This recipe takes everything that’s wonderful about apple cobbler and makes it even easier by using cake mix for the topping. This shortcut dessert features a homemade apple filling topped with a buttery cake mix topping that bakes up golden and crisp. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for perfect fall dessert everyone will love.
This semi-homemade recipe uses a homemade apple filling and a box of cake mix for easy assembly. It’s perfect for a weeknight dessert, a fall party, or whenever you want a warm apple dessert without extra fuss.
Be sure to check out my Caramel Apple Dip and Air Fryer Baked Apple recipes for another great use of all those fall apples!
So easy and the apples turned out perfectly! Not too sweet against the sweet topping. Great fall recipe!
Quick Look at this Apple Cobbler Recipe
- Ready In: About 1 hour
- Serves: 10–12
- Flavors: Warm cinnamon spiced apples with a buttery, crumbly topping
- Equipment: 9×13 baking dish and skillet
- Great For: Fall baking and holiday celebrations
What Makes This Apple Cobbler Different?
Unlike a traditional dump cake dry cake mix with melted butter drizzled over the top, this recipe mixes the melted butter directly into the cake mix before baking. This extra step ensures the topping bakes evenly, so you won’t end up with dry pockets of cake mix.
Since it’s already blended with sugar, leavening, and vanilla, the cake mix bakes up sweet, buttery, and full of flavor without having to measure a long list of ingredients. The finished topping has the best of both worlds with golden, crisp edges with softer, cake-like bites underneath.
Best Apples for Apple Cobbler
The filling for this apple cobbler made with cake mix is much like apple pie. You want apples that hold up during baking without getting mushy.
Great baking apples: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Gala, Cortland, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious.
I love using a mix of Granny Smith apples (tart) and Pink Lady (sweet/tart) for a perfect balance. Peel the apples for a softer filling, or leave the skins for a rustic finish.
If using sweeter apples like Fuji or Gala, reduce the sugar by 1–2 tablespoons to keep the filling balanced.
Variations & Swaps
- Use vanilla or spice cake mix instead of yellow. A gluten-free mix could also be used if needed. Any of these make a delicious apple cobbler made with cake mix.
- If you’re short on time, swap the homemade filling for 2 cans of apple pie filling. This turns the recipe into more of an apple dump cake than a traditional cobbler.
- Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the cobbler topping.
- Check out this Cherry Cobbler recipe using canned cherry pie filling (video below)! Other fruits like peaches or mixed berries would also make a fun twist on this method.
How to Make Apple Cobbler with Cake Mix
Cook the filling: In a saucepan, combine sliced apples, sugar, spices, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat 3–5 minutes until slightly softened and juices thicken. (This step gives the filling a head start and prevents a soupy cobbler.) Spread the apples into a greased 9×13 baking dish.
Add the topping: In a small bowl, combine dry cake mix a stick of melted butter. Mixture will look crumbly and thick. Combining the melted butter with the cake mix before topping ensures you won’t end up with dry pockets of cake mix! Evenly sprinkle topping over the top of the apples.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. Let the cobbler sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set up.
Serving & Storing Apple Cobbler
Apple cobbler is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla, cinnamon, or caramel ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Room Temperature: Cover tightly and store for up to 2–3 days.
Refrigerator: Store covered for up to 4–5 days. The topping will soften as it sits, but reheating it in the oven helps restore some of its crisp texture.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating Individual Servings: Microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through. For a crispier topping, use a toaster oven or conventional oven instead.
Reheating the Whole Cobbler: Cover loosely with foil and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Apple Cobbler with Cake Mix
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 6-8 apples – cored, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices about 8 cups
- â…“ cup brown sugar lightly packed
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- â…› tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
Cobbler Topping
- 15.25 oz. box yellow cake mix
- ½ cup butter salted, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking dish with softened butter.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples along with both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, cornstarch and lemon juice. Mix and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until sugars are dissolved and mixture starts to bubble. Pour apples into baking dish.6-8 apples – cored, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1 tbsp. cornstarch, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 2 tbsp. butter
- In a separate bowl combine cake mix and melted butter, the mixture will be crumbly. Evenly sprinkle topping over the apple mixture.15.25 oz. box yellow cake mix, 1/2 cup butter
- Bake 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below. I’d love to know how it turned out!
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Could I use canned pie filling?
I have not tested it with canned pie filling, although I think it would work in a pinch. Just keep in mind the apples in the canned pie filling are already cooked, while in the recipe you are cooking them from raw so it might turn out mushier.
So easy and the apples turned out perfectly! Not too sweet against the sweet topping. Great fall recipe!