Skillet Strawberry Cobbler

The color red is often incorporated with Juneteenth celebrations through foods, like watermelon, red velvet cake, red beans and rice, and strawberry soda, which is what inspired Deborah VanTrece’s strawberry cobbler recipe. While it’s not considered to be a traditional Juneteenth dessert, it embraces the use of the color red as a celebration of freedom and the tradition of gathering to share stories and food with one another.

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 cup butter flavored shortening
• ⅓to ½ cup ice cold buttermilk

Filling

• 6 cups strawberries, sliced thick
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

¼ cup lemon juice

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut
3. the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Make a well in the mixture and pour 1/3 cup buttermilk into the well. Using a fork, stir until
5. the mixture is evenly moist. Add more buttermilk as needed to form a dough.
6. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Flatten each half into a
7. thick round. Individually wrap each round in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or

up to 2 days.

1. 60
2. In a large bowl, combine strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, ginger, and lemon juice. In a small
3. bow, combine cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water to make a slurry.
4. Pour the slurry into the large bowl with strawberry mixture. Place the mixture in a large
5. saucepan and add the remaining cup of water. Over medium heat, bring the saucepan to a
6. low simmer, about 5 minutes (mixture will bubble on the sides). Remove from the heat and

set aside.

1. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Place dough on a lightly floured surface.
2. Using a floured rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into separate 12-inch discs,

approximately 1/8 inch thick.

1. Roll one disc over the rolling pin and gently place the dough in the skillet and press gently
2. around the edges. Pour prepared strawberries into the skillet. Roll the other disc over the
3. rolling pin and gently place on top of the strawberries. Trim the dough with a knife as

needed.

1. Place the skillet in a preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes or until heated through and
2. the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 15 minutes
3. before serving. Serve with your favorite ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

From the Lodge Cast Iron cookbook I picked up during my visit to the Lodge Museum of Cast Iron in South Pittsburg, Tennessee (June 2026). Contributed by Deborah VanTrece. Recommended cookware: Cast Iron Skillet.