Are you someone who absolutely loves apples? If you’re a big fan of their sweet taste, you likely love various apple-based desserts.
Many people enjoy baking apple pies as desserts. It’s also common for people to bake apple cobbler when they have a craving for something sweet.
It’s obvious that apple pie and apple cobbler have some similarities. However, you should know that the two are distinct.
What’s the difference between them? Continue reading to find out!
What Is the Difference Between Apple Cobbler and Apple Pie?
There are a few big differences between apple cobbler and apple pie that you should know about. A cobbler is a dessert that is baked without a crust.
Many types of cobblers exist and you might have tried peach cobbler or other styles. Apple cobbler is among the most popular cobbler types, and it’s baked in a baking pan without a crust.
Apple pie is different because it’s baked in a pie tin or pan and it has a crust. The biggest difference between apple pie and apple cobbler is simply the presence of the crust.
Pies utilize crusts whereas cobblers don’t. You should also know that cobblers can be baked in many different types of baking dishes while pies are generally only made using pie pans.
Apple cobblers are often made from biscuit batter. Cobblers usually only have a topping.
Now that you know more about apple cobbler and apple pie, the differences likely seem obvious. That doesn’t mean that the similarities should be ignored, though.
Apple Pie and Apple Cobbler Might Taste Similar
When eating apple pie, it might remind you a bit of apple cobbler. If you’re more of an apple pie fan, the opposite will likely hold true.
Apple pie and apple cobbler might taste similar. They use the same types of ingredients, and you’ll likely enjoy apple cobbler if you also love apple pie.
The apples will be baked in such a way that they will taste similar no matter which dessert you’re eating. Some recipes might have subtle differences, though.
Also, the crust aspect of the apple pie will add a bit of a different flavor and texture. So the two are distinct even if the flavors are similar enough.
You’ll likely find that both apple pie and apple cobbler are great. Many people love topping both apple cobbler and apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
Which Is Easier to Bake?
Both of these dessert dishes are fairly easy to bake. You’ll need to do a bit of prep work before moving forward no matter which dish you decide to go with.
For both desserts, you need to slice the apples and cook them on the stove. You’ll combine the apple slices with whatever ingredients the recipe calls for.
This is how you create the apple filling for your dessert. It’s necessary to do this so the apples will soften a little bit.
Generally, you want to use apples that are somewhat crisp rather than overly soft to start. It’s popular to go with Honeycrisp apples for baking either apple pie or apple cobbler.
Apple cobbler is easier to make overall because you don’t have to worry about baking a crust. You don’t need to prepare a crust nor do you have to worry about blind-baking it.
Try Baking Both
If you’d like to do some baking sometime soon, it might be worthwhile to try baking both apple cobbler and apple pie. While you might not want to make both at the same time, it’s good to try each out for yourself.
You can be the judge and decide whether you prefer cobbler or pie. Some people strictly love pie and decide to make it almost exclusively.
Others wind up falling in love with how easy cobblers are to bake. Neither dessert option is tough to bake, but it’s true that baking apple cobbler is slightly less time-consuming.
You’ll love the sweet apple taste of either of these dessert options. If you enjoy both, you might even choose to keep them both in your baking repertoire.
Tips for Baking With Apples
Baking with apples isn’t too tough overall, but you can make mistakes that will cause your desserts to turn out a bit wrong. For example, baking with apples that are a bit too ripe won’t be a good idea.
Overripe apples are too soft and will turn to mush when you bake them. Likewise, picking apples that are too soft naturally will not be the best choice for baking.
You want to go with crisp apples such as Honeycrisp to get the best results. It ensures that the apples will maintain their structure without turning to applesauce as you bake them.
It’s also important to cut the apples into thin slices when baking them. Whether you’re baking cobbler or pie, it’s wise to cut the apples into ¼ of an inch slice.
This makes it easier for them to soften when you’re cooking them on the stove. Do things this way and you’ll have an easy time getting good results with your baking.
Final Thoughts
You should have a better understanding of the differences between cobbler and pie now. Cobblers are baked desserts that don’t utilize crusts.
Pies have crusts and are baked in pie pans. Cobblers can be made using many different types of baking dishes.
It’s a bit faster and easier to make a cobbler dish than it is to bake a pie. Even so, neither type of dessert is that hard to make.
You can decide for yourself whether you prefer apple cobbler or apple pie. You’ll simply have to try both and see how you feel.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.