As we finally head into peak fruit season, nothing complements spring and summer fruits like a freshly baked cobbler. This month’s recipe is a super-easy blackberry cobbler recipe with a ginger and lemon twist. This recipe features blackberries (frozen or fresh), but it can be used for almost all other fruits. It’s quick, easy, and just the treat for a BBQ or picnic. Top it with a healthy scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream for a delicious, summery treat!
Celebrate Berry Season with This Easy Blackberries Cobbler Recipe
Before we go into the full recipe, here is a bit of info to help you make the very best berry cobbler!
How to make a blackberry cobbler
Cobblers are so popular (or at least they should be!) because they are so easy. The first step to success is to toss your fruit, frozen or fresh, with cornstarch. I like to mix the sugar for the filling and the cornstarch together. The sugar will break up the cornstarch and keep things from clumping up.
Then, just like in my best pie crust recipe, I like to work with cold butter for the topping. Once that is mixed up, fill a greased baking dish with the prepared fruit, dot with the cobbler topping, and brush with heavy cream. To make it a little fancier, sprinkle the top with sanding sugar, but that’s not a must. Once that’s done, it’s ready for the oven.
What’s the difference between cobbler and crisp?
Cobblers are the lovechild of a biscuit and a pie. They get their name from their cobbled top; think cobblestone. A cobbler’s siblings are a crisp, a crumble, or a buckle, but cobblers are all uniquely their own. Here’s a quick breakdown of each:
- Crisps typically have a topping made with oats that covers the fruit entirely.
- Crumbles are like the crisp, but with a streusel toping and no oats.
- A buckle is fruit baked into a cake-like batter.
- A cobbler has a biscuit-like topping that is spooned or dropped over the top of a fruit base. The topping is coarse and dotted with breaks for the fruit to bubble out as it bakes.
How do you thicken a berry cobbler?
Simply put, the best way to thicken a cobbler is to use a starch! This recipe uses cornstarch specifically. Sometimes recipes will call for other starches such as arrowroot powder, tapioca or xanthan gum. The trick when thickening any fruit-based baked good is to mix your starch with a part or all of the sugar you’re adding to the fruit. The sugar will help prevent clumps from forming.
Lastly, it’s important to pay attention during baking to ensure the fruit juices are bubbling all over the surface. This is a sure sign that the starches have been cooked properly and aren’t going to end up being runny!
Can I use frozen berries in a cobbler?
Yes! Frozen fruit works just as well here. With that said, fresh is always better IMO. Sometimes in a pinch or when you’re craving something out of season, frozen is the best option, and that’s just fine. Your cobbler will not suffer from using frozen versus fresh.
How to store leftover cobbler
Blackberries cobbler leftovers are best stored in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. In my experience, this dessert gets eaten well before that expiration date!
Blackberry Cobbler with Lemon and Ginger
Ingredients
Cobbler Topping:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup buttermilk cold
- 1 egg large
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp ginger freshly grated
Blackberry Filling
- 6-8 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the cobbler topping:
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and ginger. Toss the cold butter cubes in the flour mixture until well coated. Using your hands, crumble the butter into the flour until the butter is almost completely incorporated, giving a cornmeal-like texture. If you have warm hands, you can use a pastry cutter or a food processor for this part.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the cold buttermilk and egg. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and with a fork, whisk and slowly add the dry to the wet until the mixture is fully combined.
- Place the mixture in the fridge until ready to bake.
Blackberry Filling
- In a large bowl, add the berries, lemon juice, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Fold the sugar and cornstarch mixture into the berries until well combined.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour the fruit into a large baking dish and evenly spread. Spoon the cobbler topping into dollops on top of the fruit. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the fruit is bubbling in the center. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream
Nutrition
So what do you think of this easy ginger, lemon and blackberries cobbler recipe? It really is the perfect way to make your next dessert a bit more delicious!
