Johnnycake Cobblers

These Johnnycake cobblers start with a layer of sweetened stone fruit and then are topped with a crunchy, sweet, and tender cornmeal biscuit. 

Johnnycake cobblers are from the traditional American rustic biscuit-topped family of fruit desserts. 

Why the name johnnycake, you ask? The name comes from johnnycake meal, which is a coarsely ground white cornmeal, also called Rhode Island white cornmeal with roots from the indigenous people of North America. In their simplest form, johnnycakes are "pancakes" made with cornmeal and are traditional along the East Coast. I understand that in the South, they are also known as hoecakes. 

In the case of these cobblers the biscuits are made with stone ground cornmeal, typically from white corn. 

I couldn't find the johnnycake white cornmeal locally. Most of the white cornmeal available in our area is specially treated to make tamales or tortillas! Fortunately, yellow cornmeal works just fine and is actually really pretty against the colorful fruit. 

These biscuits are delicious! They have the texture of tender biscuits but with a sweet corn taste and crunch. While they don't include a lot of sugar, they are naturally sweet from the cornmeal. 

The first time I made these, I used both fresh plums and nectarines for the filling. This time, I used fresh frozen uncooked peaches and cherries (frozen because stone fruit has not come into the stores and farmers markets yet). 

Fortunately, any fresh or frozen stone fruit or a mix of stone fruit and berries would work for these cobblers. You just need to cook the fruit a bit longer when it is frozen to reduce the liquid. 

Ingredients:

For the Fruit Filling:

About 6 cups of fresh or frozen sliced fruit such as nectarines, plums, cherries, or peaches. 

Sugar - you will only need about 1/4 cup. 

Butter, for dissolving the sugar and sautéing the fruit. 

For the Biscuits:

Unbleached all-purpose flour. 

Stone ground cornmeal, white or yellow. 

Sugar - you only need about 3 tablespoons. 

Sea salt

Cold unsalted butter

Heavy cream (in a pinch, milk will work too). 

Minced ginger (optional). I used some ginger paste that you can usually find in the produce section. 

These cobblers are super easy to make. 

Before I made these for the first time back in 2013, I'd never made cobbler before! I've always wanted to, but cobbler is something that is best served right after baking it, and I am not so good at dinner and dessert unless at least some of the courses can be made in advance. It's too much of a high wire act for me when all I want to do is enjoy being with good friends and family. 

I don't know why I waited so long. This recipe is so easy! 

More Tips:

To serve this dessert for dinner guests, you can make the filling and mix the the biscuit ingredients except the cream in advance. Keep the biscuit mix in the fridge to keep the butter cold, and then add the cream just before assembling and baking the cobblers. How cool would it be to pull hot, fresh cobblers out of the oven and serve them to your guests?! 

The biscuit dough is very wet, but don't be tempted to add more flour. It bakes into a beautiful crunchy biscuit that works beautifully with the fruit filling. Rustic and elegant at the same time. 

I prepared these cobblers in individual ramekins, but you can also serve the whole thing in a pie pan or cake pan, and just dollop the biscuit batter on top. 

If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They make great leftovers for breakfast! 

More Cobbler Recipes:

Blackberry Cobbler

Cherry Cobbler with a Sugar Cookie Crust

Mixed Berry Cobblers

More Alphabet Challenge Recipes:

This week, we are sharing recipes that begin with the Letter J!

• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Jeera Bhaat | Jeera Rice 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Jhatpat Bhendi Masala 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya 
• Culinary Cam: Bulgogi-Inspired Oven Beef Jerky 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Blueberry Jam Palmiers 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Johnnycake Cobblers 
• Blogghetti: Jam-Filled Corn Flake Muffins 
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• Magical Ingredients: Jackfruit Paratha 
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Johnnycake Cobblers

Yield: 6 servings

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

These Johnnycake cobblers start with a layer of sweetened stone fruit and then are topped with a crunchy, sweet, and tender cornmeal biscuit.

Ingredients

For the Fruit Filling

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 cups of mixed fresh or frozen stone fruit, sliced (such as nectarines, peaches, plums, or cherries)

To Make the Biscuits

• 1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces/192 grams) unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup coarsely ground white or yellow cornmeal
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 small pieces
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Instructions

1. For the fruit filling, melt the butter in a large saucepan or saucier over low heat.
2. Add the sugar, raise the heat to medium, and stir until the sugar is melted.
3. Add the fruit and cook on medium until softened.
4. Raise the heat to medium high and cook the fruit, stirring often, until it reaches a pie filling consistency but still juicy.
5. Spoon the filling into six 4-inch ramekins.
6. Place the ramekins on a foil lined baking sheet.
7. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
8. Place the dry ingredients for the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix.
9. Add the ginger and butter pieces and toss them with a spoon to coat them with the flours.
10. Place the lid back on the food processor and pulse about 18 times until you have the consistency of course polenta/grits.
11. Pour the flour/butter mix into a bowl, add the cream, and stir with a fork until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. You will have a mixture with the consistency of oatmeal.
12. Divide the batter into 6 parts and gently spoon it over the filling.
13. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown on top.
14. Cool on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

494

Fat (grams)

31 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

15 g

Carbs (grams)

47 g

Fiber (grams)

10 g

Net carbs

38 g

Sugar (grams)

15 g

Protein (grams)

13 g

Cholesterol (grams)

68 mg

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2013/08/johnnycake-cobblers.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

cobblers, johnnycakes,

dessert

American

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Originally posted August 2013. Updated May, 2024. 

Recipe adapted from Baking with Julia: Savor the Joys of Baking with America's Best Bakers - In Classic Julia Style. Written by Dorie Greenspan and published in 1996.