Blackberry Cobbler Recipe For Fresh or Frozen Berries

Blackberry cobbler is stuffed with luscious, juicy healthy blackberries, nestled into a moist, sweet dough. Coconut oil gives this old-time summer dessert an upgrade with healthy fat and flavor. 

Blackberry Cobbler is a delicious staple in American dessert culture. Cobblers have been around since the 1850’s and continue to be a delicious way to combine both fruit and dough. Cobblers are often made to use up large batches of fruit harvest during the growing season. Serve it warm from the oven with a scoop of french vanilla ice cream on top.

We have been making cobblers for years and this is one of our favorite recipes. Our property has wild blackberry bushes that we gather the berries from in the late summer.

What’s the Difference between a Cobbler and a Pie?

The difference between a cobbler and a pie is the crust. A traditional pie will have a bottom crust, and usually a top crust. A cobbler does not have a bottom crust, and the top is more of a baked biscuit rather than a crust. Cobblers are often baked in a 13×9 pan and use up more berries than a pie will. They are also very simple to make and require less time and effort.

What is a Cobbler Crust made out of?

A cobbler crust is made from flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, vanilla, coconut oil (or butter). The crust is made out of a batter that is similar to a biscuit consistency once baked. A cobbler crust is poured out onto the bottom of a greased pan, the berries are then added on top of it. The crust will bubble and bake around the berries, eventually rising to the top of the dish.

We used coconut oil instead of butter for the base of this batter. Butter can be used to give the cobbler a higher fat content and up the taste. Swap in coconut oil as a butter substitute, or to make the cobbler a little healthier.

How do you thicken a Blackberry Cobbler?

Blackberry cobbler is typically thickened with a cornstarch slurry. A cornstarch slurry is a thickening agent made up of equal parts cornstarch and a cold liquid. The cornstarch and cold liquid (typically water) are then whisked together until a paste forms. The paste is slowly added into the liquid that needs to be thickened.

The cobbler can be thickened once it is done baking. While this is not ideal, and requires a bit of extra work it is sometimes necessary. To thicken a baked cobbler, you will need to gently remove the excess juice from the dish. Add the cold cornstarch slurry to the hot juice and whisk it together. Gently add the thickened juice back into the cobbler. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. This should help the cobbler thicken.

Does Blackberry Cobbler need to be Refrigerated?

Blackberry Cobbler can be left out at room temperature for up to 12 hours. After 12 hours it should be covered in an airtight plastic wrap or tinfoil and placed in the fridge. Blackberry Cobbler is easy to reheat for a delicious leftover dessert. Simply add it to a microwave safe plate and microwave it for 30 seconds to one minute. Top with vanilla ice cream and it is as good as new!

Blackberry Cobbler can also be frozen. To freeze blackberry cobbler, bake it according to baking instructions. Wrap it completely in an airtight plastic wrap or place in a freezer safe air tight container. Label the cobbler and place it in the freezer. It can be frozen up to 3 months.

Grow your own garden for the best produce like we do or buy from a reputable, local organic farm, farmers market, fruit stand or your local food co-op. This is a wonderful farm to table recipe.

I really DON’T recommend growing blackberries. They are EXTREMELY invasive. At least they are here in our temperate climate.

If you get crazy enough to plant them. Find a THORNLESS variety like this. Whacking back our thorny ole blackberry bushes is a blood sport. You won’t enjoy it.

Blackberries are among the Healthiest fruits. 

I have quite a few blackberry recipes on this blog both sweet and savory. Blackberry are a wonderful late summer harvest. They make so many wonderful dishes.

More Delicious Blackberry Recipes:

Blackberries are full of fiber and have one of the highest levels of cancer fighting anti-oxidants. Follow the link above to learn more about the nutrition of blackberries.

This cobbler makes an easy dessert to take to parties and potlucks. Everyone loves it. You will need to set the dish in a box lined with an old towel if it’s juicy to protect your car. Blackberry juices stain!

Fresh or frozen blackberries are a useful fruit in the kitchen year round. I often pull a bag of frozen blackberries out of the freezer to whip up this quick and easy recipe. It cozies up cold winter nights.

Blackberry Cobbler Recipe:

This blackberry recipe is a fast way to enjoy blackberries and use them up. This easy blackberry cobbler is ready to pop in the oven in about 10 minutes not counting blackberry picking time here. 🙂

The 9 x 13 baking dish you see pictured in this article is a DOUBLE BATCH. This recipe Makes a 9 x 9 blackberry cobbler as written.

This recipe works with both fresh and frozen blackberries. It is written for fresh. Follow the tips below for frozen berries.

For Frozen Berries:

1.  Measure the berries frozen and stir them in that way too.
2. Just break apart any berry clumps.
3. Watch the liquid level of your fresh or frozen berries.
4. Drain any extra juice off so the recipe bakes correctly.

Using Coconut oil.

Coconut oil adds a wonderful flavor to baked goods. If you haven’t tried it in your baking I hope you do. However…

If you don’t happen to have any coconut oil on hand substitute butter or avocado oil one to one. Either will work great as a substitute.

How to Make a Blackberry Cobbler:

Here is the method for making this blackberry dessert. Bake this cobbler recipe until the dough is barely browned and set.

Serving Suggestions:

Top this easy dessert recipe off with homemade Whipping cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

We LOVE this cobbler with homemade French Vanilla Bean Ice Cream  or Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. I make them in my cuisinart Ice Cream maker for a touch of decadence.

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Adapted from menu musings