Juicy sweet berries and a buttery rich biscuit topping come together in this old-fashioned simple berry cobbler. Use your favorite berries and if they’re out of season, swap fresh for frozen berries. The buttermilk biscuit topping is super soft with a deliciously crisp crust. This easy summer dessert is made even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream!
Up close and personal. ↑ ↑
Those syrupy berries, that golden brown biscuit crust, the necessary vanilla ice cream topper. It’s funny that out of the hundreds of recipes on my website, I’m declaring this the one and only dessert you should make this summer. Consider this the easier way to enjoy your favorite sweet summer berries without the work of a full pie and pie crust. Forget the others (but maybe not you, key lime pie) and let’s make mixed berry cobbler!
What the Heck is Cobbler?
Let’s clear this up! Cobblers, crumbles, and crisps fall under the same dessert umbrella. Each are like pie, but without the pie crust. Cobblers are typically topped with a biscuit or sometimes cake-like topping (like my cherry cobbler and apple cobbler), crisps are topped with an oat streusel topping, and crumbles are topped with an oat-less crumb topping. The terms are all pretty synonymous with one another, but cobbler almost always has the biscuit topping. Like a giant strawberry shortcake of sorts. If you like pie, you’ll definitely enjoy cobblers, crumbles, and crisps. (Try my bourbon cherry crisp next because it’s totally out of this world!)
Here’s Why Cobbler is Literally the Best
- Easier Than Pie: With mixed berry cobbler, we’re essentially taking berry pie and replacing the finicky pie crust with an easy biscuit topping. Skip the pie dough chilling and leave the rolling pin in your cabinet.
- Short Cooling Time: As much as I love homemade pie, it comes with a long cooling time. Sometimes we need something a little quicker than a blueberry pie, but just as seasonal and impressive.
- Adaptable: Berry cobbler is totally adaptable to whichever berries you want. You can turn this recipe into a blackberry cobbler or blueberry cobbler simply by using all of that particular berry. Not in the mood for berries? Try my peach cobbler instead. You could even replace the peaches with apples or pears, too.
- Basic Ingredients: No strange ingredients required. Cobbler doesn’t require much, just the usual suspects like fruit, flour, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Naturally Flavorful: Celebrate the season’s sweetest natural flavors! A lot of the flavor in cobbler comes from the juicy mixed berries.
- And It’s Delicious: What’s better than lush sweet berries and soft cake-like biscuits with a golden crisp crust? Name a better summer duo. I always include it in my lineup of Memorial Day recipes for this reason!
We love this during the summertime and it’s lovely for a 4th of July dessert, BBQs, Father’s Day, family reunion gatherings, and more, but since you can use frozen fruit, it’s great any time of year!
Best Berries for Berry Cobbler
Hit up the farmer’s market or grocery store sales: you need 8 cups of berries total. I used 3 cups blueberries, 2 cups blackberries, 1 and 1/2 cups chopped strawberries, and 1 and 1/2 cup raspberries. Keep in mind that the juicier the fruit (raspberries, strawberries), the more liquid-y your berry layer will be.
You can use frozen berries in this cobbler, too!
How to Make Berry Cobbler
You only need 2 bowls!
- Mix the berry layer ingredients together: Gently mix berries, sugar, cornstarch to thicken, a squeeze of lemon juice (to brighten the flavors), and vanilla extract together. Spread evenly into a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- Make the biscuit dough: You need flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and buttermilk. Mix the first 4 ingredients together, then cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter until pea-sized crumbs form. These flour-coated butter crumbles promise a flaky soft, yet crisp biscuit topping. After that, mix in buttermilk. Buttermilk creates an ultra-rich biscuit. Just like when we make cheddar biscuits, it’s important that the butter and buttermilk are both very cold, otherwise the dough will completely melt down into the berries. This biscuit topping is actually very similar to my homemade biscuits, but includes a little sugar since it’s dessert.
- Arrange dough on top of the berries: Flatten sections of the biscuit dough out with your hands, then place them on top of the berries.
- Top with buttermilk & coarse sugar: Because it’s fun to be extra, brush the biscuit dough with buttermilk. This creates a lovely sheen on top. For some sparkle and extra crunch, sprinkle with coarse sugar. You could also use an egg wash like we do with mixed berry slab pie.
- Bake: Bake until the biscuits are golden brown, about 45 minutes.
- Cool for only 5 minutes: Just enough time for you to get out the vanilla ice cream. 🙂
Or you can top cobbler with whipped cream. There are no rules!
Less is More
Here’s the part where I tell you to do less. Something we don’t often hear when it comes to baking, but I know we all appreciate an effortless dish!
Over-working the biscuit dough will prevent it from rising and stretching, creating an unappealing and dense texture. Mix the buttermilk into the dough very lightly. After the dough comes together, flatten sections with your hands and place them on top of the berries. There is no precise method or magic trick here—just place flattened biscuit dough sections randomly on top, covering most of the berries underneath.
For this berry cobbler recipe, I actually reduced the biscuit topping from my peach cobbler. I wanted less topping so more of the beautiful berries are exposed. As a result, this dessert is extra fruity and extra juicy. Fresh homestyle comfort food—simply the best!
Looking for More Berry Desserts?
- Fruit Pizza
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
- Blueberry Pie & Blueberry Pie Bars
- Berry Galette
- Triple Berry Pie
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Berry Icebox Cake
Berry Cobbler
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Use your favorite fresh or frozen berries. If using frozen, do not thaw. For extra help, read the recipe notes before beginning.
Ingredients
- 8 cups (approx. 1kg) mixed berries* (see note)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Biscuit Topping
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, cold*
- for topping before baking: 1 Tablespoon buttermilk and coarse sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13-inch pan.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, gently fold the berries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together until thoroughly combined. Spread filling evenly into prepared pan.
- Make the topping: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized crumbs). A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick! You could also use a food processor. While slowly stirring, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup buttermilk. Mix until evenly combined. Take handfuls of dough and gently flatten out. Place dough all over the top of the berry filling. There’s no special trick to this—just flatten the dough in sections and cover most of the berries.
- Brush the top of the biscuit dough with 1 Tablespoon of buttermilk and then sprinkle with coarse sugar. These two are optional, but both help achieve a shiny, crunchy, golden brown crust.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown and biscuit topping is cooked through. Stick a toothpick into the biscuit topping, if it comes out clean, it is cooked through and the cobbler is done. Set the pan on a wire rack, then cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
- Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: I don’t recommend preparing this recipe ahead of time, the biscuit topping won’t rise as much if it is not immediately baked. You can, however, freeze the prepared berry filling for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator before using. It will be quite juicy, but that’s not a bad thing in cobbler! You can also freeze the baked cobbler for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Silicone Spatula | Whisk | Pastry Cutter | Pastry Brush | Cooling Rack
- Berries: Use any berries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw), that you enjoy. I recommend 3 cups blueberries, 2 cups blackberries, 1 and 1/2 cups raspberries, and 1 and 1/2 cups chopped strawberries. Keep in mind that the juicier the berries (raspberries, strawberries), the more liquid-y the berry layer will be. Frozen berries will produce a more liquid-y layer.
- Buttermilk: You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough cold whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, cold lower fat or cold nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the topping won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- More biscuit topping: For this berry cobbler, I reduced and adapted the biscuit topping from my peach cobbler recipe so that the berries were the star of the dessert. If you’d like more biscuit topping, use the biscuit topping measurements from the peach cobbler. (That one includes baking soda.)
- Individual Cobblers: Instead of baking as one big dessert, you can make individual berry cobblers by dividing the layers and baking in several oven-safe ramekins. Bake time depends on the amount of food in each ramekin. Bake on a large baking sheet until the berries are bubbling and biscuit topping is golden brown. It’s easier to bake as a whole and simply serve in individual ramekins or even parfait glasses, though!
Reader Comments and Reviews
I love this recipe! Made a half recipe with homegrown blueberries.
Our family loved this, and a good way to use the excess amount of berries we have now
This is now one of my favorite recipes. I made it with gluten-free flour and it was a hit!
Can this recipe be put into 2 8×8 pans instead of an 9×12?
Hi Kathy, that should work just fine. Enjoy!
Not sweet enough for berries. The biscuit top is tough
I love your recipes, and I am going to make this for a weekend party. I liked your explanation of the different kinds of fruity dessert concoctions. I never knew how a crisp was different from a crumble! But I’ll add to your explanation about cobblers:
In the South, we traditionally use a crust—often top and bottom, but sometimes just top. And sometimes, the top is latticed. It’s kind of like a pie but different. We scoop it out of the dish with a serving spoon; we don’t slice it. The cobbler crust is crisp on the outside but softer on the inside than a pie crust, and it is reminiscent of a buttery biscuit. It’s hard to describe. It’s delicious, but I am ready for something different, and yours sounds easier, too.
Looking to try this recipes, never had a recipe of yours not turn out AMAZING. Always impresses friends and family with how good they are! Can I use a cast iron skillet and get the same results without it over baking/ burning the cobbler?
Hi Hannah, we haven’t tested it in a cast iron skillet—it may take some tinkering with the temperature and time to ensure the fruit doesn’t burn, but please do let us know if you give it a try!
I made this for Mother’s Day but baked it on the grill. It came out delicious.
Is it possible to substitute some thing like Truvia for the sugar and how would that change the overall recipe?
We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. Thank you!
I used the Splenda baking substitute (half and half bag) and it turned out perfect
This cobbler is so good! Definitely tone down on the sugar a bit, especially if serving with ice cream. Otherwise so quick and delicious! Since I used frozen berries I used a little more cornstarch. Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful recipe! Thank you for sharing it.
In the oven!
Berry Delicious! Made it with frozen blueberries. Followed recipe to the T except made buttermilk with half and half and lemon juice. Absolutely delicious!
I had trouble with this recipe, the top of the biscuit was delicious but the underneath would not cook! 55 minutes and still gooey. Did I do something wrong? I used frozen berries. TIA.
Hi Laura, every oven can be a bit different and using frozen berries may extend the bake time by a few minutes—so it’s no worry if yours needs a few extra minutes in the oven to finish baking through. If you find the top is starting to over brown, you can tent the pan with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning while allowing the underneath to continue baking through. Hope this helps!
Very good cobbler recipe, I’m going to try it this week.
I’ll need to use frozen berries, it’s winter here. Since I’ll need to buy a bag of mixed berries, do I just measure out the total cups of fresh berries and use that measurement?
Hi Kathy! Yes, you can use the same amount of frozen berries (do not thaw).
How much extra cornstarch should I use for frozen mixed berries? Thank you for your recipes.
Hi Sharon, you can still use the amount of cornstarch as written. Adding too much extra could cause it to become gooey. Let us know how you like the cobbler recipe!
I’m making a mixed berry cobbler, added an extra Tbsp of cornstarch and a little more sugar, berries had a lot of liquid. I did warm them so I could taste before baking. For my buscuits I used heavy cream instead of buttermilk, I’ve made buscuits like this before, my question is do I have to brush the tops of the buscuits in order for them to be brown. Thanks!
Hi Susie! Yes, brush the top of the biscuit with buttermilk for a nice golden brown finish (see step 4).
I remember cherry cobbler my Mom made when I was a kid. Could you use cherries (I’m assuming you’d have to use frozen cherries).
Hi Jan! We love to use cherries – like in our bourbon cherry crisp. Use fresh or frozen, if using frozen, thaw and blot them with a paper towel before using.
I made this with fresh berries, and it was delicious. Now I want to try it with commercially frozen berries. Should I thaw them?
Hi Rosemary, yes, you can certainly use frozen berries. Do not thaw before using, and keep in mind that frozen berries will produce a more liquid-y layer.
My berry layer is very liquidy (from frozen berries thawed on the stovetop low heat). Will it thicken up as it cools? Or should I use more corn starch next time?
Hi Ida! If using frozen berries, do not thaw. Frozen berries will always produce a more liquid-y layer.
Yummy! I added an extra tablespoon or two to both the berry filling and the biscuit crust, and I’m glad I did. It still wasn’t overly sweet. (I used a combo of fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.) Served it warm with vanilla ice cream and it was delicious. Had two servings and now I’m stuffed! Lol
Delicious recipe! I used only blackberries and used note #5 to add more biscuit topping and it was a hit!
I made this cobbler tonight using a plant based sweetener ( monk fruit/erythritol blend) and keto flour (almond and coconut flour, golden flaxseed,and oat fiber blend). It turned out wonderfully–absolutely delicious! One of the best sugar free, low carb desserts I’ve ever made. My husband and son couldn’t tell the difference.
Thanks for this recipe! Made this for a family gathering and everyone loved it!
Question: why is there baking soda in the peach cobbler topping but not the berry one? What affect does the baking soda have? I want to make more topping but not sure if I should make 1 and a 1/2 of the berry topping or just make the topping from the peach cobbler.
Hi Michelle, the peach cobbler recipe makes a little more, and instead of adding more baking powder, I decided to add just a little baking soda (stronger than baking powder). It also helps the biscuit topping brown a little nicer. If you want to scale up, use the topping from the peach cobbler.
AWESOME Cobbler!
Good morning Sally & Team…
I’ve made this cobbler numerous x’s,and consistently I’m told each & every time it’s the best cobbler ever! That includes my husband,our church group,and horse club as well as family & friends. Thank you so much for yet another wonderful recipe!
My QUESTION:
I’d like to make this an APPLE/Blueberry Cobbler.
Could you give me an idea of ratios of apples & blueberries?
Also, would frozen blueberries work or should I use fresh?
Thanks again !
Lisa
Hi Lisa! You could absolutely replace some of the berries in this reicpe with peaches – see success tips in our peach cobbler recipe. Or you may love this brown butter blueberry peach crisp recipe! You can use frozen peaches or blueberries. Do not thaw and increase the bake time by a couple minutes.
Thanks for responding so quickly!
But I asked about
APPLE
NOT peaches
I wanted to bake an
APPLE/BLUEBERRY COBBLER
Apologies! Peaches are on the brain. Same advice goes for adding apples. We would try adding some cinnamon as well – yum!
Can I make this cobbler in the morning and reheat it when ready to serve?
Yes, definitely! Reheat in a 300°F (149°C) oven for around 10 minutes.
This looks amazing! But SOS my oven just broke and was going to make this for a party. can this be made in an air fryer??
Hi Kelly, we’ve never tested baking in an air fryer so can’t offer much advice!
Everything I have ever tried from Sally’s website has been nothing short of perfect. After making her fresh peach cobber (twice now) I can’t wait to try this one! I’ll let you know how it turns out.
This recipe was easy and delicious. This was the first time I made it, and it turned out amazing.