This easy Chocolate Cobbler is a classic Southern dessert recipe. With a delicious brownie-like topping over a rich fudge sauce, it’s like a lava cake but simpler to make.
Looking for more dessert cobbler recipes? You’ll love delicious recipes like Peach Cobbler, Strawberry Cobbler, and Blackberry Cobbler.
My Grandmother’s Southern Chocolate Cobbler is rich, chocolatey, delicious, and a Southern classic. It is a perfect combination of a dessert with a delightful brownie top over a rich fudge sauce. When you scoop a bit out, the fudge sauce is smooth and creamy and reminds me of a rich lava cake. But this is much easier to make! If you have chocolate lovers, you should make this for them soon.
I love it served with a big scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream. That takes it right on over the top!
Southern Chocolate Cobbler Recipe
How to Make Chocolate Cobbler
This easy Chocolate Cobbler contains only six simple ingredients, comes together quickly, and makes a perfect dessert!
Ingredients
To make this cobbler recipe, you’ll need these ingredients:
- Butter – I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you wish.
- Granulated Sugar – you can use granulated, cane, coconut, or the appropriate amount for your preferred sugar substitute that works for baking.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Self-Rising Flour – If you do not have self-rising flour, you can easily use all-purpose flour and baking powder following my quick and easy tip. You can also easily substitute with your favorite gluten-free flour if you desire a gluten-free cobbler. [Resource: How to Make Self-Rising Flour].
- Milk– whole, low-fat, buttermilk, oat milk, or another dairy-free milk
- Vanilla Extract – It enhances the flavor. I use this homemade vanilla extract, but a quality pure store-bought vanilla is also acceptable.
- Chocolate Cobbler Topping – made from granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and boiling water
Step-by-Step Instructions
It’s easy to make with just a few steps!
Melt the butter. While preheating the oven, melt the butter in a 9×13 baking dish in the oven.
Mix the ingredients. Add the sugar, cocoa powder, flour, milk, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and mix to form the batter. Spoon this batter over the melted butter, but do not stir.
Make the topping. Mix the sugar and cocoa powder and sprinkle over the top of the batter. Pour boiling water on top of the sugar and cocoa mixture. Do NOT stir.
Bake until the top is set. This should take about 35 minutes.
Let it cool. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Once baked, the bottom portion of the cobbler will still be loose but will set a bit more as it cools.
Serve and enjoy! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to the top for the ultimate dessert! Enjoy!
How to Store and Freeze Chocolate Cobbler
To store. Tightly cover the cooled chocolate cobbler with a food wrap or place it in an airtight storage container and place it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To freeze. Place completely cooled cobbler in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating the next day.
To reheat. Once the cobbler is removed from the refrigerator, remove any plastic lids or food wrap and move it to an oven-safe dish if not in one already. Then cover with foil and gently reheat in the oven until heated for about 20 minutes.
The microwave can be used (with a microwave-safe container) to gently reheat until warm throughout.
More Favorite Desserts to Try
Here’s my Grandmother’s Chocolate Cobbler Recipe. I hope you love it!
Southern Chocolate Cobbler
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter
- 1 1/2 cups (297 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (16 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups (226 g) self-rising flour
- 1 cup (227 g) whole milk
- 2 teaspoons (9 g) vanilla extract
Chocolate Cobbler Topping:
- 2 cups (396 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (42 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups (681 g) boiling water
- vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional, but recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Place butter into a 9×13 baking dish and into the oven to melt. Then, remove from the oven and set aside.
- Mix together the sugar, cocoa powder, flour, milk, and vanilla extract for the batter. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish on top of the melted butter. DO NOT STIR.
- In a separated bowl, mix 2 cups sugar and ½ cup cocoa powder. Sprinkle this topping mixture on top of the batter. Pour the boiling water over topping. DO NOT STIR.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is set. The bottom of the cobbler will still be a little loose. Cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Top with vanilla ice cream (optional) and serve.
Notes
How to Store and Freeze Chocolate Cobbler
To store. Tightly cover the cooled chocolate cobbler with a food wrap or place it in an airtight storage container and place it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. To freeze. Place completely cooled cobbler in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating the next day. To reheat. Once the cobbler is removed from the refrigerator, make sure to remove any plastic lids or wrap and move it to an oven-safe dish if not in one already. Then cover with foil and gently reheat in the oven until heated throughout for about 20 minutes. The microwave can be used (with a microwave-safe container) to gently reheat until warm throughout.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2011.
I have made this 3 times and everyone loved it.
Thanks, Donna, this has always been a favorite at my house.
This was delicious! I didn’t use as much sugar and added chocolate chips. Easy to make, definitely a keeper!
Thanks, Haddie. I haven’t tried this cobbler with chocolate chips.
SO GOOD THANK YOU FOR THE RECIPE. I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE GREAT…WHEN YOU SAID GRANMA MADE IT !!!!!! PEOPLE DON’T COOK LIKE US ANYMORE. I HAVE NEVER MADE IT UNTIL TODAY. THE BEST CHOCOLATE DESSERTS I HAVE EVER HAD AND I AM 54 YEARS OLD. BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS RECIPE FOR A WHILE. YOURS LOOKED SO GOOD WHEN I SAW HOW YOU GOT IT I HAD TO TRY TO MAKE IT. SO GLAD I DID.EASY TO MAKE IN NO TIME AT ALL. I WILL BE USING THIS RECIPE FOR YEARS TO COME.AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Charlotte, I’m so glad you found this recipe and loved it. Thanks!
I have this beautiful chocolate concoction in my oven rite now!! Ii was originally going in the kitchen to make your cinnamon roll biscuits but when i saw this Chocolate Cobbler recipe the biscuits dropped to #2 lol! It was very easy & quick to mix up and put together–it smells wonderful baking so I’m sure this is going to be a great winner! Thank you for doing what you do!
Thanks so much, Gina. Hope you enjoy the chocolate cobbler as much as I do.
How is it best stored?
Stacey, you can store this cobbler in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for about a week. Hope you enjoy.
Hi Robyn, I’m a retired widow and the recipe as it is would be too much for me. Do you think it would be okay to downsize it to half and still be okay? Thank you!
Yes, Molly, I think it would be fine to make half this recipe. I hope you enjoy.
Oh my what a wonderful chocolate dessert! My husband and I love this!!! Followed the recipe exactly. Ate some plain the first serving, added homemade vanilla ice cream with the rest of it. Perfection!!! Thanks for sharing
Thanks so much, Colleen. I love this cobbler plain but it is so good with vanilla ice cream, too.
This is a great recipe, perfect chocolate cobbler!
I’m so happy you love this cobbler. This has been a favorite at my house for years, Carol.
This is my granddaughter’s favorite Christmas dessert! She doesn’t like ordinary Christmas desserts but loves this.
What a great idea! I love this chocolate cobbler, too, but haven’t thought about making it for Christmas.
I love this so much!
I’m so glad you like this chocolate cobbler, Angela. It has always been a favorite of mine.
I made this last night and this recipe is perfection! Not too sweet like some chocolatey desserts. I baked it for 40 minutes and let it sit for 20 just as the recipe called for and the bottom was perfectly runny but not too runny if that makes sense. The only addition I made was I added 1 tsp of espresso powder to the batter mixture.
I’m so glad you liked this cobbler, Sharon. It has been a favorite for years in my family.