My grandma Vessels was the most amazing cook. I still remember so many cozy childhood memories running up to grandma’s house already smelling fried chicken from the driveway. The table was always set and ready for us to eat some variety of a classic southern spread. And each time we visited, you better bet she had her cherry cobbler waiting for us to finish off the meal.

Being the sweet tooth that I am, I typically nibbled on dinner to save the maximum amount of room for cobbler. I think my favorite part about this recipe, even at a young age, was that it wasn’t too tart like so many cherry cobblers and pies are. I even remember rejecting any other cherry desserts simply because no one could measure up to my grandma’s recipe. As a young girl I didn’t know why hers was so special, but as I got older and she taught me her ways, I realized there were two VERY special reasons.

First of all, her biggest secret weapon was cinnamon. Not a lot of people think to add cinnamon to cherry recipes, but I’m telling you, it changes everything! It takes away that tart taste that a lot of people don’t like about cherry desserts. Her second secret weapon was her crust. It had to be homemade from scratch each time.

Ok, now who wants to tackle this recipe yourself? It’s actually rather simple, and very hard to mess up, so you’re in luck!

Prep: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Allergy Info:

• Contains Wheat (Gluten) – you can replace it with a gluten free flour!
• Contains Refined Sugar – you can replace it with pure maple syrup if you don’t want to use refined sugar. Coconut sugar is also slightly healthier, but it’s still a refined sugar.
• Contains Egg – I haven’t tried this yet, but you can try replacing the egg with a flax-seed egg.
• Contains Butter – for a Vegan option, use a vegan butter

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 Large can of Cherry filling
• 1 stick of unsalted butter (you can also use Vegan butter)
• 1/2 cup of coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup flour, or less (only if you want a thicker filling)
• Cinnamon to taste (I add a lot! Make sure to taste test along the way)

Filling Directions

First, melt 1 stick of butter in a medium sized pot on low heat. Once your butter has completely melted, add 1 large can of cherry filling and mix well. Next, add a 1/2 cup of sugar and stir until the ingredients have completely mixed together. The last step is to add cinnamon to taste. Keep your pot on low heat the entire time and taste test along the way. I tend to add a lot of cinnamon, but that part is completely up to you!

Crust Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour (plus extra for rolling)
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 tbs. ice water
• 1 beaten egg
• Wax paper
• Scotch tape to tape down the wax paper
• Rolling pin
• Mixer
• butter knife
• Small plate (for butter)
• I also add…
  • 1 tbs. sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Crust Preparation:

Slice butter into cubes and set aside for later. Get small cup of ice water ready and set aside for later. Clear space for rolling. Tape down approx. 2’x2′ section of wax paper and cover with thin layer of flour. Make sure roller is completely dry and coat with thin layer of flour.

Dough Mixing Instructions:

In a mixing bowl on low speed, mix flour, salt, and sugar. Slowly add butter, vanilla extract, and ice water (may need to add more ice water depending on consistency). You want the dough to be mold’able’ but not too sticky. If it gets too sticky, just add more flour. Once the desired consistency is achieved, remove from mixing bowl and place on surface prepped for rolling. Knead dough, adding pinches of flour, until the middle of the dough is no longer stick. Roll dough to desired size.

Baking Instructions:

Once you’ve got your filling complete and dough rolled out, we’re ready to move on to the final step. Grab whatever baking dish you plan to use and spray it with a light spray of Pam or butter. Then pour the filling into your dish until it stands about 1.5 inches tall. Spread the filling until it’s evenly distributed. Lastly, place the dough on top of the cherry filling. I tend to go for the classic criss cross design, but you can lay out your dough however you like! Bake for about 20-30 minutes at 375 and you’re all set!