Blueberry Cobbler

Tested & Perfected Recipes Cookbook Recipe

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This rustic blueberry cobbler features tart, syrupy blueberries with a sugared biscuit topping.

Partially-served blueberry cobbler in a baking dish.

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.”

Nancy

What You’ll Need To Make Blueberry Cobbler

blueberry cobbler ingredients
  • 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.
mixing blueberries with flour and sugar

Toss well to combine.

blueberry filling mixed in bowl

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and dot evenly with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.

blueberries in baking dish topped with butter

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.

biscuit topping ingredients in mixing bowl

Stir until combined.

mixed biscuit topping

Add 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, cut into small chunks.

adding cubes of cold butter to biscuit topping

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.

butter worked into dry ingredients

Add 1 cup of buttermilk.

adding buttermilk to biscuit topping

Stir until just combined. It will look a bit lumpy; that’s good. Do not overmix.

blueberry cobbler biscuit batter

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.

dolloped biscuit topping on top of blueberry mixture

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.

baked blueberry cobbler

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

Can I substitute other another fruit for the blueberries?

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.

Why is there lemon zest in the blueberry cobbler topping? Does it make it very lemony?

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.

Can blueberry cobbler be made ahead?

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.

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Blueberry Cobbler

This rustic blueberry cobbler features tart, syrupy blueberries with a sugared biscuit topping.

Servings: 6 to 8
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes, plus 15 to 20 minutes for the cobbler to cool

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Note: If you’d prefer to make your own buttermilk, follow my easy method here.
  8. 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 Edamam

  • 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.

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Comments

  • This is amazing! I’ve made the apple version of this cobbler, but this was even better! The biscuits had a wonderful texture. I served this for a dinner party to rave reviews!

    • — Jane Beville on February 21, 2023
    • Reply
  • This recipe is excellent. Jen is a genius.
    Peace.

    • — Janice Morgan on January 13, 2023
    • Reply
  • The top was all golden after 35 minutes so I let it cool before putting it in the fridge for the night. turns out the middle didn’t cook enough, it sunk.
    The lemon taste was very present and amount used was correct.
    I bake a lot and respected the recipe but won’t be making this one again, not a wow by any means

    • Do you think that if you baked it longer and maybe used less lemon juice that it might be more to your liking? We all have different tastes.

      • — Peggy on June 17, 2023
      • Reply
    • Good morning Sophie..
      I know how disappointing it can be when a recipe doesn’t turn out as hoped. But did you read Jenn’s instructions in its entirety? She clearly states to check at 35 minutes. If the topping is nicely browned at that point,but the center not quite done, to loosely cover w/foil, & bake 10 more minutes.
      I’ve been a follower of Jenn’s about 6 years,and have both her cookbooks.
      I can share w/you as a former professional chef, Jenn is one in a million for recipes that never fail, clear instructions w/pictures ,and she continues to answer questions from all of her reader (I continually need to ask her for help & I’ve never been disappointed). Give the recipe another go, I bet you’ll have a great result!

      Lisa in Laton

      I’ve baked this cobbler well over 9 or 10x…..never had a fail😊

      • — Lisa on May 25, 2024
      • Reply
  • I have a container of blueberries which have a spongy texture so want to use them in this recipe but I don’t have enough quantity. Can I add some diced applies to this to make it a blueberry/apple cobbler. Anything special I should do with the apples before adding them?

    • — Lynda Freedman
    • Reply
    • Sure, Lynda, you can get away with that. I’d just peel and dice the apples first. Hope you enjoy!

  • Mmmmmmm so good!
    Loved the lemon zest in the topping.
    I went with 1/2 cup of sugar with 4 cups of blueberries. It seemed fine.
    Nice thickness to the cobbler. The butter in the biscuit topping was perfect! Very very good!
    Another fabulous recipe! 😋

  • The best blueberry cobbler ever!

    • — Cecelia Johnson-Powell
    • Reply
  • This was absolutely amazing!! I used half blueberries, half blackberries and it turned out great. Thanks for the recipe!

  • Would it work to go this recipe with frozen berries?? Fresh isn’t very easily available at the moment but I’d love to give this recipe a try!!

  • Can I substitute cherries for blueberries?

    • Sure, Jean, that should work but would suggest using just a touch less sugar. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!

  • Hi Jennifer!

    I am wondering if I can substitute blackberries for blueberries in this recipe. Would I need to make any adjustments?

    Long time fan. First time commented. Seldom a baker.

    PS – love your cookbook!

    • So glad you like the cookbook! 🙂 I haven’t tried the cobbler with blackberries so I can’t say for sure. The blackberries may give off too much juice on their own so if you want to try it, I’d suggest doing a combination of blackberries and blueberries. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you make it!

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