Using a cast iron dutch oven to bake desserts can be a lot of fun.  This simple recipe is for fruit cobbler that I have baked many times at the rendezvouses and I’m sure it will be a hit in your home or camp. 

I’ve listed all the ingredients with estimated quantities, but of course, the exact amount depends on the quantity of cobbler you want to make, how moist you want it, and how much crust/dough you prefer.

Supplies and Ingredients

• Medium to large cast iron dutch oven
• Medium sauce pan (optional, if you want to cook the fruit)
• Bowl – for mixing the dough
• Fruit of choice (fresh, frozen, or canned) – amount depends on size of dutch oven
• Bisquick
• Milk
• 1 Egg (optional)
• 1/2 cup sugar (if you are using unsweetened fruit and you prefer the cobbler to be sweet rather than tart)

  Directions
  

• If you prefer to cook the fruit first, add just enough water in a pan to cover the fruit and add the sugar.  Bring it to a boil and cook until the liquid thickens a bit.  While the fruit is simmering, you can make the dough.
• Add Bisquick to the bowl, add the egg, and stir in the milk (or water if you prefer). You can add spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, more sugar or whatever.  Kneed the dough until it’s thoroughly mixed and fairly stiff.  On a surface sprinkled with Bisquick (or flour), roll out the dough to a thickness of no more than 1/2″.  Cut into strips about 1″ wide and the appropriate length for your dutch oven.
• Place the dough strips on the bottom of the dutch oven about 1/2″ apart.  Spacing of the strips will depend on how much dough you prefer in your cobbler.
• Pour off, or strain, the liquid from the fruit.  Poor about 1/2 of the fruit into the dutch oven and spread it out evenly.  Put another layer of dough strips on the fruit.  Pour the rest of the fruit into the dutch oven and cover it with dough strips.
• Add the strained water to the dutch oven.  A lot of the moisture will cook out of the fruit and dough, so adding a significant amount of the strained water is recommended.  I think it’s better to have soggy cobbler than real dry cobbler.
• Cover the dutch oven and place in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes (give or take a few).

If you prefer to not make a mess in your dutch oven, read our blog post titled, “No Mess Baking In Your Cast Iron Dutch Oven.”  You can’t make as much cobbler, but it’s great not having to clean your dutch oven!

Tags: cast iron cookware, cast iron dutch oven