Michelle Obama’s Ultimate Apple Cobbler Recipe

 

Michelle Obama


Here's the famous apple cobbler recipe that Michelle Obama shared during the 2008 presidential campaign (it was originally submitted by her to a family cookbook compiled by the American Legion Auxiliary in Atkinson, Illinois, where her great-aunt lived). It's a rich, old-fashioned, very sweet Southern-style cobbler that became legendary during the campaign.

Michelle Obama’s Apple Cobbler

Ingredients

  • 8–10 medium tart apples (Granny Smith recommended), peeled, cored, and sliced thin
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (divided)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • Ground cinnamon (to taste, about 1–2 teaspoons)
  • Ground nutmeg (optional, to taste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish (or a similar large casserole dish).
  2. Spread the sliced apples evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup of the sugar with cinnamon (and nutmeg if using). Sprinkle this sugar-cinnamon mixture generously over the apples.
  4. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, remaining 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs (like making biscuits).
  6. Add the boiling water to the flour-butter mixture and stir just until combined. The dough will be very soft and sticky.
  7. Drop the dough by spoonfuls over the apples, spreading it as evenly as possible (it doesn’t have to be perfect; it will spread as it bakes).
  8. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender and bubbly.
  9. Let cool slightly before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes from people who’ve made it many times:

  • It’s intentionally very sweet. If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the total sugar to 1½ cups.
  • The crust is more cake-like than a traditional biscuit topping.
  • Some bakers add a splash of lemon juice to the apples for brightness.

Enjoy! This is the exact recipe that was circulated during the campaign and still appears on many food blogs credited to Michelle Obama.