Southern Blackberry Cobbler
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If you're looking for an easy dessert to prepare, make Southern Blackberry Cobbler! This old fashioned recipe is filled with juicy blackberries and topped with a buttery crust that will satisfy your cobbler cravings.
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Why You'll Love It
Southern Blackberry Cobbler is a classic recipe that's been handed down through our family for years. My mother made this vintage cobbler that features a buttery topping resembling a pie crust. It's not cakey or spongy so it has the perfect amount of crispness to compliment the blackberries.
You'll love the crust, but you'll go crazy over the tart blackberry filling that's simply made with blackberries, sugar, cinnamon, and a touch of cornstarch to thicken. It's similar to my Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler recipe if you want to switch out the fruit.
When this summer and fall dessert comes out of the oven, the aroma will take you back to simpler days. Add a scoop (or two) of vanilla bean ice cream, and you'll be in cobbler heaven in no time flat!
Ingredients
Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler only takes a few ingredients, but the taste is out of this world!
- fresh blackberries- can use frozen if needed but fresh is best
- granulated sugar - needed for the crust and filling
- all purpose flour - use White Lily flour for a lighter crust
- cornstarch - creates an extra crispy crust and thickens filling
- baking powder - makes the crust rise slightly
- salt - just a pinch for good measure
- cinnamon - gives the topping and filling a warm flavor
- cold butter - the binder that brings the crust together
- ice cold water - helps the dough blend into a nice round ball
Instructions
1 - Wash fresh blackberries (or use frozen) and place in an 8 x 8 inch oven safe dish. Add sugar and cornstarch and mix well. Set aside for at least 15 minutes while making the crust.
2 - In a large bowl, blend flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon together. Cut the butter in small pieces and fold it into the dry ingredients. Mix until it slightly crumbles.
3 - Add ice water until it forms a ball of dough. Flour a surface, then roll out the dough until it fits the top of a 8 x 8 inch dish.
4 - Stir fruit again. Place dough on top of fruit in dish. Prick dough with tines of a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour until crust is golden brown and fruit is bubbly. If crust won't brown, brush with butter and broil for a few minutes.
5 - Cool cobbler to allow juices to thicken. Serve with a large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream if desired.
Recipe FAQS
Yes, frozen blackberries will work in this recipe, which is a great thing because you can eat it all year long! Of course, fresh fruit tastes best, but if they're not in season, frozen will work in a pinch. Use 4 cups of berries for best results and make sure they are still frozen when added or they'll end up mushy.
Yes, it's best to freeze this recipe after it's been baked in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and bake at 350 degrees until warmed throughout. If you reheat in the microwave, remember the crust might not be as crispy as you like.
Blackberries can be extra juicy. Be sure to add cornstarch to the fruit before baking. Stir well and let sit at least 15 minutes while making the crust. Stir again after the fruit has absorbed the cornstarch and it will help create a jammy blackberry syrup once baked. Remember to let the cobbler cool after baking to allow the juices to thicken.
Top Tips
- Use fresh blackberries for best results. You can substitute frozen fruit if blackberries are out of season.
- A pinch of cornstarch in the crust makes it extra crispy.
- Freeze cobbler up to 3 months in an air-tight container or refrigerate up to 5 days after baking.
- Substitute peaches, blueberries or strawberries for a different cobbler experience!
- For food safety guidelines, visit USDA.gov.
Related Recipes
If you love this recipe, enjoy these other fruit filled desserts...
- Blackberry Cheese Danish (with video)
- Triple Berry Crostata
- Sassy Fruit Platter
- Skillet Berry Crumble
- Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler
Recipe Card
Southern Blackberry Cobbler
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Equipment
- 8 x 8 inch baking dish
- mixing bowl and spoon
Ingredients
FILLING
- 4 cups blackberries fresh or frozen
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
CRUST
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour I use White Lily
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 stick cold butter cubed
- 2 to 4 tablespoons ice cold water use as little as possible until dough forms a ball
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Rinse blackberries with water, then drain. Add to an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with ½ cup sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk ½ cup of sugar, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Using a mixer, add cubes of cold butter to dry ingredients until crumbly.
- Add a little bit of ice water at at time and mix well until dough forms a ball. Add more flour if dough is too wet.
- Roll dough into ball and flour a hard surface. With a rolling pin, roll out dough until it fits the top of an 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
- Cover blackberry mixture in baking dish with dough. Prick the crust with the tines of a fork.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour until crust is golden brown.
Notes
- If crust doesn't brown after baking, place it under a broiler for a few minutes until golden brown.
- Use fresh blackberries for best results. If not available, frozen fruit can be substituted.
- View the Google Web Story of Southern Blackberry Cobbler!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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This is the BEST dessert-awesome!
I'm so glad you like my Blackberry Cobbler recipe! It tastes great with ice cream on top!
This is one of my favorite desserts. I love that you made the crust a lot crispier. My old recipe is too cake like. Is the cornstarch the secret to a crispy crust?
Thanks Kara! Yes, the cornstarch helps the crust stay crispy which is how I like my cobbler!