Blackberry Cobbler – Skinnytaste

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Nothing beats a warm, bubbly blackberry cobbler with sweet-tart fruit and a golden crust. This lighter version is perfect for dessert—top it with ice cream or whipped cream if you’d like!

Blackberry Cobbler Recipe

I’ve always been a cobbler fan. There’s just something so comforting about that soft, jammy fruit paired with a crisp, tender topping. Over the years, I’ve made all kinds of cobblers (from peach to mixed berry), and this blackberry cobbler has become a favorite. The berries turn syrupy and rich as they bake, while a hint of lemon brightens everything up. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ve got the perfect summer dessert. If you love this recipe, be sure to try my Skillet Mixed Berry Buttermilk Cobbler and Apple Cobbler next.

Why This Cobbler Recipe Works

Fruit-based desserts have always been some of my favorites. You get a decent serving of fruit while satisfying your sweet tooth. What’s not to love?

• Lighter than Traditional Cobblers: Most recipe call for a lot of butter and sugar. The juicy blackberry filling is lightly sweetened and the golden crust uses a fraction of the butter.
• Make it any time of year with frozen berries if fresh ones aren’t in season.
• Versatile: While it makes the perfect summer dessert, especially topped with ice cream, you could even enjoy it at brunch with coffee.
• Dietary Restrictions: Weight Watchers-friendly, vegetarian, gluten-free (see Variations below)

Ingredients You’ll Need

This homemade blackberry cobbler has two sets of ingredients: filling and topping. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Blackberry Filling Ingredients

• Cornstarch thickens the fruit filling.
• Salt balances the sweetness.
• Blackberries: Use fresh berries when in season. If not, thaw and drain frozen blackberries.
• Honey sweetens the blackberries and balances their tartness.
• Lemon Juice and Zest for a pop of bright citrus
• Vanilla extract complements the tartness of the blackberries and lemon.

Cobbler Topping Ingredients

• All-Purpose Flour: I prefer unbleached flour, which is naturally aged, over bleached flour, which uses chemicals to accelerate the aging process. Unbleached flour’s denser texture works better for the biscuit topping.
• Sweetener: Use granulated sugar or monk fruit as a zero-calorie, low-carb alternative.
• Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt help the topping rise and improve its texture.
• Whipped Butter is airier and less dense than regular butter, so it contains fewer calories per tablespoon. You can still use the same amount of regular butter if that’s all you have. Just know that the fat and calories per serving will be slightly higher. Make sure your butter is cold for the best texture.
• Buttermilk adds tanginess, and its acidity reacts with baking soda to help the dough rise.
• Vanilla Extract for a subtle sweetness
• Oil: Any neutral oil, like avocado, will work.

How to Make Blackberry Cobbler

Here’s how to make this easy blackberry cobbler from scratch. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.

Make the berry filling

Bake until bubbling

Make the biscuit topping and spoon over the top.

Bake until golden

1. Make the Berry Filling: Coat the blackberries with cornstarch and salt. Stir in the honey, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla. Bake the berries at 375°F until they’re bubbling.
2. Make the Cobbler Topping: Whisk the dry ingredients. Then, use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut in the very cold butter. Keep going until the texture resembles small pebbles/coarse crumbs. Next, stir in the wet ingredients, making sure not to overmix, as this can result in tough biscuits.
3. Bake the Cobbler: Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough over the hot berries. Bake at 400°F until the topping is golden and fully cooked. The filling will thicken as it cools, so let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Variations

• Switch up the Berries: Try it with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or a mix of two or three types.
• Adjust the sweetness: If your berries are very sweet, use a little less honey. Too tart? Add a bit more.
• Citrus: Orange juice and zest would be just as delicious as lemon.
• No buttermilk? Pour 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice into a 1/3 cup measuring cup and fill it the rest of the way with 2% milk.
• Gluten-free Cobbler: Replace cornstarch with arrowroot and AP flour with a 1:1 GF flour, like Cup4Cup.

Storage

• Refrigerate cobbler for 4 days.
• Freeze leftovers for up to 4 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheat it in the oven or microwave.

FAQ

What’s the difference between blackberry cobbler and blackberry crisp?

Both desserts are baked in the oven and contain blackberries. The main difference is the topping. Cobbler has a biscuit-like topping that’s dropped by spoonfuls over the berries, while a crisp has a crumbly oat and sugar topping.

Can I make blackberry cobbler ahead of time?

Bake the blackberry cobbler a day ahead. Let it cool, then cover the dish and refrigerate. The following day, reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes until it’s warm in the middle.

More Berry Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

For more dessert ideas using berries, check out these five berry desserts to satisfy your cravings!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: 1 /2 cup

Cook Mode

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a pie dish with oil.

• In a large bowl, whisk the cornstarch, and salt. Toss in the blackberries and gently mix to coat. Add honey, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla then transfer to the prepared pie dish.

• Bake until the berries are hot and bubbling on the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile in a medium bowl whisk the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

• When the berries are ready to take out of the oven, cut in the chilled butter (must be very cold) using a pastry cutter (or 2 knives) until they form pebble-sized pieces.

• In a small bowl combine buttermilk, vanilla and oil; mix well. Add to the dry mixture and mix until just moistened, careful not to over-mix.

• Carefully remove the dish from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400°F and spoon the batter over the berries.

• Place back in the oven and bake until the berries are bubbling and the topping is golden and cooked through, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool 15 to 20 minutes before eating.

Last Step:

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Serving: 1 /2 cup, Calories: 153.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 28 g, Protein: 2.5 g, Fat: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Cholesterol: 5.5 mg, Sodium: 100 mg, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 16.5 g