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Strawberry Cobbler with Lemon Biscuits

Fresh Strawberry Cobbler with Lemon Biscuits

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked, dessert, Strawberry Cobbler, Strawberry crisp, Strawberry recipes,
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Resting Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 237kcal
Sweet, fragrant strawberries with a hint of basil baked into a delicious cobbler with a lemon biscuit topping. Beautiful with just the right amount of sweetness. Perfect for entertaining or a meal with friends and family. Makes 8-10 servings
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Ingredients

Strawberry Filling

  • 1 kg strawberries ( about 1250 kg before removing stems) approximately 2 lbs, hulled and halved (about 8 cups sliced)
  • 2½ tablespoons cornstarch
  • ¼ cup sugar up to ⅓ cup, depending on the berries' sweetness
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 –2 tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of sea salt

Lemon Biscuit Topping

  • 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 cups 240 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 115 g ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • ¾ cup 180 ml buttermilk

To Finish

  • 2 tablespoons cream or buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

Instructions

Prepare the Filling (One-Pan Method)

  • Put the strawberries into a large oven-safe skillet or baking dish (I used a 3.5 qt Le Creuset). Sprinkle over the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Stir gently with a wooden spoon to mix in.
    Strawberry Cobbler with Lemon Biscuits - strawberries in pan with cornstarch and sugar
  • Add the honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, basil, and vanilla.
  • Place over medium heat and continue to stir with a wooden spoon as the mixture warms. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until the strawberries begin to soften, release their juices, and the liquid starts to thicken slightly.
  • Taste the strawberries and their juices, and adjust the sugar or honey if you’d like it a bit sweeter, depending on the ripeness and sugar content of the fruit.
  • Remove from heat and spread the fruit evenly in the pan.

If you don’t have an oven-safe pan:

  • Cook the filling in a saucepan, then transfer it to a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.

Make the Lemon Biscuit Dough

  • Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
  • In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers until fragrant and slightly damp.
    Strawberry Cobbler with Lemon Biscuits - sugar and lemon zest in bowl
  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine.
  • Add the cold butter and cut it in using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
    Strawberry-Cobbler-with-lemon-biscuits-butter and flour mixture
  • Pour in the buttermilk and gently mix just until a soft, shaggy dough forms. The dough should be thick and slightly dry-looking, not wet.
  • Refrigerate the dough for 10–15 minutes.

Assemble

  • Scoop large, generous mounds of biscuit dough over the strawberries, leaving space between each mound so the fruit can bubble up around them.
    Strawberry-Cobbler-with-lemon-biscuits-unbaked dough on strawberry mixture
  • Keep the mounds tall and rustic—do not flatten.

Cut Biscuit Alternative

  • Turn the biscuit dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
    Strawberry-Cobbler-Dough-on-board
  • Gently bring the dough together without kneading.
  • Press the dough into a rough slab.
  • Using a knife or a bench scraper, cut the dough in half.
    strawberry-Cobbler-Dough-on-board-cut-in-half
  • Place one half on top of the other, then press down with your hands or the side of the bench scraper to form a square slab about 1-1½ inches thick.
    Strawberry-Cobbler-Dough-on-board-cut-in-half-and-stacked
  • Trim the edges of the dough and save the scraps.
    Strawberry-Cobbler-Dough-pressed-into-a-square
  • Cut into squares using a knife or bench scraper. I cut nine squares, and then made two more squares using the scraps.
    Strawberry-Cobbler-Dough-pressed-and-cut-into-squares
  • Transfer the biscuits to a parchment-lined sheet pan and chill for 10-15 minutes. This step is optional, but it really does help give the biscuits lift.
  • Place the chilled biscuits over the strawberry filling, leaving space between each piece. Do not press down, let them rest lightly on the surface.

Finish

  • Brush the tops of the biscuits lightly with cream or buttermilk and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
    Strawberry-Cobbler-in-pan-with-buttermilk-brushed-on-dough-squares

Bake

  • Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the biscuits are deeply golden, the filling is thick and bubbling around the edges, and the biscuit tops feel set and lightly firm
  • If the tops brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil and continue baking. Remove foil for the final 5–10 minutes to crisp up the tops. I recommend placing foil underneath the pan or on the bottom of the oven, as the berry mixture can bubble over.

Rest

  • Let the cobbler rest for 15-20 minutes before serving so the filling can set.
    Strawberry Cobbler with Lemon Biscuits baked

To Serve

  • Drizzle the warm biscuits lightly with honey if desired.
  • Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, mascarpone, creme fraiche, or simply on its own.
    Strawberry Cobbler with Lemon Biscuits

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 268mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 322IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg