There’s nothing better than ripe berries at the height of summer, especially when you’ve picked your own. This mixed berry cobbler features a trio of sweet and tart berries and a buttery biscuit topping. It’s perfect for serving at a summertime get-together and goes great with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Only have frozen berries in the freezer? No worries! You can make this cobbler using your favorite combo of frozen berries, too.
What is a cobbler?
A cobbler is a fruit-based dessert that features a sweetened fruit filling topping with a biscuit-like batter. The dessert gets its name from the topping’s resemblance to cobblestones.
Berry Cobbler Ingredients
- Syrup: Sugar, water and cinnamon are combined to make a sweetened syrup for the berries. The addition of cornstarch helps to thicken the berries and syrup as the cobbler bakes.
- Berries: This mixed berry cobbler features cranberries, blueberries and blackberries. You can use fresh or frozen berries. If using frozen, it’s not necessary to thaw the berries before using. Love picking up fresh berries at the farmers market? Avoid these mistakes when choosing or storing fresh berries.
- Biscuit topping: The cobbler is topped with sweet biscuits made from sugar, butter, vanilla extract, milk (you can use dairy milk or a dairy-free alternative), flour, baking powder and salt. For a gluten-free cobbler, use a gluten-free flour mix meant for baking.
Directions
Step 1: Make the cobbler filling
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a small heavy saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and water until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in berries.
Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Step 2: Make the cobbler topping
Beat sugar and butter until crumbly. Beat in the vanilla and milk. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Then, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until moistened. Drop by tablespoonfuls over the fruit.
Editor’s Tip: Don’t cover the top completely with the biscuit topping; leave some areas of fruit bare. This helps prevent the topping from steaming as it bakes and will lead to a crisper topping.
Step 3: Bake
Bake the fruit cobbler until the filling is bubbly and a toothpick inserted in the topping comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm—preferably with a scoop of ice cream.
Recipe Variations
- Slow-cooker berry cobbler: If you’d prefer a hands-off version of this recipe, use our slow-cooker berry cobbler recipe: Whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together one egg, 1/4 cup milk and 2 tablespoons canola oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened (batter will be thick). Spread onto bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Mix 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup flour and 1 cup sugar; toss with 4 cups of berries. Spoon over batter. Cook, covered, on high until berry mixture is bubbly, 1-3/4 to 2 hours.
- Citrus berry cobbler: Stir 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest into the biscuit topping.
- Farmers market berry cobbler: Nearly any berry works in this recipe! Use whatever’s in season in place of one or more of the berries called for in this recipe. We like strawberries (quartered), boysenberries or raspberries. You can also use a single kind of berry instead of a mix of berries.
How to Store Berry Cobbler
Leftover berry cobbler can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Can you freeze berry cobbler?
The baked berry cobbler can be frozen for up to three months. To freeze, first allow to cool completely. Then cover tightly and store in the freezer. (Be sure to bake your cobbler in a dish that is both oven- and freezer-safe.)
Berry Cobbler Tips
How do you make individual berry cobblers?
Make individual berry cobblers by dividing the berries and biscuit topping and placing in single-serve oven-safe ramekins. Bake time will vary depending on how much fruit and topping is in each ramekin. Check after 20 minutes. Continue baking until the cobbler topping is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbly.
How do you thicken berry cobbler?
Adding additional cornstarch to the berries should help to thicken the sauce.
How do you serve berry cobbler?
We love to serve mixed berry cobbler with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream. Sweetened whipped cream is also a delicious option.
