Blueberry Cobbler
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This rustic blueberry cobbler features tart, syrupy blueberries with a sugared biscuit topping.
I love rustic fruit desserts, and this blueberry cobbler with a lemon-scented buttermilk biscuit crust is one of my summertime favorites. As the dessert bakes, the fruit bubbles up into the topping, creating three delicious layers: a tart, syrupy blueberry bottom, a dumpling-like center, and a crisp, golden crust. One key to a delicious cobbler is getting the right ratio of fruit to crust. This topping is generous and lends just the right amount of savory buttery flavor to balance the tart-sweetness of the berries. Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream is a must.
“Been looking for a good recipe…this is it! Just finished devouring it…made it exactly per the recipe…it was great!! I will be making this over and over.”
What You’ll Need To Make Blueberry Cobbler
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the fruit filling and helps the topping achieve a golden, flaky texture.
- Blueberries: Provide the sweet and juicy base for the cobbler, bursting with flavor as they bake.
- Sugar: Sweetens both the fruit filling and the biscuit topping, balancing the tartness of the blueberries.
- All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the fruit filling and adds structure to the biscuit topping. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Lemon Zest: Adds a bright, citrusy note to the topping, enhancing the flavor of the blueberries.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Leavening agents that help the biscuit topping rise and become light and fluffy.
- Buttermilk: Adds tanginess and moisture to the biscuit topping, helping to achieve a soft, tender crumb. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. See note in recipe below.
- Vanilla Ice Cream or Sweetened Whipped Cream: Optional but adds a creamy, cool contrast to the warm cobbler.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Fruit Filling
Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease an 8-inch square or 2-quart baking dish with butter.
In a large bowl, add 4 cups blueberries, 3/4 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.
Toss well to combine.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and dot evenly with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.
Step 2: Make the Biscuit Topping
In a medium bowl, combine 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 6 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon packed grated lemon zest, 1¾ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon salt.
Stir until combined.
Add 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks.
Blend the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within.
Add 1 cup of buttermilk.
Stir until just combined. It will look a bit lumpy; that’s good. Do not overmix.
Step 3: Assemble and Bake
Using a large spoon, dollop 8 to 10 spoonfuls of the biscuit batter over the blueberries, allowing the filling to peek through in spots (most of the filling will be covered). Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar evenly over the batter.
Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the biscuit top is golden, about 35 minutes. Check the cobbler; if the biscuit topping is nicely golden, cover loosely with foil and bake for 10 minutes more (even if the top is golden, the center still needs time to cook through). If it is not yet golden, leave uncovered and bake for 10 minutes more.
Remove the foil and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
Blueberry Cobbler Video Tutorial
Frequently Asked Questions
I have both peach cobbler and apple cobbler recipes if you’ve got a dirth of either of those fruits at home. If you’re interested in using another fruit, the answer is…it depends… when making desserts that contain fruit, you can’t automatically substitute one fruit for another because different fruits vary in juiciness and sweetness. These variables can impact the recipe’s texture and amount of sugar needed. If you have a question about substituting another fruit, I’m happy to weigh in! Just email me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com.
The lemon zest just adds a subtle bright, citrusy note to the topping, complementing the sweetness of the blueberry filling. I promise it’s not overwhelming, but feel free to omit it if you’d like.
Sure! The cobbler can be made one day ahead and kept, covered with foil, at room temperature. Reheat, covered with foil, in 300°F oven for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue reheating for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until warmed through.
You May Also Like
Blueberry Cobbler
This rustic blueberry cobbler features tart, syrupy blueberries with a sugared biscuit topping.
Ingredients
For the Fruit Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing the pan
- 4 cups fresh blueberries (see note)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the Biscuit Topping
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 7 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon packed grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 1¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
- Vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease an 8 x 8-inch square or 2-quart baking dish with butter.
- Make the fruit filling: In a large bowl, toss the blueberries with the sugar and flour. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and dot evenly with the 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Make the biscuit topping: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and the lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and blend with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. Add the buttermilk and stir with a spoon until just combined. It will look a bit lumpy; that's good. Do not overmix.
- Using a large spoon, dollop 8 to 10 spoonfuls of the biscuit batter over the blueberries, allowing the filling to peek through in spots (most of the filling will be covered). Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon sugar over the batter.
- Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the biscuit top is golden, about 35 minutes. Check the cobbler; if the biscuit topping is nicely golden, cover loosely with foil and bake for 10 minutes more (even if the top is golden, the center still needs time to cook through). If it is not yet golden, leave uncovered and bake for 10 minutes more. Remove the foil, if necessary, and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
- Note: When baking with berries, there's always some variation in the sweetness of the fruit. Taste the blueberries; if they happen to be very sweet, reduce the sugar in the filling to ⅔ cup.
- Note: If you’d prefer to make your own buttermilk, follow my easy method here.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The cobbler can be made one day ahead and kept, covered with foil, at room temperature. Reheat, covered with foil, in 300°F oven for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue reheating for 15 to 20 minutes more, or until warmed through.
Nutrition Information
Powered by
- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 390
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Sugar: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 398 mg
- Cholesterol: 39 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Absolutely delicious! I made this with my 4 year old granddaughter today. Skip the dinner and have the cobbler!! So easy and tasty!
So excited to try this. The blueberry filling bubbled over, which I am not sure why. I used almond flour as I am GF perhaps that is the reason, and I didn’t get as much biscuit as you did but I am certain its going to be delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Denise, I don’t know if using almond flour would have had an impact, but if you look at my pictures the blueberries that bubbled up from under the biscuit topping come pretty high up on the baking dish so it’s not inconceivable that it could bubble over on its own. If you enjoy the cobbler and plan to make it again, perhaps you can put a piece of foil or a baking sheet under the pan to catch any drips.
This was delicious!! I would reduce the sugar a bit next time. If you serve it with ice cream (which I recommend), it’s fairly sweet. Definitely would make this again and will try other fruit too.
I use this recipe but make it with blackberries. Since my blackberries are sweet, I cut down the sugar to 1/2 cup, as some other reviewers suggested. Blueberries and lemon zest make a lot of sense, but for blackberries, I really love cinnamon, so I add 1 tsp of cinnamon in place of the lemon zest and a sprinkle of cinnamon on the berries. So delicious!
Birthday celebration tonight – the blueberry cobbler was the star of the party. I did double the recipe and used a 13”x9” pan. I did cut back on the sugar used in the dumpling mix as noted by Jenn because my berries were sweet.
Could i make this with cherries? If so fresh or frozen? Thanks Jen! I love all your recipes.
Hi Kandace, cherries (either fresh or frozen) should work but I’d suggest using just tiny bit less sugar. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
So so good. I, of course, screwed up with too much sugar, but it was still great. Still not too sweet.