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This Southern peach blackberry cobbler is the best way to enjoy fresh summer fruit! The warm filling is topped with a tender, buttery cornmeal biscuit crust for an easy dessert that always wins rave reviews.
Table of Contents
- Peach and Blackberry Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuit Crust
- The Difference Between a Cobbler and a Crisp
- Ingredients for a Blackberry Cobbler Recipe with Peaches
- How to Make Blackberry Peach Cobbler
- Serving Suggestions
- Preparation and Storage Tips
- Easy Blackberry Cobbler Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Blackberry Peach Cobbler Recipe
- Peach Blackberry Cobbler Recipe
You can’t beat a rustic dessert with fresh fruit during the warm summer months. Whether you make the easiest strawberry cobbler, a plum crisp, a blueberry cobbler, or a peach galette, these dishes are always well received. A blackberry peach cobbler just happens to be the recent favorite in our lineup of delicious seasonal treats!
If you don’t have access to fresh fruit, no worries — frozen berries and frozen peaches will also work. Just don’t forget the vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream on top. I honestly can’t think of a better ending to your next summer meal!
Peach and Blackberry Cobbler with Cornmeal Biscuit Crust
A cobbler is a dish consisting of a fruit filling (in this case, peaches and blackberries) poured into a large baking dish and covered with a batter or biscuit topping before baking. In some cases, the batter is thinner, so it soaks down and forms a cake-like texture around the fruit. You can find this delicious version in my blueberry cobbler or my strawberry cobbler. You’ll also see cobbler recipes that use canned fruit, pie filling, Bisquick mix, or even a box of cake mix!
By contrast, this easy blackberry peach cobbler includes a made-from-scratch cornmeal biscuit topping, which is thicker than the batter version and therefore sits on top of the fruit filling. The biscuits are slightly sweet (taste a lot like scones), spread a bit in the oven to cover the filling, and turn a crisp, buttery golden brown.
The Difference Between a Cobbler and a Crisp
A cobbler should not be confused with a crisp or a crumble, which are also desserts that feature fruit like peaches, apples, and berries. Crumbles and crisps are very similar, as they both include a fruit base with a streusel topping.
Originally, an old fashioned crisp would contain oats in the topping, while a crumble would not. These days, the words “crumble” and “crisp” are often used interchangeably when referring to these desserts. A cobbler, by contrast, is a fruit dessert with a biscuit or cake-like topping.
Why is it called cobbler?
This rustic, old-fashioned dessert gets its name because the top crust is not smooth like a pie crust but rather “cobbled” and coarse. In a biscuit-topped cobbler (like this one), the dough is dropped on top of the fruit to create that bumpy texture. In a cobbler with batter, the cake puffs up around the peaches and blackberries, giving the top its namesake “cobbled” texture.
Should peaches be hard or soft for cobbler?
You don’t want super-soft peaches for a cobbler. You’re looking for sweet, ripe fruit that’s still slightly firm. If the peaches are too soft, they will break down into mush when baked. A little bit of texture is good!
Frozen sliced peaches are a great alternative to fresh peaches in this dish. Canned peaches are acceptable in a pinch, but they’re much softer and therefore will not hold up as well in the cobbler.
Do I need to peel the peaches?
No, it’s not necessary to peel the peaches for a cobbler. It’s really just a matter of personal preference. I typically peel the fruit so that there are no remnants of skin to contend with in the finished dessert. That said, the peach skins are thin and will become very soft (almost disappearing) over the long baking time.
How do you keep a blackberry cobbler from being runny?
A cobbler should have a somewhat juicy filling, but you don’t want it runny or soggy. In this recipe, the flour absorbs much of the extra moisture that the fruit releases during the cooking process, which helps to thicken the filling. Other cobbler, crisp, or pie recipes sometimes call for cornstarch in the filling, which accomplishes the same goal.
Ingredients for a Blackberry Cobbler Recipe with Peaches
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite peach blackberry cobbler recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Peaches and blackberries: fresh summer fruit is always best, but you can sub with frozen, thawed, and drained peaches or blackberries if necessary.
- Granulated sugar: for just the right amount of sweetness in both the filling and the topping.
- All-purpose flour: the base of the biscuit topping, and the secret ingredient in the filling that absorbs extra moisture so that you don’t end up with a runny cobbler.
- Almond extract: adds a subtle, fruity flavor that pairs so nicely with the peaches and berries. You can omit this ingredient if you don’t have it, or sub with vanilla extract.
- Cornmeal: adds a bit of coarse, crumbly texture to the biscuit topping.
- Baking powder: the leavening agent that helps the crust puff and rise a little bit.
- Kosher salt: to balance the sweetness and enhance the other flavors in the dish.
- Butter: for great flavor! Make sure that it’s very cold for a light, flaky biscuit crust.
- Heavy whipping cream: the liquid component that brings the biscuit topping together. The fat adds flavor, richness, and tenderness as well.
- Coarse sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar: for a crisp, crunchy topping. This is the brand that I always use.
How to Make Blackberry Peach Cobbler
Making blackberry cobbler with peaches is easier than you might think! The detailed directions are included in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Stir together the fruit filling.
- Mix together the cornmeal biscuit topping.
- Drop the biscuit dough on top of the berry mixture.
- Sprinkle sparkling sugar over top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes.
- Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is best when served warm. You can offer it for breakfast or brunch with a side of thick, creamy Greek yogurt or a splash of cream. You can also serve the cobbler for dessert, in which case it’s best with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
Preparation and Storage Tips
If you’d like, you can make the cobbler ahead of time and serve it at room temperature or reheat it just before serving. The cobbler will stay fresh when covered at room temperature for up to 12 hours. If you’d like to keep it fresh for longer, store the cobbler covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, or keep it wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How to Reheat
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover loosely with foil and bake until warm (about 20 minutes). You can also microwave individual servings of cobbler for 20-30 seconds, or just until warm.
Easy Blackberry Cobbler Recipe Variations
- Use fresh or frozen peaches and blackberries in this cobbler recipe. If you’re using frozen fruit, thaw it first and strain off the excess juices.
- Swap out the blackberries and use any other berries with the peaches. Blueberries, raspberries, or diced strawberries would all be delicious additions to the cobbler filling.
- Don’t have almond extract? Use vanilla extract instead.
- To serve a larger group, double all of the ingredients and bake the cobbler in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
Tips for the Best Blackberry Peach Cobbler Recipe
- The butter and cream need to be as cold as possible for light and tender biscuits. You can freeze the cubed butter for about 10-20 minutes before using it or keep it in the refrigerator. I also keep the cream in the fridge right up until it’s time to add it to the dough.
- The dollops of biscuit dough on top of the fruit do not need to be perfect. The dough will spread in the oven to cover most of the filling, and we’re going for a “rustic” look!
- The cobbler is done when the filling is bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through. Make sure that the topping is cooked through by sticking a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, you’ll know it’s fully set.
- If the top of the cobbler starts to get too dark before it’s completely cooked through, tent the dish loosely with foil during the final few minutes of baking.
More Peach Recipes and Blackberry Recipes to Try
Blackberry Jam {With or Without Pectin}
12 hours hrs 55 minutes mins
Rustic Peach Galette
1 hour hr 55 minutes mins
Farmhouse Blackberry Muffins
29 minutes mins
Peach Blackberry Cobbler
Ingredients
- 3 cups sliced fresh peaches (or frozen peaches, thawed)
- 2 cups fresh blackberries
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup finely ground yellow or white cornmeal (or sub with extra all-purpose flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons cold salted butter, cubed
- ½ cup chilled heavy whipping cream
- Coarse sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar, for topping
- Optional, for serving: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet, or another 2-quart baking dish (such as an 11 x 7-inch pan or a deep 8-inch or 9-inch square pan) with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add peaches and blackberries to the prepared dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the granulated sugar, ¼ cup of the flour, and the almond extract. Toss gently to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup of sugar, remaining 1 cup of flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cream; stir gently just until the dough comes together.
- Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls evenly over the fruit mixture. Sprinkle with the sparkling sugar.
- Bake until the topping is browned and the filling is hot and bubbly, about 45-55 minutes. Cover the dish loosely with foil as it’s baking if you notice that the top is browning too quickly. Let the cobbler cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
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- The butter and cream need to be as cold as possible for flaky and tender biscuits. You can freeze the cubed butter for about 10-20 minutes before using it or keep it in the refrigerator. I also keep the cream in the fridge right up until it’s time to add it to the dough.
-
- The dollops of biscuit dough on top of the fruit do not need to be perfect. The dough will spread in the oven to cover most of the filling, and we’re going for a “rustic” look!
-
- The cobbler is done when the filling is bubbly and the biscuits are cooked through. Make sure that the topping is cooked through by sticking a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean, you’ll know it’s fully set.
- Use fresh or frozen peaches and blackberries. If you’re using frozen fruit, thaw it first and strain off the excess juices.
- To serve a larger group, double all of the ingredients and bake the cobbler in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
- Don’t have almond extract? Use vanilla extract instead.
- Swap out the blackberries and use any other berries with the peaches. Blueberries, raspberries, or diced strawberries would all be delicious additions to the cobbler filling.
