Skillet Cinnamon Pear Cobbler with Flaky Buttermilk Biscuit Crust Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before starting, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and position a rack in the center. Peel and slice the pears, keeping them about 1/4-inch thick so they cook evenly. Measure all the ingredients and have them ready.

Cut the butter into small pieces and return it to the refrigerator until needed. If using a cast iron skillet, make sure it's clean and dry. You'll also want to have your pastry brush and a spoon or cookie scoop handy for assembling the cobbler.

Instructions

Prep and assemble

1. 1Prepare the pear filling
   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the sliced pears in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Add the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cardamom, and cornstarch. Toss everything together directly in the skillet until the pears are evenly coated.
   Look for The pears glisten with the sugar and spices, and the cornstarch disappears into the juices.
   Tip Use ripe but firm pears so they keep some texture while baking.
2. 2Make the biscuit dough
   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces. Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms.
   Look for The dough is moist and ragged, not smooth; small bits of butter remain visible.
   Tip Handle the dough as little as possible to keep the biscuits light and flaky.

At the end of this phase, the pears are coated in a glossy mixture of brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cardamom, and cornstarch. The biscuit dough is shaggy and cold, with visible pieces of butter.

The dough mounds are dropped over the pears, leaving gaps for steam to escape, and the tops are brushed with cream and sprinkled with turbinado sugar.

Bake to golden

3. 3Assemble the cobbler
   Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop 6 rustic mounds of the biscuit dough evenly over the pear mixture in the skillet. The dough does not need to cover the pears completely; leave some gaps for the juices to bubble through.
   Look for The dough mounds sit on top of the pears, leaving spaces for steam to escape.
   Tip For even baking, space the mounds roughly the same distance apart.
4. 4Top with cream and sugar
   Brush the tops of the biscuit mounds with the heavy cream. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the biscuits, making sure to coat the tops generously. This will create a crunchy, golden crust as the cobbler bakes.
   Look for The cream gives the dough a sheen, and the sugar crystals sparkle.
   Tip If you don't have turbinado sugar, use demerara or coarse white sugar.
5. 5Bake the cobbler
   Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, until the biscuits are deep golden brown and flaky, and the pear juices are bubbling thickly around the edges. The filling should be visibly thickened and syrupy.
   Look for The kitchen smells of warm cinnamon and butter; the juices bubble in thick, glossy bubbles.
   Tip If the biscuits brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

After 35 minutes in the oven, the biscuits are deep golden brown and crisp on top. The pear juices are bubbling thickly around the edges, and the filling has thickened into a syrupy consistency. The kitchen smells of warm cinnamon and butter. A toothpick inserted into a biscuit should come out clean.

Rest and serve

6. 6Cool slightly and serve
   Remove the skillet from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. The filling will continue to thicken as it rests. Scoop the warm cobbler into bowls, making sure to get a biscuit and plenty of spiced pears in each serving. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve immediately.
   Look for The ice cream melts slowly over the warm biscuit and pears.
   Tip For the best contrast, serve while the cobbler is still warm and the ice cream is cold.

After cooling for about 10 minutes, the cobbler is ready to serve. The filling has set slightly, and the biscuits are flaky. Scoop into bowls while still warm, and top each serving with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream that melts slowly over the fruit.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is overworking the biscuit dough, which develops gluten and makes the biscuits tough. Stir the buttermilk in just until the dough comes together—it should be shaggy and a little rough. Another pitfall is using pears that are too ripe; they will break down during baking and turn the filling mushy.

Also, don't skip the cornstarch—it's what thickens the pear juices into a luscious syrup. Finally, be sure to let the cobbler rest before serving; cutting into it immediately will cause the filling to run.

How to tell it’s done

The cobbler is done when the biscuits are deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean. The pear juices should be bubbling thickly around the edges of the skillet, and the filling should look glossy and syrupy rather than watery.

The total baking time is about 35 minutes. If the biscuits are browning too quickly, tent the skillet loosely with foil. Let the cobbler rest for about 10 minutes before serving so the filling can set slightly.