Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8” square or 9” round pan.

Step 2

, Toss the apples with lemon juice (or boiled cider) and cinnamon. Place the apples in the prepared pan, pressing them into an even layer. Set aside.

Step 3

, Beat together the butter and 1/2 cup (99g) of the sugar in a medium mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the buttermilk, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla, then beat again until smooth.

Step 4

, Spoon the batter – it should be rather stiff – over the apples in the pan, using your spatula to spread it into an even layer all the way to the edges of the pan.

Step 5

, Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup (99g) sugar over the batter as evenly as possible. Use a small spoon to drizzle/splash the water onto the sugar, letting it soak in; the goal is to get all the sugar wet.

Step 6

, Bake the cobbler for 35 to 40 minutes, until the surface is golden and crispy and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake topping comes out clean.

Step 7

, Remove the cobbler from the oven and place it on a rack to cool and set for about 30 minutes; the topping will settle during this time.

Step 8

, Serve the cobbler warm, with or without vanilla ice cream.

Step 9

, Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Reheat in a warm 300°F oven for 10 to 20 minutes.