This Strawberry Sourdough Cobbler is one of those desserts that feels effortlessly generous - jammy, bubbling fruit underneath and a golden, tender topping on top. If you're looking for a simple sourdough discard dessert to make the most of fresh or frozen fruit, this is a lovely one to keep in your back pocket. It's easy, deeply comforting and exactly the sort of pudding that disappears quickly with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Jump to:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost for you! Thank you!
Summer Sourdough Cobbler, But For Any Season
This really is the kind of bake that tastes like summer in a dish - especially during strawberry season, when fresh strawberries are sweet, fragrant and impossible to resist. But it's also one of my favourite ways to stretch that summer feeling well beyond the warmer months.
Last summer, we had the most ridiculously generous strawberry harvest in the garden. We picked bowl after bowl, froze loads of them, and then spent the colder months turning those frozen strawberries into warm puddings like this. That's probably why I love this sourdough cobbler so much - it tastes bright and summery, even when the weather is doing its absolute worst.
If you enjoy practical sourdough recipes that don't require loads of planning, this one is such a great way to use up sourdough discard too.
Ingredient Notes
Make this delicious dessert in a large pie dish, cast iron skillet or another ovenproof dish.
- Strawberries. You can use fresh strawberries (like in our Strawberry Sourdough Galette) or thawed frozen ones. If your strawberries are especially sweet, use the lower end of the sugar range. If they're a little tart, add more.
- Cornflour. This thickens the fruit filling and helps stop the cobbler from becoming too runny.
- Granulated sugar. Used in both the filling and topping. You can swap a little of it for brown sugar if you want a slightly deeper flavour, but white sugar keeps things classic and bright.
- Sourdough discard. Unfed sourdough starter is absolutely perfect here. It adds a subtle tang and helps create a soft, fluffy cobbler topping, but isn't used as a leavening agent here. Use it at room temperature for easier mixing.
- Plain flour. Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly for this recipe.
- Cold butter. Keep it fridge-cold for the best texture. Rubbing cold butter into the flour gives the topping that lovely, tender, slightly craggy finish.
- Egg and milk. These bring the cobbler dough together and help create a rich, spoonable batter.
- Cinnamon. Optional, but lovely if you want a little warmth.
- Demerara sugar. Sprinkled over the top of the cobbler for the right amount of crunch and a beautifully golden brown finish.
You'll find the full ingredient list, exact measurements and recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Prepare the fruit filling. Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, toss the strawberries with the cornflour and sugar until evenly coated. Tip the fruit filling into a baking dish or ovenproof dish that holds at least 2 litres.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a jug or small bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, milk and egg until smooth.
3. Make the cobbler topping. In a separate large mixing bowl, rub the cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the sugar, baking powder, cinnamon if using, and a pinch of salt. Pour in the wet ingredients and mix just until combined into a thick batter.
TOP TIP: this batter works beautifully with other cobbler recipes, think fresh fruit like juicy peaches (our Sourdough Peach Cobbler recipe is coming soon), rhubarb or a mixture of fresh berries.
4. Assemble the cobbler. Spoon rough dollops of the cobbler dough over the strawberries, leaving a few gaps between them so the fruit can bubble up as it bakes. Sprinkle with demerara sugar (or other type of coarse sugar) for extra crunch.
5. Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Leave to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving with a scoop of ice cream or yogurt.
Important Tips
- Use frozen strawberries straight from your stash if you've frozen summer fruit - just thaw them first and drain off excess liquid if needed.
- Don't overmix the topping. Stir just until combined for the lightest texture.
- Keep the butter cold so the topping bakes up tender rather than dense.
- Use a dish with enough room - cobblers bubble enthusiastically, and you don't want the fruit spilling over.
- Adjust the sugar to the fruit. Sweet strawberries need less (I sometimes add a little lemon juice too); sharper ones need more.
- Leave gaps in the topping so the fruit can bubble through and create that classic fruit cobbler look.
Serving Suggestions
This sourdough discard cobbler is best served warm, when the fruit is glossy, and the topping is still slightly crisp on top.
A big scoop of vanilla ice cream is hard to beat, but it's also lovely with:
- pouring cream
- crème fraîche
- thick Greek yoghurt
- warm custard
If you want to make it feel a little more dinner-party-ish, serve it in small bowls with a few extra fresh strawberries on top.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover strawberry sourdough cobbler covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm it in the oven at 160°C until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions, though the topping will be softer that way.
You can freeze it too, either whole or in portions. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until hot and bubbling again.
More Sourdough Desserts
If you love easy sourdough desserts, there are so many good ones to try next - from fruity bakes like this sourdough strawberry cobbler to cookies, cakes and other sweet treats that make brilliant use of sourdough discard.
Strawberry Sourdough Cobbler (Easy Discard Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) strawberries fresh or thawed from frozen
- 2 tablespoon cornflour cornstarch
- 80 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
For Sourdough Cobbler Topping:
- 1 egg large
- 50 ml (3½ tablespoon) milk
- 100 g (0.4 cup) sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 230 g (1¾ cups +1 tbsp) plain flour all-purpose flour
- 140 g (5 oz) unsalted butter fridge-cold, cut into cubes
- 140 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoon demerara sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Place strawberries (thawed if frozen, hulled if fresh and halved if very large) in a large bowl. Toss them with cornflour and sugar.
- Tip the strawberry mixture into a large pie dish or another ovenproof dish that holds at least 2 l (8½ cups).
- In a jug, or a medium bowl, whisk sourdough discard, milk and egg.
- In a separate large bowl, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the sugar, cinnamon (optional), baking powder and a pinch of salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix just enough to combine into a thick batter.
- Spoon large blobs into the strawberry mixture, leaving gaps in between. Sprinkle everything with demerara sugar and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the strawberry filling is bubbling up around the edges.
- Remove the cobbler from the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Lora says
This turned out so good! The strawberries get perfectly jammy, the topping is soft and golden, and it's even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ieva Greber says
Sounds like you nailed it, Lora — jammy strawberries and that golden topping are exactly what I'm after. And yes, ice cream is non-negotiable!
Kay says
The topping is PERFECT. Can't wait to try it with other fruits next.
Ieva Greber says
Thanks, Kay — that topping really is the star of the show, and it works brilliantly with pretty much any fruit you throw at it. Can't wait to hear what you try next!