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Extra juicy, extra jammy, Skillet Strawberry Bourbon Cobbler…with layered cream cheese biscuits that are beyond words good! Every bite is layered with fresh strawberries and hints of bourbon. Then topped with buttery, flaky cream cheese layered biscuits. It’s so pretty, super simple to make, and you can swap out the strawberries for any berry you love. Or simply use a mix of all your favorites. Serve with whipped cream for brunch or vanilla ice cream for the perfect strawberry-filled spring dessert.
The calendar says it’s spring, our weather says it’s winter, but all is ok because fresh strawberries are back in season, and that makes me happy. The truth is, I continue to look at my google calendar every day only to see that we are deep into April…and I am still shocked every time. It just doesn’t feel like April. I’m not sure if it’s the weather or the quarantine, either way, it still feels like winter. How about all of you? I know I talked about this last week, but I’m ready for fresher eats, more color, and all the spring strawberries.
Thankfully we finally made it back to the grocery store for our weekly stock up. The fridge is now full of spring produce, strawberries, and well plenty of butter too. Because there seems to be no end in sight for all this baking madness! Which brings me to the simple, but then not so simple strawberry cobbler.
If you love anything strawberry…and you love anything buttery…then this is your Tuesday dessert! Trust me, this is so good.
And the smells that come from the oven as this cobbler bakes? Heavenly, like sweet springtime wafting through the air. So cheesy, but so true.
(adding cream cheese to the dough)
(stacking the squares of dough one on top of the other)
The inspiration.
Honestly, I hesitated to create this recipe. Did you guys really want a strawberry cobbler recipe? I feel like it’s maybe not that exciting. But then what do I do with all of my strawberries? And juicy cobblers are so delicious. Ahh, what’s a girl to do? I went back and forth (it’s what I do, it’s so not easy to be me!). Finally, something told me to just to go for it.
Here’s the thing, I’ve always found cobblers of any kind to be lacking in two areas – sauce and biscuits.
I’m looking for the perfect berry-filled sauce. One that’s full of juicy berries and so flavorful, but also has a “jammy” like quality. I feel like most often you get a runny sauce or a super thick sauce. And both tend to lack enough sweet berry flavor.
So this sauce is different. It’s cooked twice and it contains bourbon, which helps to highlight the intense strawberry flavor. It is delicious!
The second area is the biscuits. For the longest time, I’ve been looking to achieve a biscuit that’s tall, layered with butter, and extra flakey. I’ve gotten close, but this biscuit recipe nails it.
The Biscuits…are extra special.
The three secrets?
One, stacking the biscuits one on top of another to physically create layers. I read about this method on Bon Appètit and am so happy I gave it a try. It’s a game-changer and truly creates the perfect flaky, buttery biscuit. I tried to capture as many process photos as I could, to give you all visuals, but it’s easier than you’d think. Essentially you’re just cutting the biscuits, stacking them, and then rolling them out a second time. It’s kind of like laminating the biscuit dough.
And it works.
Secret two? Cream cheese in-between the layers. Yes. Cream cheese in-between the layers of buttery biscuit dough. The cream cheese adds a really nice “cream” flavor with every bite, which I particularly love when paired with berries.
And lastly, secret three. Freeze the biscuits for a few minutes before they go into the oven. This helps to re-chill the butter and in-turn gives your biscuits added flakiness. Just before baking brush the tops with butter and finish them with a sprinkling of coarse sugar. It adds the perfect crunch with every bite.
Plus, it’s that extra special touch that’s so pretty too!
Onto the strawberries…
While the biscuits spend time in the freezer, start on the strawberries. I used a simple mix of strawberries (you can use fresh or frozen), honey, bourbon, lemon, and vanilla.
But here’s the key to this strawberry filling. Unlike most cobbler recipes, we’re going to cook half of the strawberries ahead of baking to give them a start on cooking.
You’ll simply add about half the berries to a skillet (it does not need to be exact, you can eyeball it), bring them to a boil, and boil until their juices bubble up and the berries begin to soften. Remove the skillet from the heat, then add the remaining berries. This helps to create a more intense flavor and jam-like texture. With every bite you’ll get a sweet juicy jam-like sauce. It’s the best of both worlds, and it’s exactly what other cobbler recipes are missing.
At this point, add the biscuits to the strawberries and bake. As the berries bake, they burst, releasing their juices and creating a sweet bourbon and vanilla-scented sauce. It feels very “southern” and tastes delicious.
As you pull this skillet strawberry bourbon cobbler out of the oven, the sauce will be bubbling, and the biscuits perfectly golden. You should definitely have vanilla ice cream on hand, because cobbler is best enjoyed warm, with a generous scoop of sweet ice cream.
Perfect Tuesday treat for these late April days.
And yes, if you don’t have fresh berries, frozen work too. No excuses…happiest Tuesday baking. Enjoy!
Looking for other spring strawberry recipes? Try these.
Strawberry Glazed Chai Doughnuts
The Best Strawberry Shortcakes
Strawberry Ripple Almond Cheesecake
watch the how to video:
Lastly, if you make this skillet strawberry bourbon cobbler with layered cream cheese biscuits, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Skillet Strawberry Bourbon Cobbler with Layered Cream Cheese Biscuits
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 606 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) cold salted butter, cubed, plus melted butter, for brushing
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 ounces cold cream cheese, sliced into 3 slices
- coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Strawberries
- 6 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced (about 3 pounds)
- 1/4-1/3 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. To make the biscuits. In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and butter. Pulse until the mix clumps together to form larger pea-size balls. Drizzle in the buttermilk until the dough is "shaggy" looking. The dough will be a little dry.3. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and pat into 1-inch thick square. Cut the dough into 4 pieces. Add 1 slice of cream cheese to 3 of the squares, gently pressing to flatten. Stack the cream cheese topped pieces on top of each other. Add the final piece (with no cream cheese) on top of the stack (see above photos). Press down to flatten. Dust the surface with flour and roll the dough into a 1 inch thick rectangle. Cut into 12 biscuits. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze 10 minutes, to chill.4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Combine half of the strawberries and the honey in an 11 to 12-inch oven-safe skillet set over high heat. Bring the berries to a boil and cook 5-10 minutes, until their juices are bubbling. Remove from the heat and add the remaining strawberries, cornstarch, bourbon (if using), lemon juice, and vanilla, tossing to combine.5. Remove the biscuits from the freezer, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Arrange the biscuits on top of the strawberries. Place the skillet on a baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden on top. Let cool 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temp with ice cream.
Notes
To Make Ahead: the cobbler can be baked up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge. Serve at room temperature or warmed.
To Halve the Recipe: you can easily cut the recipe in half and bake in an 8-inch skillet, 8-9 inch pie plate, or a 8x8 inch square baking dish.
If You don't Have a Skillet: bake in a 9x13 inch baking dish or dish or similar size.
Biscuits: the layering method was adapted from Bon Appètit.
So excited to try this. Would it work to use unsalted butter instead? Should I add salt separately? Thank you!
Hi Jamie,
Yes you can use unsalted butter, I would add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this last night. Home run! Making the layered biscuits was quite easy, although when you stack the four quarters on top of each other the stack looks pretty intimidating. However, just follow the instructions and they smash down smoothly and roll out with little effort. I used and recommend a bench scraper or similar to square up the dough so that the pieces are reasonably equal which facilitates the stacking and rolling out. Be sure to have something under the skillet in the oven because the filling WILL bubble over. Great recipe.
Thank you so much for trying this Dean! I am glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I would usually make my own biscuits for sure! But, I have some frozen pastry sheets in the freezer and am a bit short on time….do you think those would work, if I added in the cream cheese? Otherwise, I’m totally going for the homemade biscuits on a day that I have more time. Thanks!!!
Hi Ruth,
I think the pastry sheets would probably work out okay. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These were delicious. I used part fresh and part frozen berries. Next time If using frozen I would add a bit more due to the fact that they seem to shrink more than the fresh. Since we can’t get together right now I dropped some off for family and they loved them.
Aw that is so kind of you! I am sure they loved having something homemade from you! Thank you for trying this one, B! xTieghan
Amazing! Made this tonight but cut the recipe in half for three of us. HUGE HIT and the ice cream is definitely crucial! Made half the dough, so 6 delicious cream cheese biscuits on the top, but next time I think it keep the berry filling a bit closer to the full recipe so it’s extra saucy and fruity. But it was fantastic and we will definitely make this again!! Thanks for the incredible recipe!
Hi Meghan! Thank you for trying this one!! I am so glad you all enjoyed it! I hope you are staying well! xTieghan
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Aw that is so great! Thank you! xTieghan
My husband says this is the best strawberry dessert he’s ever had! It was 5 star worthy!
Wow that is amazing! Thank you so much Sarah! xTieghan
I’m wondering the same thing as Courtney. Could I make the two parts separate in the morning, and put them in the fridge until ready to bake in the evening? Is it okay for the dough to chill for a long period of time?
Hi Kayla,
Yes you could do this! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!
Could I use whole milk instead of buttermilk for this? Can’t wait to try it!!!
Hi Kristen! I would suggest using milk and adding a tablespoon or two of lemon juice OR vinegar into the milk. I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
Looks so good! Could I make the two parts separately in the morning and leave in the fridge and put together when ready to bake in the evening? Or would it be better to just make and reheat in the evening? Want them to taste fresh 🙂
Hi Courtney,
You could definitely make the biscuits and strawberries separately and then assemble everything in the morning. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Oh. My. Lands!!! I gave this 5 stars only because 6 wasn’t an option!! This was so much fun to make with my daughter and my family is currently inhaling it. This southern girl has had a long-standing opposition to strawberries being served hot, but your Instagram story of this recipe vexed me and I’m now converted! 6 stars!!
Haha you are too sweet! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much Cindy! xTieghan
The best. The perfect comforting, savoring and fresh spring dessert you won’t regret making. Just do it!
Thank you so much Rachel! That is so great! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Do you think you could make it with fresh dewberries? Thank you!!!
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Hi Christy! Yes that will work fine! I hope you love this! xTieghan
We made this last night for my sons 14th birthday and we loved it! Stuck some candles right into the biscuits and all! This brought me back to strawberry shortcake as a kid. Will be making this again.
Aw! I am so glad you all enjoyed this one Megan! Thank you! Also, Happy Birthday to him! xTieghan
I am wondering if you think a frozen berry mix that includes strawberries would work as well? Trying to work with what I have but I really want to make this! I have never ventured into baking but stuck at home I figured what not!
Hi Jennifer,
Yes that would be totally fine to use! I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan