This gluten free strawberry cobbler pairs a sweet, juicy strawberry filling with a buttery drop-biscuit topping that bakes into a golden crust while staying soft inside. It’s the ultimate cozy, no-fuss summer dessert, easy to prepare, and guaranteed to please. You’d never guess it’s gluten free—everyone will love it, especially served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Duration:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Strawberry Filling:
900 g (2 lb, about 7 cups) fresh strawberries, tops removed, halved or quartered (depending on size)
100 g (½ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar
15 g (2 tbsp) cornstarch (US) / cornflour (UK)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
Biscuit Topping:
240 g (2 cups) plain gluten free flour blend
*(I used Doves Farm Freee plain white gluten free flour without xanthan gum. You can also use a homemade gluten free flour mix—note that 1 cup = 150 g, so it’s best to weigh ingredients for accuracy.)
100 g (½ cup) caster/superfine or granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp xanthan gum *(omit if your flour blend already includes a binder)*
¼ tsp salt
115 g (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
100 g (⅓ cup + 1½ tbsp) whole milk, cold
½ tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
1–2 tbsp granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
Strawberry Filling:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and place the oven rack in the middle position.
2. In a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet or round baking dish, combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Toss until evenly coated. Spread into an even layer and set aside.
Biscuit Topping:
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour blend, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.
4. Add cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs, with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining.
5. Stir in cold milk and vanilla. Mix with a fork, spoon, or spatula until you get a soft, sticky dough—don’t worry, you won’t need to knead it.
Assemble & Bake:
6. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to drop dollops of dough over the strawberry filling.
7. Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar.
8. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the filling reaches about 195ºF (90ºC). Check doneness with a toothpick—it should come out clean from the biscuit topping.
Tip: Cornstarch/cornflour thickens fully only once the fruit juices boil. A thermometer inserted into the cobbler should read 195ºF (90ºC) or above to ensure the filling has thickened properly.*
9. Let the cobbler cool slightly before serving. The juices will be runny while hot but thicken as it cools. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Storage
* Best enjoyed fresh and warm on the day of baking.
* Keeps well covered at room temperature for 2–3 days.
* Reheat before serving in the microwave or in a 350ºF (180ºC) oven.
