Fresh strawberries are strongly recommended for this recipe for the best flavor and texture. Fresh strawberries at peak season are sweeter, brighter, and hold up much better in the filling than frozen. If you need to use frozen strawberries thaw them completely and drain off as much excess liquid as possible before tossing them with the sugar and arrowroot powder. Too much extra liquid from frozen strawberries can make the filling too runny and prevent it from setting up properly during baking. Fresh strawberries during peak strawberry season will always give you the absolute best result.

Yes and I actually recommend it! This cobbler is wonderful made the day before you plan to serve it. Bake it completely, let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight. The strawberry filling sets up beautifully overnight and the flavors deepen and meld together for an even more delicious cobbler the next day. Reheat the whole cobbler uncovered in a 250 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes before serving or warm individual portions in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. Serve warm with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for the perfect gluten free spring and summer dessert.

Absolutely! This gluten free cobbler recipe works beautifully with a variety of other fruits and berries. Blueberries, blackberries, peaches, and mixed berries are all wonderful substitutes or additions to the strawberry filling. You can also combine strawberries with rhubarb for a classic spring flavor combination that is absolutely incredible. Just use the same total amount of fruit called for in the recipe and follow the instructions exactly as written. The lemon juice in the filling works beautifully with almost any summer fruit.

Yes! If you do not have buttermilk on hand you can make a simple substitute by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of regular milk and letting it sit for five minutes until it curdles slightly. This homemade buttermilk substitute works perfectly in this cobbler topping and gives you the same tender and slightly tangy result as real buttermilk.

The cobbler is done when the buttermilk topping is golden brown on top and the strawberry filling is bubbling up around the edges and through the gaps in the topping. The topping should feel set and firm to a light touch rather than wet or jiggly in the center. If the topping is browning too quickly before the filling is bubbling you can loosely tent the baking dish with foil and continue baking until the filling is hot and bubbly all the way through. Always let the cobbler cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving so the filling has time to thicken slightly.

A cobbler and a crisp are both baked fruit desserts but they have different toppings. A cobbler uses a biscuit or cake like batter topping that is dropped or spread over the fruit filling and bakes up soft and tender with golden edges. A crisp uses an oat and butter crumble topping that bakes up crunchy and golden. This gluten free strawberry cobbler uses a sweet buttermilk batter topping that is spooned over the filling in heaping dollops for a soft and pillowy topping that absorbs just enough of the jammy strawberry juices to be absolutely delicious.