Cinnamon Roll Cherry Cobbler

The Lowcountry boil is in three weeks and I am already in planning mode, which means I have a notebook, a budget, and a level of intensity that Earl describes as "frightening." He's not wrong. The annual Lowcountry boil at First African Baptist Church is my event. Mine. I have run it for over twenty years and I will run it until the Lord or my knees say otherwise.

This year we're expecting 220 people, which means I need: 150 pounds of shrimp, 80 ears of corn, 60 pounds of sausage (Conecuh, the good kind, from Alabama), 50 pounds of new potatoes, 30 pounds of crab legs, and enough Old Bay to fill a bathtub. The seasoning is the key, baby. You can throw anything in a pot, but without the right seasoning at the right time, it's just boiled food. My boil is not boiled food. My boil is an experience.

I called my shrimp man at the dock — Eddie, who's been selling me shrimp for fifteen years — and placed the order. He said, "Dot, your church boil or a wedding?" I said, "Church boil." He said, "I'll save you the big ones." He always does. Eddie and I have an understanding. I buy his shrimp and he gets a jar of my hot sauce at Christmas. The economy of Savannah runs on relationships, sugar. Always has.

Gladys called about the cobbler. Every year, the same conversation. She asks if she should bring her peach cobbler. I say yes. She asks if I'm bringing mine. I say yes. She asks if I think there's room for two cobblers. I say, "Gladys, there is room for your cobbler and room for the best cobbler, and those are two different cobblers." She laughs. I don't. This is a serious matter.

The truth is, Gladys Johnson is my oldest friend and my fiercest competitor and I love her like a sister. We joined the church choir together in 1981. We've sat next to each other for thirty-seven years, singing alto, and our friendship has survived disagreements about seasoning, men, child-rearing, and the proper temperature for cornbread. The cobbler rivalry is the foundation of our relationship. It gives us structure. Without it, we'd just be two old women in a pew. With it, we are warriors.

Made a test batch of my cobbler tonight. Peaches from Curtis at the market, Hattie Pearl's recipe, a prayer and a pinch of nutmeg. Earl ate two slices and said, "Better than Gladys's." He knows better than to say otherwise, but I believe he means it.

Now go on and feed somebody.

Now, I told you about my test batch of peach cobbler — and that one’s my signature, my standard-bearer, the one Gladys knows is coming. But every general needs a reserve unit, and this Cinnamon Roll Cherry Cobbler is mine. I keep it in my back pocket for the years when peaches aren’t at their peak, or when I want to watch Gladys’s eyes go wide at something she didn’t see coming. It comes together fast, it feeds a crowd, and it has never once let me down — which, at an event feeding 220 people, is exactly the kind of recipe you need on your side.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 12

Ingredients

2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cans (12.4 oz each) refrigerated cinnamon roll dough (with icing packets reserved)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Prepare the cherry filling. Pour both cans of cherry pie filling into the prepared baking dish. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined. Spread the filling into an even layer.
Arrange the cinnamon rolls. Open the cinnamon roll cans and separate the rolls. Place them in a single layer directly on top of the cherry filling, spacing them slightly apart to allow room to expand. Set the icing packets aside.
Add the finishing touch. Brush the tops of the cinnamon rolls with the melted butter and sprinkle evenly with the granulated sugar.
Bake. Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until the cinnamon rolls are golden brown on top and cooked through. If the tops brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Glaze and serve. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Drizzle the reserved icing packets over the warm rolls. Serve directly from the dish, making sure each portion gets both cherry filling and a full cinnamon roll on top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Cinnamon Roll Cherry Cobbler — My Secret Weapon When the Rivalry Heats Up