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With heaps of plump, juicy berries and a sweet cake-like topping, this homemade blackberry cobbler is the picture perfect way to celebrate the season. If you’re lucky enough to have some extra blackberries and a few pantry staples, you can have a warm, bubbling cobbler ready to serve in just around 40 minutes. Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream for the ultimate summer dessert!
We live in Washington and the fields and forests are overrun with invasive blackberry bushes. We make the most of it by picking gallon after gallon of berries to freeze, infuse into vodka, make fresh jam, and more.
But one of the first ways to use fresh blackberries must always be warm, homemade blackberry cobbler.
Really, is there anything more nostalgic than cobblers and crisps? I’ve always been drawn to them for their simplicity.
Unlike other recipes that require precise measurements or modern equipment, you can make fruit cobblers with the bare minimum.
I used a cast iron skillet and a small batter bowl, but you could use a cake pan, a pie plate, and more. No high tech. No fuss. Just pure, old-fashioned goodness.
Why you’ll love this homemade blackberry cobbler recipe
- Relies on simple, everyday pantry staples
- Uses the batter method, so no need to make a crust or roll out biscuit dough
- Minimal clean-up – just one bowl and one pan
- Traditional, old-fashioned dessert that will remind you of the past
- Great way to use up berries that are just past their prime
Ingredients
For the fruit layer
- Fresh blackberries – This recipe works with any type of blackberries (Marionberries, tayberries, boysenberries, etc) and you can even use frozen blackberries! No need to thaw ahead of time.
- Cornstarch – To help the juices from the berries to gel and not make the cobbler too wet.
- Sugar
- Demerara sugar – Or coarse sugar, to sprinkle over the cobbler before baking for extra crunch.
For the cobbler batter
- All purpose flour – Traditionally, many recipes use self-rising flour, but we never have it on hand. Instead, we’ll use regular AP flour with baking powder and salt.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Melted butter – I use unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, skip the salt in the dry mix.
- Sugar – For plenty of sweetness and for a nice crackle crust. Feel free to reduce the amount of sugar to 1/2 cup, if you prefer.
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk – Or you preferred type of milk. Sometimes I water down heavy cream to avoid the trip to the store for just milk.
note
There are many variations of cobblers out there.
Some use a layer of pie crust, others use biscuit dough, and some add a bottom crust in addition to the cobbler topping.
This recipe really tries to keep it very simple – start with the berries, toss to coat, then cover the blackberry mixture with the pancake-like topping and bake.
The berries will turn into a deliciously jammy layer on the bottom with plenty of the sweet, buttery cobbler on top.
How to Make Homemade Blackberry Cobbler
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 9×9 baking dish or you preferred pan (I used a 10 inch cast iron skillet, which resulted in a thinner cobbler than you would get with a 9×9 square pan).
- In your prepared baking dish, combine fresh berries with cornstarch and sugar. Stir or shake to combine and distribute the berries evenly throughout the pan.
- Add the dry ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
- Then, add the wet ingredients and whisk or fold just until combined. Be careful not to overmix; like making pancakes, it’s okay if it’s still slightly clumpy.
- Pour the cobbler batter over top of the blackberries, then sprinkle the top of the batter with demerara sugar.
- Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and set in the middle. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean (or with a little bit of blackberry juice on it).
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving your warm blackberry cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
Storing Suggestions
Once cooled to room temperature, store any leftover cobbler in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Cobbler is best served warm, so pop it in the microwave or toaster oven to warm slightly.
Tips & Variations
- Add zest. I’m a big fan of adding orange or lemon zest in blackberry recipes to bring out extra flavor.
- Use self-rising flour. Self-rising flour already contains the baking powder and salt, so you can skip those ingredients.
- Mix and match fruits and berries. Pair the blackberries with fresh peaches or tart summer raspberries. Or, replace them with blueberries for homemade blueberry cobbler!
- Adjust the pan size. Cobblers are extremely forgiving. You can use a square baking pan, large pie pan, cast iron skillet, or even a standard 9×13 pan. Just bear in mind that the larger the pan, the thinner the layer and the thicker the pan, the longer you may need to bake.
How to Serve Blackberry Cobbler
Homemade cobblers are simple, humble desserts and generally taste best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top.
More Simple Seasonal Desserts
- Gravenstein Apple Crisp
- Blackberry Apple Crumble
- Blackberry Muffins with Oats
- Strawberry Snack Cake
- Old Fashioned Cherry Cobbler Recipe
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Homemade Blackberry Cobbler Recipe
Equipment
- medium mixing bowl
- Baking dish I used a 10-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
For the berry layer
- 3-4 cups fresh blackberries
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup white sugar
For the cobbler batter
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
To garnish before baking
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter a 9×9 baking dish or your preferred pan.
- In your prepared baking dish, combine fresh berries with cornstarch and sugar. Stir or shake to combine and distribute the berries evenly throughout the pan.3-4 cups fresh blackberries, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 cup white sugar
- Add the dry ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk to combine.1 cup white sugar, 1 cup all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Then, add the wet ingredients and whisk or fold just until combined. Be careful not to overmix; like making pancakes, it's okay if it's still slightly clumpy.6 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pour the cobbler batter over top of the blackberries, then sprinkle the top of the batter with demerara sugar.2 tbsp demerara sugar
- Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until golden brown on the edges and set in the middle. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean (or with a little bit of blackberry juice on it). Note: The baking time will vary depending on the pan you use.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for about 10-15 minutes before serving warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
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