Berry Cobbler
This delicious berry cobbler is filled with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries underneath a soft buttermilk biscuit topping. You can also adapt this recipe to use whatever combination of fresh summer fruit you have, keep reading to find out how!
Few desserts highlight seasonal fruit like a cobbler. And this one is pure summer! Give me a juicy layer of sweet berries baked underneath a lid of buttery cobbler topping and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I’m one happy gal.
If you’re looking for the perfect easy homemade treat for summer gatherings, or holidays like the 4th of July, this is it! It’s also just a really great way to showcase berries from your garden, farmers markets and u-pick farms.
Table of Contents
- Why you should make this berry cobbler recipe
- Ingredients you'll need
- Step-by-step instructions
- Cobbler variations
- Recipe FAQs
- Get the recipe
Why you should make this berry cobbler recipe
What sets my berry cobbler recipe apart from others?
- It’s made in a smaller dish, so you get the perfect ratio of fruit to topping without needing a ton of berries (because berries are expensive!).
- It’s just sweet enough to enhance the natural flavor and sweetness of the berries. I’ve found that too little sugar creates a bland cobbler.
- The filling is thick and a little bit jammy, not at all watery.
- You can use any combination of berries you like, or even other fruit like peaches.
- It’s absolutely delicious! Like, so good. I promise, you’re going to love it.
baking tip:What's the difference between a crisp, cobbler and crumble?
- Cobbler has a soft and tender topping made from biscuit dough or cake batter.
- Crisps have a crunchy streusel-like topping made from flour, sugar, butter, often oats and sometimes nuts.
- Crumbles are less common and very similar to crisps except they have a sandier texture and don’t contain oats.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Berries— I used blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. You can also use all, or just some, or even just one kind of berry. You’ll need 4-5 cups total.
- Sugar— gives sweetness to both the berries and the topping.
- Lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt— for the right balance of flavor.
- Cornstarch— to thicken the berry filling, without it the berries will be very liquid-y and thin.
- All-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda— the base and leavening power for the cobbler topping.
- Butter and buttermilk— in addition to lending more flavor, both help with rise and texture so the cobbler topping is light and almost cake-like.
Step-by-step instructions
- Prep berries and mix filling. Slice strawberries into chunks the same size as the rest of the berries. If your blackberries are really big, slice them in half too. Toss with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla.
- Make cobbler topping. Combine the dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into small pieces, then stir in the buttermilk to make a wet biscuit dough.
- Assemble. Dump the berry mixture into your baking dish and spoon the cobbler dough evenly on top.
- Bake until bubbly. Bake in a 350°F oven until the juices in the center of the dish are bubbling, not just the edges. This is key! That means the cornstarch has reached the proper temperature to thicken properly.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream. I like to serve cobbler slightly warm, letting it set up for just a few minutes. Ice cream is mandatory! (Tillamook “Old-Fashioned Vanilla” ice cream is my favorite for serving with fruit desserts.)
Cobbler variations
While this is a berry cobbler recipe, it will also work for pretty much any summertime fruit, and any combination of multiple berries or fruit. Sliced peaches, nectarines, plums and even cherries would all be fabulous in combination with, or instead of, fresh berries. Just stick to 4-5 cups total fruit.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Double both the filling and the topping and bake in a 9×13-inch dish (at least 3 quart capacity) for 45-55 minutes.Â
Yes, you can! Use them straight from the freezer, do not thaw.
Cobbler is best served the day it’s baked, as the cobbler topping will actually absorb the liquid from the berries and discolor. If you want to do some work ahead of time to make bake time easier, wash and slice berries and store in the fridge, and mix dry ingredients together.
Get the recipe
Berry Cobbler
Ingredients
Berry filling:
- 4-5 cups (560-700 grams) Mixed berries , like blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries (see Notes)
- â…“ cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cobbler topping:
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) cold butter , cubed
- ½ cup (113 grams) cold buttermilk
For serving:
- Vanilla ice cream or vanilla whipped cream
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease 9-inch round baking dish, such as a pie pan (at least 1 ½ quart capacity).
- Slice berries as needed so everything is roughly the same size, then add to large bowl and toss with sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Dump into prepared dish.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the size of small peas. Add the buttermilk and mix just until dough comes together. Drop by the spoonful on top of the berry filling.
- Bake until topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the center, about 35-45 minutes. It must be bubbling in the center for the cornstarch to activate and thicken the filling. If the topping browns too quickly, cover with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
- Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving so the filling has time to set up. But serve within about 2 hours for best results.
- Top servings with whipped cream or ice cream, as desired. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
- Berries: The amount of berries needed is slightly flexible, which is why I give a range. I used a combination of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries, but you can use any combination of berries, or even just one berry. If you want to use frozen berries, use straight from the freezer, don’t thaw first.
- Fruit variations: Sliced peaches, nectarines, plums and even cherries would all be fabulous in combination with, or instead of, fresh berries. Just stick to 4-5 cups total fruit.
- Double it for a crowd: Yes! Double both the filling and the topping and bake in a 9×13-inch dish (at least 3 quart capacity) for 45-55 minutes.
- Make-ahead instructions: Cobbler is best served the day it’s baked, as the cobbler topping will actually absorb the liquid from the berries and discolor. If you want to do some work ahead of time to make bake time easier, wash and slice berries and store in the fridge, and mix dry ingredients together. Then mix and bake before serving.
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