What Is a Dutch Oven Cobbler?

A Dutch oven cobbler is a type of cobbler made using a Dutch oven, rather than by baking the cobbler in a standard home or professional oven. There are numerous ways in which such a cobbler can be made, with various ingredients that people choose based on personal preferences. In general, however, this type of cobbler is often made using a few simple ingredients, such as cake mix and canned pie filling, making it ideal for camping. A Dutch oven cobbler usually consists of a fruit filling, such as pie filling, topped with cake batter or biscuit dough and baked until the top is golden.

While the general principal behind a Dutch oven cobbler is similar to other types of cobblers, there are a number of alterations that can be made to such recipes. The major difference between a Dutch oven cobbler and other cobblers is the use of a Dutch oven, rather than a standard oven. A Dutch oven is basically a large cast iron pot, typically featuring a lid that may be domed or flat and rimmed. Such Dutch ovens can be used in a home kitchen, but they are also ideal for use when camping, as they can be set over hot coals with additional hot coals placed on the lid for surround heating.

A Dutch oven cobbler can be as simple or as elaborate as the person making it wants it to be. Simple recipes that can be quite useful when someone is camping might only require a few ingredients. The fruit filling can be made using canned pie filling, which is placed at the bottom of the Dutch oven. One simple way to make the topping for a Dutch oven cobbler is to mix a can of lemon-lime soda with boxed cake mix, producing a wet batter similar to standard cobbler topping.

More elaborate recipes for Dutch oven cobbler can be similar to a standard cobbler, utilizing fresh fruit to make a filling for the bottom of the cobbler. Batter can then be made using flour, sugar, and milk, though some recipes call for wet dough similar to that used to make biscuits. This can then be spooned onto the fruit filling or poured roughly over the filling. Next, the Dutch oven is covered and the cobbler is allowed to bake. Dutch oven cobbler is typically served hot, and is often accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream.