You know those nights, right? You promised something sweet after dinner, but the thought of messing with flour, fat, and finding the right spice blend feels like climbing a mountain. I live for easy baking rescue missions, and let me tell you, this recipe is my absolute secret weapon when I need dessert magic fast. We are talking about the legendary Peach and Raspberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream only wishes it was this simple!
The game-changer here is yellow cake mix. Seriously, it does all the heavy lifting for you. This Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix is almost ridiculous in its simplicity—it only requires three ingredients if you count the butter! I first whipped this up for a last-minute book club meeting when my fancy plans fell through, and everyone acted like I’d been up all day crafting some gorgeous layered pastry. They couldn’t believe how quickly I pulled this bubbly, golden dessert out of the oven!
It’s the perfect marriage of tart cherry filling and a sweet, buttery crumb topping, all thanks to that humble box of cake mix. Trust me, you need this technique in your back pocket.
Why This Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix Recipe Works So Well
When you need a dessert that looks impressive but takes next to no brainpower, this recipe never lets me down. It’s the definition of a showstopper with zero stress. It doesn’t get better than this for a quick, satisfying end to any meal. People always ask me how long it took, and I just smile because the reality is embarrassing! If you love quick desserts, you also need to check out my recipe for Peach and Raspberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream—that one takes a tiny bit more effort but is worth it!
Minimal Ingredients for a Quick Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
Seriously, pull out the filling, the yellow cake mix, and some cold butter. That’s it! Fewer ingredients mean less measuring, less cleanup, and way less stress about having every niche pantry item on hand. It’s my go-to when company drops by unannounced.
Perfect Texture Every Time with Cake Mix
The cake mix is magic because it already contains the necessary leavening agents, sugar, and salt in just the right balance. When you top the cherries with the dry mix and cold butter, you create this incredible, crisp, buttery crust while the filling stays perfectly bubbly underneath. No worrying about under-mixing or activating the yeast!
Gathering Ingredients for Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
Okay, let’s talk about what you need to pull this beauty together. It’s so short, you probably have everything waiting in your pantry right now! The list is short and sweet, which is exactly what I love about making this incredibly easy Easy Cake Mix Coffee Cake, too. Remember, precision matters most with the topping here, so pay attention to the butter!
- One standard (21 ounce) can of cherry pie filling—the good, thick stuff!
- One cup of all-purpose yellow cake mix (dry, straight from the box).
- Half a cup of cold unsalted butter, and this is important: cut it into small, little cubes or pieces before you start.
My biggest tip for this whole thing? Keep that butter COLD. If the butter melts before it hits the oven, you lose the lovely, crumbly texture that makes the topping so irresistible. You want those little chunks sitting right on top of the dry mix.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
The beauty of this dessert is that you can swap things out depending on what you have, or what you’re craving! If cherries aren’t your favorite, feel free to use apple or blueberry pie filling instead. They all bubble up beautifully under that baked topping. If you absolutely do not have unsalted butter, grab salted instead, but skip adding any extra salt anywhere else—the mix already has enough.
Essential Equipment for Making Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
You really don’t need a whole arsenal of gadgets for this, which is what makes it so appealing! All you really need is something sturdy to bake it in. Make sure you have your 8×8 inch baking dish ready to go. Grab a measuring cup for the cake mix, and you’re basically done! A simple spoon or spatula for spreading the filling will do the trick too.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
Watching this cobbler come together is honestly one of the most satisfying things because it feels like cheating! It’s baking magic disguised as simple assembly. We are going to move quickly since the filling needs to stay cool until we get that topping distributed just right. If you follow these steps exactly, you’ll have a dessert that tastes like you spent way more time on it than you did. This process is very similar to how I handle my Easy Cake Mix Coffee Cake!
Preparing the Dish and Filling
First things first: get that oven heating up! We need it at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). While it’s warming, grab your 8×8 inch baking dish. Pour that whole can of cherry pie filling right into the bottom. Try to spread it out as evenly as you can; we want every bite of topping to sit over something delicious and bubbly.
Creating the Cake Mix Topping Layer
Next comes the layer everyone always asks about! Take your cup of dry yellow cake mix and sprinkle it gently and evenly right over the cherry filling. Then, take those little, cold cubes of butter we talked about, and dot them all over the top of that cake mix layer. Don’t mash them in—the goal is to have distinct little islands of butter sitting on the dry powder. This is what creates that gorgeous, crisp, streusel-like topping.
Baking Time and Testing for Doneness
Pop the dish into that hot oven and set your timer for 30 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the topping looks beautifully golden brown—like toasted pecans even—and you can see the cherry filling bubbling up around the edges like lava! That usually takes between 30 and 35 minutes. Don’t forget to let it cool off for about ten minutes once it’s out; that filling is molten hot and needs a little time to set up before you dig in.
Tips for Success When Baking Your Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
Even though this recipe is incredibly streamlined, there are a couple of sneaky little things that can make the difference between a good cobbler and an absolutely fantastic one. I’ve learned these the hard way over the years, usually when pulling out a pan that looked a little… sad. You want that crunch, not a dense, baked cake layer on top, so listen up!
First, if you get tempted to try and mix the butter into the dry cake mix as if you were making a real pastry crust—don’t! This recipe relies on those distinct, cold butter pieces sitting right on top. When they melt, they create those wonderful, crisp streaks of baked cake without turning the whole topping into one solid mass. If you mix it, you get a thick cake layer instead of a crumbly cobbler top. Resist the urge to touch that topping once the butter is dotted on!
Also, since we are only baking this for about 35 minutes, make sure your oven is truly up to temperature before it goes in. I always let my oven preheat for a good 15 minutes longer than the beep tells me to, just to be safe. Ovens can lie! You need that consistent, high heat right away to bubble that pie filling up quickly.
Finally, try swapping out the yellow cake mix for white cake mix sometime if you have it. It gives the topping a slightly sweeter, paler finish, which contrasts beautifully with the deep red cherries. It’s a tiny switch but makes a visual difference, kind of like how I discovered that adding a tiny splash of vanilla to my Amazing Pumpkin Spice Cake Mix Cookies elevated them!
Serving Suggestions for This Easy Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
This cobbler is fantastic piping hot, but honestly, how you serve it makes all the difference! We’re talking decadence here, so don’t skimp on the toppings. It’s meant to be comforting and totally indulgent.
The classic way, and the one my family demands, is warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting right into those hot cherry pools. It’s the perfect temperature contrast—hot cobbler, cold cream. If you aren’t into ice cream, a dollop of fresh, lightly sweetened whipped cream is beautiful too. It adds a lightness that keeps the richness from being too heavy.
But here’s a little trick I love when I’m just making this for myself after dinner: once it cools down just a touch, give the top a *very* light dusting of ground cinnamon. It smells incredible, and it adds a gentle warmth that plays so nicely with the sweet cherries. It’s practically instant aromatherapy!
If you made this whole thing and somehow have leftovers (which, surprise, happens!), it reheats beautifully. We’ll talk about storage in a bit, but popping a slice in the microwave for about 20 seconds gets it warm enough to melt your ice cream all over again. You could even pair a small slice with some strong black coffee, like the grown-ups do. It cuts through the sugar nicely!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
I hope you made extra, because this cobbler is even good cold the next morning—don’t judge me! When you have leftovers, cover that dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil once it’s completely cooled, and leave it right on the counter. Because of the high sugar content in the filling and mix, it stays perfectly fine at room temperature for a day or two.
If you need to keep it longer, pop it into the fridge. When you’re ready for seconds, avoid the microwave if you can! Microwaving softens that beautiful crisp topping we worked so hard to achieve. If you have time, sneak a serving onto a baking sheet and warm it in a 325-degree oven for about ten minutes. That brings back the bubble and the crunch! If you just need it fast, microwave it for 20 seconds, but know you’ll lose some texture. Speaking of texture, check out my thoughts on freezing Tiramisu Ice Cream Custard Secret if you ever wonder about making treats ahead!
Frequently Asked Questions About Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
I get so many lovely messages about this recipe! It’s amazing how one simple ingredient—cake mix—can spark so many questions. Here are some of the things I hear most often from folks trying this out for the first time, or for the tenth time!
Can I use a different flavor of cake mix in this Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix?
That is a great question! The simple answer is yes, you absolutely *can* play around with the flavor, but I highly suggest sticking to yellow or white cake mix if you want that classic, buttery topping that pairs perfectly with the cherries. If you use something like chocolate or spice cake mix, it completely changes the flavor profile—and not always for the better! Those stronger flavors can really clash with the bright tartness of the cherry filling, so yellow is your safest, most delicious bet.
How do I prevent the butter from melting completely into the cake mix?
This is the most important structural part of the topping! You need your butter to be rock solid, straight from the back of the fridge, and cut into small, pea-sized pieces. When you scatter those pieces over the dry cake mix, make sure you don’t press or stir them in AT ALL. You want those little cold chunks suspended on top. As the oven heats up, that butter melts slowly, creating those perfect pockets of rich, slightly crispy topping and preventing the whole layer from just turning into one big, dense cake layer.
Can this dessert be made ahead of time?
You bet! I often prep this the night before if I know I have a busy afternoon coming up. The best way to do it is to assemble everything—filling in the dish, dry mix sprinkled on top, and the cold butter dotted over everything—but seal the dish tightly and pop it into the fridge. Do not bake it until you are ready. When you pull it out, let it sit on the counter while the oven preheats, just to take the absolute chill off the filling, and then bake it according to the recipe instructions. Baking it straight from the fridge might add five or so minutes to the required time, but it keeps that topping crisp!
If you want to see how I make another quick box-mix wonder, you might love checking out my recipe for Easy Cake Mix Coffee Cake!
Reader Feedback and Next Steps
I absolutely live to hear about your baking adventures! Now that you’ve conquered this incredibly speedy Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix, I want to know what you thought. Did it save your evening like it saved mine?
Please take a moment to leave a rating for this recipe—it helps other home cooks know what to expect. We made this to serve about six, so think about how generous your scoops were when you’re judging! If you had any spectacular serving ideas, or if you tried substituting with apple filling and it turned out amazing, drop a comment below. I’m always looking for new ways to tweak my favorites.
And please, if you snapped a photo of that bubbling, golden top, I’d love to see it! Tag me! If you’re ready for your next easy bake, don’t hesitate to reach out via my Contact Page—I try to answer everyone!
Print
Simple Cherry Cobbler With Cake Mix
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A quick dessert made with cherry pie filling and yellow cake mix.
Ingredients
- 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
- 1 cup all-purpose yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Spread the cherry pie filling evenly in the bottom of an 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the cherry filling.
- Distribute the pieces of cold butter over the top of the cake mix layer.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Let the cobbler cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- You can substitute other canned pie fillings, such as apple or blueberry.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 50
Keywords: cherry cobbler, cake mix dessert, easy cobbler, cherry pie filling dessert, simple dessert