Old-Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
This Old-Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler is made by topping a fresh fruit filling with homemade buttermilk biscuits and baking until golden. The crunchy cinnamon sugar on top really takes this easy spring dessert over the top!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
✔ Fresh or Frozen Fruit: Fresh strawberries and rhubarb are preferred, but frozen is a great option if you’re on a budget or it’s not rhubarb season.
✔ Easy to Assemble: The fluffy biscuit topping is spooned onto the fruit filling, which means there’s no rolling or cutting of biscuit dough.
✔ Super Simple Ingredients: This is an old-fashioned cobbler like Grandma used to make, with basic ingredients you probably have in your fridge and pantry already.
When it comes to spring baking, strawberry rhubarb desserts win my heart every time.
This easy cobbler made with fresh strawberries and rhubarb is my go-to sweet treat when I’m craving strawberry rhubarb pie but lack the time (or patience!) to roll and shape pie dough.
The orange-scented fruit filling takes less than 5 minutes to stir together, and the buttermilk biscuit topping is dropped over the filling rather than rolled out and shaped.
You can have this spring cobbler in the oven in under 30 minutes. It’s perfect for Mother’s Day, baby showers, garden parties, and bbqs!
Love fruit cobblers? Make this Berry Peach Cobbler or Black Cherry Cobbler next!
Recipe Ingredients
Check your fridge and pantry before buying the ingredients for this biscuit-topped strawberry rhubarb cobbler. You might have most of the items on hand already!
- Rhubarb: Definitely use fresh rhubarb if it’s in season, otherwise swap in frozen rhubarb (no need to thaw first).
- Strawberries: Chopped frozen strawberries may be used instead of fresh. Store-bought frozen berries are typically less sweet than fresh, so you might want to adjust the amount of sugar in the filling if using.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds a neutral sweetness to the fruit filling, while a little brown sugar gives the biscuit topping a richer flavor.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the strawberry rhubarb filling without making it gummy.
- Orange: Fresh orange juice and zest liven up the filling and give it a more nuanced flavor profile. Swap with lemon, if that’s all you have on hand.
- All-Purpose Flour: Used to make the biscuits.
- Baking Powder: Creates a light and fluffy biscuit topping.
- Butter: Use cold butter for making the biscuit topping. Here’s my method for cutting butter into flour.
- Buttermilk: Ran out? Make a buttermilk substitute using whole milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- Ground Cinnamon and Ginger: Add so much warmth to the crunchy sugar topping.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
- Make the fruit filling: Stir the strawberries and rhubarb well to make sure they’re evenly coated in cornstarch and sugar.
- Make the biscuit topping: Whisk together the dry ingredients before cutting in the cold butter. I used a pastry cutter, but you can use your fingertips. Once the buttermilk is added, stir just until combined (you don’t want to overwork the flour).
- Spoon the biscuit batter over the filling: I like to leave some gaps in the topping so the filling can steam and bubble freely in the oven.
- Bake until golden: Sprinkle the top with the spiced sugar mixture to add some crunch to the biscuits.
- Cool slightly before serving: We love eating this cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Recipe FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
Can frozen fruit be used in this recipe?
Go for it! Add the chopped frozen rhubarb and strawberries straight from the freezer, but increase the bake time slightly since the filling will be very cold.
Can a different berry be used in this recipe?
Customize this cobbler by pairing the rhubarb with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or a mixed berry blend.
Can this cobbler be made in advance?
You can assemble and bake the cobbler up to 2 days in advance. I suggest reheating it in a 350ºF oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or just until warm.
Why is my filling runny?
If you omitted the cornstarch or replaced it with all-purpose flour, that could be why. Or, you didn’t leave any gaps in the biscuit topping, which prevented the steam released from the strawberries and rhubarb from evaporating.
Note that the filling will thicken up as it cools, but your cobbler should still not be runny or watery when pulled from the oven.
Storage Instructions
Let leftover cobbler cool to room temperature before covering tightly with plastic wrap or foil. It can sit on the counter for 24 hours, but after that it needs to be refrigerated.
You can freeze the entire baked cobbler or individual portions for up to 3 months. Cobbler reheats well in a 350ºF oven (don’t thaw before freezing, and cover it loosely with foil to prevent the biscuit topping from browning).
Try Making Strawberry and Rhubarb Cobbler at Home!
Next time you’re looking for an easy strawberry rhubarb dessert, give this old-fashioned cobbler a try!
Did You Try This Recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and a review below—your feedback helps others and makes my day.
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If you took a photo, tag me on Instagram @goodlifeeats and use #goodlifeeatsrecipes—I’d love to see your sundaes and frozen treats!
More Strawberry Dessert Recipes
There are so many easy desserts you can make using fresh strawberries! I love pairing strawberries with tart rhubarb, but here are some other favorite desserts to make with this spring and summer berry:
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Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler Recipe
A sweet-tart strawberry and rhubarb filling is topped with homemade biscuits and baked until golden and bubbly. This is an old-fashioned recipe like Grandma used to make!
Ingredients
Filling
- 1½ lbs rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1½ lbs sliced strawberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt (optional, enhances fruit flavor)
Topping
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- Heaping ½ teaspoon salt
- 7½ tablespoons cold butter, cut into slices
- ⅓ cup buttermilk, heated in the microwave or in a small saucepan until warm
Cinnamon Sugar Sprinkle
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss together the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange juice, orange zest, and optional salt. Stir well to coat the fruit evenly. Pour into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish or similar-sized oven-safe dish.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the cold butter using your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in the heated buttermilk and stir gently until just combined. The batter will be soft and slightly thick.
- Drop the topping by spoonfuls over the fruit, spreading gently if desired, but leaving some gaps for bubbling.
- Mix the cinnamon sugar topping ingredients together in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the cobbler topping.
- Bake at 400°F for 30–40 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling in the center and the topping is golden and lightly crisped.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Best enjoyed warm with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Notes
If you don’t need an entire 9x13-inch pan of cobbler, halve the ingredients and bake in an 8- or 9-inch square pan.
Fresh fruit is preferred, but frozen strawberries and rhubarb may also be used. Do not thaw, and increase the bake time slightly.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 352mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 4gSugar: 28gProtein: 4g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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