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Last Thursday I needed a dessert for a potluck in under an hour. I had half a package of Oreos, a can of cherry pie filling that had been sitting in my pantry for months, and absolutely zero motivation to do anything complicated. So I threw everything into a 9×13 baking dish, topped it with melted butter, and hoped for the best.

Forty minutes later, I pulled out what might be the laziest dessert I’ve ever made. Crushed Oreos on top had turned into this slightly crispy, chocolatey crust. The cherry filling underneath was bubbling around the edges. It looked impressive. It tasted even better.

That’s the magic of dump cobblers. You literally dump ingredients into a pan and let your oven do all the work.

What Makes This Different

Traditional cobblers use biscuit or cake batter on top of fruit. This version uses crushed Oreo cookies instead. The cookies absorb some moisture from the butter and fruit filling, creating a texture somewhere between a crumble and a brownie. The bottom stays slightly soft while the top gets that satisfying crunch.

I’ve made dump cobblers with yellow cake mix before, and they’re fine. But the Oreo version hits different. The chocolate pairs perfectly with cherries (think Black Forest cake vibes), and kids go absolutely wild for it. My nephew asked if I could make it for every family dinner going forward.

What It’s Good For

This is a last-minute dessert. When someone texts you at 4pm saying they’re coming over at 6pm, this is what you make. When you need to bring something to a school event but forgot until this morning, this works. When you want dessert but don’t want to measure twelve different ingredients, this is your answer.

It’s also great for baking with kids. My 8-year-old niece made this almost entirely by herself. Crushing cookies is fun (and a great way to get out frustration). Pouring ingredients doesn’t require precision. There’s no raw egg to worry about.

The dump cobbler travels well too. Just cover your baking dish with foil and go. It holds up at room temperature for several hours, which makes it ideal for potlucks, picnics, and backyard barbecues.

How to Store It

Let it cool completely before covering. Refrigerate leftovers in the same baking dish covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge.

Reheating is where things get interesting. Microwave makes the topping a bit soggy. If you want that crispy top back, pop individual portions under the broiler for a minute or two, watching carefully so the Oreos don’t burn. Or just eat it cold straight from the fridge. I won’t judge.

You can freeze this, but the texture changes. The topping loses its crunch and becomes more cake-like. Still tastes good, just different. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months.

Ingredients

• 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
• 1 package (15.25 oz) Oreo cookies, crushed
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Optional: 1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the cherry pie filling evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. No need to grease the pan.
2. Crush the Oreos in a zip-lock bag using a rolling pin, or pulse them in a food processor until you get coarse crumbs. Don’t pulverize them into dust. You want some chunky pieces for texture. Spread the crushed cookies evenly over the cherry filling.
3. Drizzle the melted butter over the entire surface. Try to cover as much of the Oreo layer as possible. The butter helps everything crisp up and holds the topping together.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the edges are bubbling and the topping looks set. The center might still look slightly soft, but it will firm up as it cools.
5. Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This is important. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

For the optional cream, pour it over the cherry filling before adding the Oreos. This makes the final dessert a bit richer and creamier. I do this when serving adults, skip it for kids.

You can swap the cherry filling for blueberry, apple, or strawberry. Apple works especially well with the chocolate cookies if that sounds weird to you, try it anyway. The flavor combination is surprisingly good.

Golden Oreos create a lighter colored cobbler and pair nicely with any fruit filling. Mint Oreos plus cherry filling tastes like chocolate-covered cherries with a hint of mint. Go wild with flavor combinations.

The crushed cookie texture matters. Too fine and you get a dense, cake-like top. Too chunky and some pieces won’t cook through properly. Aim for pieces roughly the size of peas mixed with some smaller crumbs.

Use salted butter if that’s what you have. Just skip any additional salt. The Oreos already have plenty of sodium.

If your baking dish runs small, use slightly less pie filling to prevent overflow. Nothing worse than cleaning burnt cherry syrup off the bottom of your oven.