Blackberry Cobbler

Inspired by the most delicious baked goods from a beautiful little farm stand on Martha's Vineyard, this is truly the best old fashioned blackberry cobbler recipe! With about 10 minutes of prep, it's an easy dessert to enjoy all summer long. Just mix and match your favorite berries for a fresh, seasonal treat, and finish each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

During the warm summer months, you can't beat a rustic dessert that takes advantage of fresh fruit. This easy blackberry cobbler is made from scratch, comes together quickly, and is a lovely way to showcase your sweet, juicy berries!

Easy Blackberry Cobbler

The kids and I pick a bunch of fresh blackberries from the vines alongside our little road each summer, and we always come home to make this old-fashioned dessert (plus a batch of our favorite blackberry muffins). The traditional blackberry cobbler is a perfect weeknight option when you want something special to enjoy after dinner, but you don't want to spend much time in the kitchen. The ingredients are simple, there's no cutting biscuits or rolling dough necessary, and you don't need any fancy equipment.

Traditional Blackberry Cobbler

Old-fashioned blackberry cobbler is a rustic dessert recipe that's made with fruit (in this case blackberries) and covered with a batter or biscuit topping before baking. In some cases, the topping is a thick biscuit dough, which sits on top of a saucy blackberry filling. There's a little more effort involved in that type of cobbler, and you can find our favorite version here.

For this easy blackberry cobbler, the batter is thinner, so it forms a cake-like texture around the fruit. It's a perfect combination of crispy edges, a soft center, and a golden brown top. The recipe is a slight twist on the best blackberry cobbler recipe from the bakery and farm stand at Morning Glory Farm on Martha's Vineyard.

The Difference Between a Cobbler and a Crisp or a Crumble

A cobbler should not be confused with a crisp, crumble, or pie, 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, a blackberry 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 (no streusel) and no bottom crust.

Why is it called Blackberry 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, the dough is dropped on top of the fruit to create that bumpy texture. In a cobbler with batter (like this one), the cake puffs up around the berries, giving the top its namesake "cobbled" texture.

Ingredients

This is just a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you'll need for the easy blackberry cobbler. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Blackberries: fresh is best! Frozen berries would probably work too, but I have not tested this recipe with anything other than fresh blackberries.
• Butter: the melted butter combines with the berries and lemon juice for a flavorful cobbler filling.
• Lemon juice: a bright, acidic touch. It balances the sweetness of the fruit and enhances the blackberries' natural flavors.
• Brown sugar and granulated sugar: for just the right amount of sweetness in the filling and topping.
• All-purpose flour: serves as a thickener for the berry filling, and as the base for the cake-like cobbler crust.
• Salt: to balance the sweetness and enhance the other flavors in the dessert.
• Baking powder: the leavening agent that helps the batter rise.
• Milk: use at least 2% or whole milk for the best flavor and texture.

How to Make Blackberry Cobbler

This recipe for blackberry cobbler is inspired by the “Morning Glory Cobbler” from one of my favorite cookbooks, Morning Glory Farm and the Family that Feeds an Island. Having grown up spending summers on Martha’s Vineyard, the recipes in this book take me back to the island every time I make them.

Morning Glory Farm is my favorite place to visit on the Vineyard. It’s a short bike ride from my parents’ house, and the farm stand overflows with fresh Island produce, flowers, and homemade baked goods. The berries, scones, muffins, pies, and zucchini bread are to die for.

1. Stir together the blackberry filling.
2. Pour the berry filling into the bottom of a greased 8-inch square baking dish.
3. Whisk together the batter for the topping in a medium bowl.
4. Pour the batter over the top of the fruit.
5. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 45 minutes, until the topping is cooked through and golden brown.

How to Serve Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler

Serve the fresh blackberry cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top! If you must, you can substitute with freshly-whipped cream, but it's not quite the same. And if you want to eat the cobbler straight out of the refrigerator for breakfast while it's still cold? I won't judge you!

Storage

If you'd like, you can make the cobbler ahead of time and 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 the cobbler fresh longer, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Can you freeze blackberry cobbler?

Yes! Wrapped tightly, the baked cobbler will keep 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 10-15 minutes). Frozen cobbler will need longer in the oven (about 20-30 minutes). You can also microwave individual servings of cobbler for 20-30 seconds, or just until warm.

Recipe Variations

• This easy cobbler has a soft cake-like batter that puffs up around the fruit. If you're looking for a biscuit-topped cobbler with a saucy fruit filling, try this old-fashioned blueberry cobbler recipe or this blueberry peach cobbler.
• Instead of a square pan, bake the cobbler in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (for nice, crispy edges) or in a deep-dish pie plate.
• Use buttermilk instead of regular milk. It adds a nice, subtle tangy flavor and creates a lighter, more tender cake topping.
• Use any berries that you like, or a combination of berries to total about 4 cups. Raspberries, blueberries, or diced strawberries would all be delicious additions to the cobbler.
• Add a touch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the topping for warmth.

Tips for the Best Blackberry Cobbler Recipe

• Use sweet, fresh, summer blackberries. I have not tested this recipe with frozen blackberries, so let me know if you give it a shot! I think it would probably work, but I find that frozen berries release a bit more liquid and therefore might require extra flour or cornstarch to thicken the filling.
• The amount of sugar necessary for the filling will depend on the sweetness of your berries. Some blackberries can be quite tart, so you might need a little more. Sweet berries, on the other hand, can get away with just a tablespoon or so of extra sugar!
• A pre-heated cast iron skillet yields great texture: crisp edges, a soft center, and a golden-brown top. Use one if you've got it!
• The cobbler is done when the top is golden brown and the filling is firm and set.
• Serve the cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

Wondering what to do with lots of blackberries? Try these other easy blackberry recipes:

• Farmhouse Blackberry Muffins
• Blackberry Jam
• Old-Fashioned Blackberry Lemonade

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4.2 from 5 votes

Blackberry Cobbler

This classic blackberry cobbler recipe is the perfect easy summer dessert!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blackberries, blackberry cobbler, cobbler

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 323kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh blackberries (or substitute with raspberries, blueberries, diced strawberries, or mulberries)
• ¼ cup melted salted butter
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar (depending on the sweetness of your berries)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup all purpose flour + 2 tablespoons, divided
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ cup whole milk (or sub with 2% milk)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
• In a large bowl, gently toss berries with butter and lemon juice. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and 2 Tablespoons of flour. Gently stir into berry mixture.
• Pour berries into the bottom of a greased 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, ¾ cup flour, salt, baking powder, and milk. Pour the batter over top of the fruit.
• Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm.

Notes

• Use sweet, fresh, summer blackberries. I have not tested this recipe with frozen blackberries, so let me know if you give it a shot! I think it would probably work, but I find that frozen berries release a bit more liquid and have a tendency to turn the batter a bluish-green color.
• A pre-heated cast iron skillet yields great texture: crisp edges, a soft center, and a golden-brown top. Use one if you've got it!
• The cobbler is done when the top is golden brown and the filling is firm and set.
• Serve the cobbler warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
• This easy cobbler has a soft cake-like batter that puffs up around the fruit. If you're looking for a biscuit-topped cobbler with a saucy fruit filling, try this old-fashioned blueberry cobbler recipe or this blueberry peach cobbler.
• Instead of a square pan, bake the cobbler in a 10-inch cast iron skillet (for nice, crispy edges) or in a deep-dish pie plate.
• Use buttermilk instead of regular milk. It adds a nice, subtle tangy flavor and creates a lighter, more tender cake topping.
• Use any berries that you like, or a combination of berries to total about 4 cups. Raspberries, blueberries, or diced strawberries would all be delicious additions to the cobbler.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 505IU | Vitamin C: 20.3mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 1.5mg

This recipe for Blackberry Cobbler was originally published in June, 2013. The photos were updated in July, 2018.