Old-Fashioned Southern Chocolate Cobbler (with browned butter and a hint of espresso)

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This is one of those cheap and easy desserts you make when you’re saving money after Christmas — no-spend January vibes — but you still want to look fancy doing it. Southern chocolate cobbler is a true classic: pantry ingredients, no mixer, no stress. It bakes up rich and chocolatey with a fudgy sauce underneath, and it tastes like home, comfort, and a little bit of indulgence when you need it most.

Why This Chocolate Cobbler Works

Chocolate cobbler is one of those magical Southern desserts where you pour everything into the dish, don’t stir, and somehow end up with cake on top and molten chocolate sauce underneath. If you have littles at home, they will be amazed by the end results!

This version keeps everything simple but adds two small upgrades that make a big difference:

•Browned butter for a nutty, bakery-style depth

•A pinch of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor (without tasting like coffee)

It’s still affordable, still easy — just a little more special.

Ingredients

Batter

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1⅛ cups granulated sugar

• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• ⅜ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup milk

• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

The Punchy Upgrade

• ¾ cup butter (1½ sticks), browned

Chocolate Topping

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed

• ⅜ cup cocoa powder

• ¾ teaspoon espresso powder (optional)

Liquid

• 2¼ cups very hot water

How to Brown the Butter (Don’t Skip This)

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty — you’ll see little brown bits form at the bottom. Remove from heat immediately so it doesn’t burn.

*This step takes just a few minutes and adds so much flavor.

Start by melting a stick and a half of unsalted butter in a pan-this is where all that deep, rich flavor begins.

Let the butter cook until it turns golden and nutty—those little brown bits mean big flavor.

It’s easier to brown your butter in a white enamel pan such as this dutch oven, that way you can monitor the deepening of the golden color.

How to Make Southern Chocolate Cobbler

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a 9x13 baking dish or large cast-iron skillet in the oven while it heats.

2. Carefully remove the dish from the oven and pour in the browned butter, spreading it evenly.

3. Mix the batter.
   In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
   Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth.

4. Add batter to the dish.
   Spoon batter gently over the butter. Do not stir.

5. Make the topping.
   Mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.

6. Pour hot water on top.
   Slowly pour the hot water over everything. Again — do not stir.

7. Bake for 40–45 minutes. The top will look set and crackly, while the chocolate sauce forms underneath.

8. Rest for 10–15 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken just enough.

Pour that hot browned butter right into the hot pan—this is where the richness starts.

Pour the chocolate cake batter directly on top of the browned butter in your pan—DON’T MIX!

Next sprinkle your sugar topping over the batter in the pan. Once again, DON’T MIX! Trust the process!

Pour the piping hot water over the contents of the pan, making sure to cover it evenly. Don’t stir this baby! Leaving the chocolate cobbler undisturbed is what causes a fudgey sauce to form underneath!

VOILA! A magic trick happens in the oven, and it turns out beautifully!

How to Serve It

This dessert is best served warm, straight from the dish.

• Spoon into bowls

• Top with vanilla ice cream and let it melt (this is always the best choice…no matter what!)

• Optional drizzle of cream or chocolate syrup

It’s simple, unfussy, and always disappears fast.

Southern chocolate cobbler, chocolate cobbler recipe, old fashioned chocolate cobbler, browned butter dessert,budget friendly dessert, easy dessert, no spend January dessert

dessert

American

Yield: 16

Author: Erin Glover

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Old-Fashioned Southern Chocolate Cobbler (with browned butter and a hint of espresso)

This old-fashioned Southern Chocolate Cobblervis rich, fudgy, and surprisingly easy to make. With simple pantry ingredients, browned butter, and a hint of espresso powder, it’s the perfect budget-friendly dessert that still feels special.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 45 MinInactive time: 15 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1⅛ cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ⅜ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup milk
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¾ cup butter (1½ sticks), browned
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
• ⅜ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
• 2¼ cups very hot water

Instructions

1. Brown the butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty — you’ll see little brown bits form at the bottom. Remove from heat immediately so it doesn’t burn.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a 9x13 baking dish or large cast-iron skillet in the oven while it heats and while you're browning the butter.
3. Carefully remove the dish from the oven and pour in the browned butter, spreading it evenly.
4. Mix the batter. In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk and vanilla until smooth.
5. Add batter to the dish. Spoon batter gently over the butter. Do not stir.
6. Make the topping. Mix granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Sprinkle evenly over the batter.
7. Pour hot water on top. Slowly pour the hot water over everything. Again — do not stir.
8. Bake for 40–45 minutes. The top will look set and crackly, while the chocolate sauce forms underneath.
9. Rest for 10–15 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken just enough.

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

271

Fat

10 g

Sat. Fat

6 g

Carbs

47 g

Fiber

3 g

Net carbs

44 g

Sugar

34 g

Protein

3 g

Sodium

304 mg

Cholesterol

24 mg

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https://www.crookedcreekranchlife.com/blog/old-fashioned-southern-chocolate-cobbler-with-browned-butter-and-a-hint-of-espresso

Budget-Friendly Baker’s Tip

If you’re cooking through a no-spend January, this dessert checks all the boxes:

• Pantry staples

• No eggs

• No mixer

• Feeds a crowd

Serve it after a meal of beans and cornbread, a roast, or a simple Southern supper, and nobody feels like they’re missing a thing with this cheap dessert!

Final Thoughts

Chocolate cobbler is one of those desserts that proves you don’t need much to make something special. A little butter, a little cocoa, and a warm oven go a long way — especially in January, when comfort matters more than fancy ingredients.

If you grew up on Southern desserts, this one feels like home. And if you didn’t, it’s a pretty good place to start.

Love old-fashioned bakes like this?

Here are a few more of our favorite inexpensive yet fancy dessert and main dishes!

Bananas Foster Bread Pudding

Warm, rich, and blissfully comforting, this Bananas Foster Bread Pudding blends caramelized bananas and buttery sauce with tender, custardy bread for a dessert that feels like an embrace. Serve with vanilla ice cream for the ultimate cozy, Southern-inspired dessert.

The Best Southern Chicken & Dressing

This Southern chicken and dressing is a true comfort-food classic—tender chicken, savory cornbread dressing, and just the right amount of moisture in every bite. It’s the kind of dish that shows up at holidays and Sunday dinners.