituted 1 Tbsp. maple syrup for what would have been 1/4 cup sugar from the original recipe. I was amazed that 1 tablespoon of maple syrup provided plenty of sweetness to this little cobbler.
The pecans – These were a really nice touch. If you can’t find pecans, I’m sure walnuts would be great as well.
The fruit – I used pears and apples because that’s what is in season right now. But you could use any fruit you want.
The topping – A drizzle of maple syrup on the top of the cooked cobblers was a nice touch. You could also top this cobbler with whipped cream or ice cream of course.
For four servings just double the recipe. For six servings or more, I’d recommend making the classic cobbler below.
Southern Fruit Cobbler Recipe
Prep and Cook time: 1 to 1.25 hours
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (I always cut this in half: 1/4 cup or 1/2 stick)
1 cup flour (Many recipes call for self-rising and no baking powder or salt)
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. spice (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger – whichever you want)
1 cup milk
2 to 3 cups fruit (fresh, frozen, canned)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- While oven is heating, place butter in a casserole dish and place in oven. Remove from oven when melted. Be careful not to let the butter burn.
- In a mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking power, spice, and salt.
- Add milk. Stir until ingredients are combined. Do not over stir.
- Pour mixture into casserole dish over melted butter. Do not stir.
- Spread fruit on top of the mixture.
- Bake in oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until the crust is crispy brown.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or nothing at all.
There are several variation of this cobbler, but this is the version we’ve always enjoyed. My favorite fruits for this cobbler are peach, rhubarb, strawberry-rhubarb, blueberry, mixed berry, apple, and apple-pear. Am I missing anything?
For a step-by-step guide to the classic southern cobbler, check out Mama’s Strawberry Cobbler.
Blogger Awards
With the kitchen remodel this summer I’ve had a hard time keeping up with everything and everyone in the food blog world. Between work, remodel and life, I had to postpone some things. One of those things is a HUGE THANK YOU for the awards that I received from some very wonderful people! I have now added the awards to my recognition page, but I wanted to say THANKS here as well.
Thanks to
Chaya @ Bizzy Bakes for the Sunshine Award
Choc Chip Uru @ Go Bake Yourself for the Additive Blog Award
Allen @ Cook!Bake!Share! and Free Spirit Eater for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award
Ramona @ Curry and Comfort and Amber @ The Cook’s Sister for the One Lovely Blog Award
Be sure to check out ALL of the blogs if you haven’t already. Talk about some fun, addictive, inspiring and lovely blogs!!!!!
This recipe has been shared with the following blog hops. Be sure to click on the links for more delicious recipes!
Mix It Up Monday, My Meatless Monday, Meatless Monday, Melt In Your Mouth Monday, Made With Love Mondays, Bizzy’s Recipe Box, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Heath and Soul, Weekend Potluck
Oh this is my absolute favorite dessert too
Love that you used pears and apples here! I’m going to make this version very soon 
Your pear and apple cobbler looks delicious! Would love to have this warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Great fall flavors here. And, thank you, thank you, thank you for posting a fab dessert recipe for two. I also love the substitution with the maple syrup and I LOVE anything with cardamom. Can’t wait to see what else you whip up in that wonderful new kitchen!
This looks absolutely perfect for fall. I love that you added my favorite spice cardamom and used maple syrup instead of processed sugar. But mostly I love that it’s just for 2 servings. Neither my husband nor I can resist something like this hanging around the kitchen
I love apples, pears and cobblers so the two combined have to be a hit! I especially like that you added maple syrup to the recipe. I can only imagine how delicious this tastes. I’ll have to save this recipe to try. Thanks for sharing.
I will lose my will power too if you offer me your delicious apple and pear cobbler. Who can resist it?
I can imagine how this must have tasted….with all my favorites in one bowl…bookmarked!!
Simple, tasty and soul satisfying
It’s one of the most delicious looking autumn cakes I have ever seen. And an easy one from what I understood! I have never had or baked a cobbler, so it’s a good idea to experiment this year. I love the pears photo!
PS I’m glad I’m not the only who lacks willpower when it comes to favourite cakes ;-(
A perfect fall dessert. I love these brown skin pears. Don’t see them over here.
Does this mean you have your kitchen back? Yay! I hope we get a post with the remodel before and after.
Now onto this gorgeous cobbler. It looks amazing and I love that you made it more “healthy” and perfect for two. Maple syrup is such a great sweetener because you get sweetness and amazing flavor all in one punch. I know what you mean about self control… I do the same thing when it comes to most anything I have in the kitchen. Well done MJ!
Like you, I enjoy a good cobbler and I want to try your mix of apples and pears. I hope there’s still some at the market this weekend.
I love recipes for two and I’m definitely pinning this one for later
Me too. I love recipes for two. Those are a synch to increase, but reducing recipes for two people can be a chore. These cobblers look wonderful.
Cobbler has always been my favorite desert too. Of course, the simplicity, versatility and flavors can’t be beat. But, cobbler is a communal dish. As you said, it’s hard to pass up grabbing a spoonful as you walk by a cobbler on the stove, and after a day of friends and family circulating through the kitchen, this simple dish in a deep pot has nourished and fused them all. I still have a photo of all the women in the kitchen after Brother’s rehearsal dinner, standing around the cobbler pot with spoons, sharing the last of my rhubarb cobbler. My favorite cobbler memories were from Grandma’s house. In the morning the aunts or uncles would take us to gather whatever fruit was available to make into cobbler, blackberries, dewberries, blueberries, mayhaw, crabapples, wild grapes or muscadines. I remember going deep into the woods to “old home places,” long ago deserted by pioneer families. Most of the time the only things remaining of their lives were the apple or pear trees they planted many years before. One time pickins’ were slim for fruit. All Grandma had was a quart of mayhaw juice in the pantry that she had put up for making more mayhaw jelly when the current supply ran out. Despite the absence of fruit, the tart juice with the richness of the sugar and home churned butter infusing the dough left nothing to be desired. I love your idea of using syrup instead of sugar and I never would have thought to add cardamom or nuts. That takes cobbler to a whole new level. If Jim gets off his “no more sweets” kick, I’ll try it soon. Maybe since I won’t have to make as much as usual, he’ll relent. I already have the apples and pears in the fridge. Can’t wait!
Looks like somebody got her kitchen back
. Lovely cobbler! Perfect sized recipe!
Haha, I know all about the ‘eating the rest’ part
. My boys get all excited about dessert and then promptly forget about it. I never do 
. The spices in your cobbler sound warming and delicious. I’ve never had a cobbler/crisp topping without oatmeal but yours looks gorgeous and besides, who am I to argue with a southern Grandma? 
. Love the photo of the pears and leaves MJ… beautiful.
I love fruit cobber too. (We call it crumble here). Autumn is the perfect time to be enjoying cobbler as the cool nights have you longing for a warming dessert. Your recipe with apples and pears sounds delicious. Congrats on all your awards xx
fruity cobblers just scream “fall”… right?! this pear and apple cobbler looks wonderful! i would love mine with some butterscotch ice cream… hehe
This looks sooooo good. And I love that it’s a simple recipe. What a great fall/winter dessert.
BTW, I love your new kitchen! We’ve been dragging our feet on renovating ours
The pear and apple cobbler looks and sounds so good with the maple syrup. I especially enjoy Bosc pears as they are so sweet. I also like it that you have made into individual servings. I think I will have to make this soon. Gorgeous picture of the pear!
MJ…this cobbler looks wonderful! I love apples and pears together in baking. You know, you could bake 6 and I’d be more than willing to take a couple off of your hands! And I LOVE your suggestion for a drizzle of maple syrup! Stunning photography as well. And congrats on your many well deserved awards! : )
what a beautiful cobbler and this is the perfect fall dessert, MJ!
I always thought that cobbler was another name for crisps/crumbles, when I saw them on FG and TS, but seeing this recipe I understand it’s different and I’m all curious now because it looks and sounds so delicious. I am a big sucker for desserts that contain fruits, especially apples and pears, so I am sure to try this one. Thank you, MJ!
This is genius! We have the same problem – we’re always baking bit batches of stuff, then of course because it’s there we have to eat it! We actually give a lot of stuff away to friends, but still . . . I love cobblers too, and you really can use any fruit. Both of your pictures are quite nice, but I really like the last one – great still life. Thanks for a fun read.
What a delightful dessert! I’m a sucker for cobblers too so I love the portion control on this recipe
Perfect for the season! Cobblers are just irresistible, aren’t they? I love them with fresh custard!
That looks so warming and delish
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Oh MJ your story is way too cute. You have no willpower for cobbler? I have no willpower for any baked sweets. That’s probably half of the reason why I don’t bake. I know I can gain like 3 lbs in 2 days because all the cookies coming out of oven will pretty much go into my tummy. Oh so scary! So I understand your willpower story. I must make your cobbler. Such a lovely dessert with vanilla ice cream…
I am so with you MJ. I have no will power! I’d eat all the leftovers too.
Warm fruit cobbler — with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. It doesn’t get better than that.
I love cobblers! It is amazing that just a little bit of maple syrup adds just enough sweetness!
My household is getting smaller, so this is perfect! I’ve made many peach cobblers, but never an apple or a pear version…time to change that
I love this!! I made one not too long ago but I made the apple bit and put a whole poached pear in the middle and then topped with the cobbler/crispy stuff. I could eat this combo every day, couldn’t you? Beautiful!
Very nice autumn dish, love the colours in the photo. It well represents your season there
This sounds great. I love the combination of apples, pears, pecans and maple syrup.
This looks gorgeous… yum.
I love how you cut back the recipe for just two people. I find myself cooking so much food all the time because I’m trying to make the recipes suitable for families, but most of the time I feel like I should be making about 1/4 of the recipe
Thanks so much for sharing this cobbler, MJ, and it sounds and looks fantastic…
haha you should see me in my house when I take a break from computing. There is always some sweet dessert or snack lying on the counter lately and I tend to have a bite every now and then, it just dissapears.
Your cobbler sounds amazing and if its a traditional recipe that has been valued so much by your family, I ll have to try it out once I come across some pears here. I think so it will be great as a sunday dinner dessert and I bet my husband will agree!
Your famous cobbler! I must try it!
What a perfect fall recipe, MJ! I can have this all the time. If I made a 6-persons portion, I’d be the one finishing most of it too. Is it true that women have less willpower to resist a sweet temptation than men?:)
Your cobbler looks like a perfect comfort food! Your addition of cardamom sounds fabulous with this gorgeous dessert:-) Beautiful, Hugs, Terra
Looks amazing, sounds amazing, gotta try it! I recently finally got myself a set of ramekins too! I like that you used maple syrup as a sugar sub, I often do that myself for fall recipes. Thanks for sharing at Meatless Monday!!
Oh these are really nice photos…and cobblers, too!
I love your recipes… Thanks for popping by my blog often, can’t wait to see more of your recipes fill my inbox now 
I realised I haven’t subscribed to your blog… I wonder why it’s taken so long
I have no control when it comes to cobblers too! that’s why the idea of individual portions is pure genious!
Your cobblers both sound delicious, and I love the recipe you developed for two. I’m going to need recipes for two soon as my son is heading off to college in Canada in January!
I really like how you mixed the apple and pear here and slipped in some cardamom too! I know what you mean about tempting left overs … if I make a treat for a potluck I make sure I put it on a disposable plate so I can be sure to leave it behind.
Thanks for sharing on Hearth & Soul Hop. 
Delicious cobbler, you know I haven’t made cobbler for long time. this looks perfect. Thanks for sharing with Hearth and Soul blog hop. I am highlighting this recipe.
Mornin’
About to make a cherry cobbler based on your recipe, and I notice that it is not listed in the index. Always a pleasure to play with (and eat!) your yummy recipes.
Hugs,
SA
Good morning! Whoops! Thanks for letting me know!!!! I hope you enjoy your cherry cobbler and wish I could drive up in the cold and wind this weekend and have a taste. Guess I’ll have to make one of my own.
Thanks for the idea! XOOXO