An easy blackberry cobbler recipe made with sweet juicy blackberries and topped with a golden cobbler crust flavoured with vanilla and ground almonds.
This is a delicious dessert for blackberry season, but you can use frozen blackberries out of season too!
This fruit cobbler recipe makes a nice change from the usual blackberry crumbles and blackberry pies during blackberry season.
It's a really easy dessert to make too! The kids love mixing the cobbler topping together, and it's just as quick to make as a crumble.
👩🍳 Love cobblers? Try my sweet strawberry cobbler when strawberries are in season!
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What is a cobbler?
Cobbler is a baked fruit dish that’s topped with a biscuit-like dough. It's baked in a hot oven to ensure the cobbles are golden and crispy. The biscuits create a “cobbled” look, similar to a cobblestone street (think Coronation Street!).
✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- This is a great recipe to make in the summer months and early autumn, when blackberries are in season!
- It makes a nice change from blackberry crumble and blackberry pies.
- The recipe is relatively simple and quick to prepare.
- The warm, juicy blackberry filling topped with a buttery crust creates a comforting and homely dessert.
🛒 Ingredient notes
For the fruit cobbler filling you will need;
- Blackberries - fresh or frozen blackberries can be used. There is no need to defrost frozen blackberries before using them, but you will need to omit the lemon juice as frozen blackberries contain more moisture than fresh ones.
- Lemon - the juice of half a lemon. For an extra lemony flavour, add the zest too.
- Brown Sugar - light brown sugar, or use caster sugar if that's all you have.
- Plain Flour - helps to thicken the blackberry juices that cook out when the blackberries are baked. Plain flour can be substituted with cornflour.
For the cobbler topping you will need;
- Self Raising Flour - helps achieve a light fluffy cobbler topping
- Ground Almonds - for a nutty taste, or use all self-raising flour.
- Caster Sugar - to sweeten the cobbler topping. Swap for granulated sugar if you prefer.
- Salt - a small pinch to balance the sweetness.
- Butter - cold and cubed. The butter is rubbed into the dry ingredients to make a breadcrumb consistency.
- Milk - helps bind the cobbler mixture together into a soft biscuit dough.
- Vanilla Extract - for flavour, or substitute for almond extract.
🔪 How to make blackberry cobbler
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Preheat the oven to 190c (170 fan/Gas 5/ 375F) and lightly butter a 1.5-2 litre pie dish.
Two: Bake the blackberries. Place the blackberries, light brown sugar, plain flour and juice of half a lemon into the prepared baking dish. Give it a mix then bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Three: Make the cobbler topping by placing the self-raising flour, ground almonds, caster sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Rub in the cold cubed butter until you get a breadcrumb consistency. Stir in the milk and vanilla extract and bring the dough together with your hands. If it's a little sticky add a bit more flour until the dough is smooth.
Four: Top with the cobbler dough. Take the blackberries out of the oven and place spoonfuls of the cobbler on top of the blackberries.
Five: Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the cobbles are golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.
💭 Expert tips
- Blackberries can vary in sweetness depending on their ripeness. Taste the berries before using them and adjust the sugar in the recipe accordingly to strike the right balance between sweet and tart flavours.
- Ensure the cubed butter is cold. It makes rubbing it into the flour much easier. If the butter is too warm the dough will become too sticky. Take the butter out of the fridge 5-10 minutes before needed.
- When combining the cobbler dough ingredients, be gentle and avoid overmixing. Overworking the dough can lead to a tough and dense texture. Mix just until the ingredients come together into a cohesive dough.
- To achieve a beautifully golden-brown crust, brush the top of the cobbler dough with a little milk or beaten egg before baking. This will add a lovely sheen and enhance its appearance.
- Allow the blackberry cobbler to cool slightly after baking. This will help the filling set, making it easier to serve and enjoy. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of clotted cream for an extra indulgent treat.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the cobbler with vanilla ice cream or no churn honeycomb ice-cream. It's a great dessert for summer BBQs and parties!
Fruit cobbler can also be served with custard, whipped cream, or clotted cream.
📖 Variations
- Swap the blackberries for strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. Or make a mixed berry cobbler!
- Use orange juice and zest instead of lemon.
- Add a touch of warmth to the cobbler by incorporating spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice into the blackberry filling. These spices pair wonderfully with the sweet-tart taste of blackberries.
- Enhance the cobbler crust by mixing chopped almonds or pecans into the dough before baking. The nutty crunch adds an extra layer of texture and complements the juicy blackberry filling.
- Sprinkle one tablespoon of demerara sugar over the cobbles before baking for a crunchy sweet top.
- Make an apple and blackberry cobbler by adding 3 tablespoons of stewed apples to the blackberries after they have been baked in the oven.
- Add a tropical twist by incorporating shredded coconut into the cobbler dough or sprinkling it over the blackberry filling. The coconut's natural sweetness pairs well with the berries.
🥡 Storage
Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Microwave until hot, or place in a hot oven for 8 minutes.
Freeze: Cobbler can be frozen for up to 3 months. It's best to freeze it after it’s been baked due to the raising agent in the flour. Defrost the cobbler at room temperature before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Add 2 tablespoons of plain flour or cornflour (cornstarch) to the fruit before baking. This will help create a thick syrupy sauce.
It's all down to the texture of the topping. Cobbler has a soft biscuit-like topping, whereas crumble has a crisper, crunchier top.
Here in the UK blackberry season lasts from August to October. Blackberries are at their best in late August and early September.
The seeds are edible, and as the seeds are very fine, complete removal is difficult to achieve.
Absolutely! Cobbler recipes are versatile, and you can use a variety of fruits such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, or a mix of berries. Adjust the sweetness and baking time accordingly based on the fruit you choose.
Blackberry cobbler is traditionally served warm, allowing you to enjoy the contrast between the juicy, warm filling and the flaky crust. However, some people also enjoy it at room temperature or even chilled.
😋 More fruit desserts
- Cinnamon Apple Crumble
- Cherry Cheesecake
- Baked Apples with Mincemeat
- Eve's Pudding
- Lemon Curd Tartlets
- Lemon Sponge Pudding
- Stewed Plums
- Apple and Blueberry Crumble
More blackberry recipe
Don't forget to check out all of the delicious dessert recipes on the blog!
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Recipe
Easy Blackberry Cobbler
Equipment
- Kitchen Scales
- Measuring Spoons
- Pie Dish
Ingredients
- 800 g Blackberries fresh or frozen
- ½ Lemon juice only
- 40 g Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Plain Flour
For the Cobbler Topping
- 100 g Self Raising Flour
- 50 g Ground Almonds
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 100 g Butter cubed and fridge cold
- 2 tablespoon Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190c (170 fan/ Gas 4/ 375F) and lightly butter a 1.5-2 litre pie dish.
- Bake the blackberries. Place the blackberries, light brown sugar, plain flour and juice of half a lemon into the prepared baking dish. Give it a mix then bake in the oven for 10 minutes.800 g Blackberries, ½ Lemon, 40 g Light Brown Sugar, 2 tablespoon Plain Flour
- Make the cobbler topping by placing the self-raising flour, ground almonds, caster sugar, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Rub in the cold cubed butter until you get a breadcrumb consistency. Stir in the milk and vanilla extract and bring the dough together with your hands. If it's a little sticky add a bit more flour until the dough is smooth.100 g Self Raising Flour, 50 g Ground Almonds, 50 g Caster Sugar, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 100 g Butter, 2 tablespoon Milk, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Top with the cobbler dough. Take the blackberries out of the oven and place spoonfuls of the cobbler on top of the blackberries.
- Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the cobbles are golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.
Notes
- Blackberries can vary in sweetness depending on their ripeness. Taste the berries before using them and adjust the sugar in the recipe accordingly to strike the right balance between sweet and tart flavours.
- Ensure the cubed butter is cold. It makes rubbing it into the flour much easier. If the butter is too warm the dough will become too sticky. Take the butter out of the fridge 5-10 minutes before needed.
- When combining the cobbler dough ingredients, be gentle and avoid overmixing. Overworking the dough can lead to a tough and dense texture. Mix just until the ingredients come together into a cohesive dough.
- To achieve a beautifully golden-brown crust, brush the top of the cobbler dough with a little milk or beaten egg before baking. This will add a lovely sheen and enhance its appearance.
- Allow the blackberry cobbler to cool slightly after baking. This will help the filling set, making it easier to serve and enjoy. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of clotted cream for an extra indulgent treat.
- Swap the blackberries for strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. Or make a mixed berry cobbler!
- Use orange juice and zest instead of lemon.
- Add a touch of warmth to the cobbler by incorporating spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or allspice into the blackberry filling.
- Enhance the cobbler crust by mixing chopped almonds or pecans into the dough before baking. The nutty crunch adds an extra layer of texture and complements the juicy blackberry filling.
- Sprinkle one tablespoon of demerara sugar over the cobbles before baking for a crunchy sweet top.
- Make an apple and blackberry cobbler by mixing in 3 tablespoons of stewed apples to the blackberries after they have been baked in the oven.
- Add a tropical twist by incorporating shredded coconut into the cobbler dough or sprinkling it over the blackberry filling. The coconut's natural sweetness pairs well with the berries.
Jessie
This cobbler is so perfect for summer! Love how light and fluffy that topping is with the self rising flour too. Super cozy and comforting!
Gloria
Love love rustic cobblers for dessert. This looks and sounds delicious. Easy for any night of the week. Perfect for company too.
Katherine
This is perfect for using up all the blackberries on our bush! Yum!
Vicky
We always end up with an overabundance of blackberries and I'm looking for recipes where I can use them. This is delicious. I love any kind of cobbler, but I love the tartness of the blackberries.
kushigalu
One of my favorite desserts to try with blackberry. Pinned to try this soon. Thanks for sharing.