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Prep time
20 minutes
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Cook time
1 hour 5 minutes
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Serves
8
Author Notes
Jammy fruit cobbler is usually relegated to summertime only. But it shouldn’t be. This dessert, with its tender pears, juicy cranberries, and spicy, molasses-flavored biscuits is the perfect treat to welcome in winter. Unlike softer summer fruit, cranberries and pears need a little more time to cook down in the oven but that extra beat gives you time to whip up the simple biscuits. In fact, you may even want to whip up a double batch of the biscuits and freeze one for another day. They make a lovely breakfast on their own.
Serve this cobbler warm or at room temperature with a drizzle of heavy cream, a creamy dollop of sour cream, or a scoop of classic vanilla. And once it’s gone, let Finish take care of the dirty work. —Samantha Seneviratne
Test Kitchen Notes
This recipe is shared in partnership with Finish Detergent. —Food52
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Watch This Recipe
Cranberry & Pear Cobbler With Gingerbread Spiced Biscuits
Ingredients
- For the biscuit topping:
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2 cups
all-purpose flour
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1/2 cup
(packed) dark brown sugar
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2 teaspoons
ground ginger
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2 teaspoons
ground cinnamon
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2 teaspoons
baking powder
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3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon
baking soda
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1/4 teaspoon
ground cloves
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1/2 cup
(1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
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1/2 cup
cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
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3 tablespoons
blackstrap molasses
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1
large egg
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Sanding sugar, for sprinkling
- For the cobbler:
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1 pound
(4 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed, if frozen)
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3/4 cup
(packed) dark brown sugar
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1 pound
(4 cups) Barlett pears, small diced (about 3 pears)
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1/4 cup
crystalized ginger, roughly chopped
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1 tablespoon
pure vanilla extract
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2 tablespoons
cornstarch
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1 pinch
kosher salt
Directions
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Heat the oven to 400°F.
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Combine the cranberries and the sugar in a 1 to 2 quart ceramic pie dish. Using a potato masher or fork, lightly crush the berries. Add the pear, ginger, vanilla, cornstarch, and salt and fold to combine. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the mixture has firmed up and most of the liquid has cooked off.
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Meanwhile, prepare the biscuit topping. Combine the flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cloves in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender (or two knives) until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces. (Pop the flour mixture into the refrigerator for a little while if the butter has gotten warm.)
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In a small bowl, combine the cream, molasses, and egg. Using a fork, stir it into the flour mixture until just evenly moistened. Tip the dough out onto a work surface and shape it into a large rectangle, about 1-inch-thick. Cut into 8 equal-sized pieces.
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Carefully remove the pan from the oven and set the dough pieces on top of the fruit mixture. Brush the tops of the dough with cream and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar. Transfer to the oven and continue to bake until the fruit is bubbling and the biscuits are baked through, 30 to 40 minutes (If you see your biscuits getting too dark, gently tent with foil). Serve warm or at room temperature.
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