Southern Banana Cobbler (Printable)

Caramelized bananas beneath a golden buttery cobbler crust, a classic Southern comfort dessert.

# Ingredient List:

→ Banana Filling

01 - 5 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Cobbler Topping

10 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
11 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
13 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
14 - 1/2 cup whole milk
15 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the sliced bananas with granulated sugar, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla extract until evenly coated. Spread the mixture in an even layer across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the milk and 1/3 cup melted butter, stirring gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few small lumps are fine.
04 - Spoon the batter evenly over the banana filling, spreading gently with a spatula to cover most of the surface. The batter will spread and bubble as it bakes.
05 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the crust comes out clean. The banana filling should be bubbling around the edges.
06 - Allow the cobbler to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm on its own or accompanied by vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The caramelized banana layer tastes like banana bread met bread pudding and decided to become something even better.
  • It uses ingredients you probably already have sitting in your kitchen right now.
  • The golden cobbler crust gets crispy on top while staying tender underneath.
  • Serving it warm with cold vanilla ice cream creates a contrast that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
02 -
  • Do not overmix the cobbler batter or the topping will turn tough and bready instead of tender and cakey.
  • Use bananas that are heavily spotted or even mostly black on the outside because underripe bananas will not break down into that luscious, jammy filling.
  • Let the cobbler rest after baking because the filling continues to thicken as it cools and will burn your mouth if you dig in too eagerly.
03 -
  • Sprinkle a thin layer of brown sugar directly on the bottom of the greased dish before adding the banana mixture to create an extra caramelized crust underneath.
  • If your bananas are not quite ripe enough, pop them in a 300 degree oven on a parchment lined tray for 15 minutes until the skins blacken and the fruit softens.

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