Homemade Mixed Berry Cobbler
This mixed berry cobbler is an easy and delicious dessert to add to your backyard barbecues this summer. Serve it with homemade ice cream for a creamy and refreshing sweet treat. Sweet, tart, and bursting with buttery flavor.
This post was originally published on July 2, 2018. Last updated on July 1, 2020.
Can you believe it? It’s almost the 4th of July.
This year, more than any other has continued to shock me as it flies by. We are now entering the best parts of summer. Hot days, short nights, camping trips, and backyard barbecues. I love it!
And today, I’ve got just the treat for you.
Along with your pasta salad, potato salad, and grilled tofu, I’ve got a refreshing and zesty mixed berry cobbler to serve at your 4th of July potlucks. Filled with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries and topped with a sweet cobbler crust, this dessert is one of the best ways to celebrate summer.
Recipe Video
Ingredients & Substitutions
Good news, friends. Cobblers are one of the easiest desserts to make. It’s a matter of macerating the fruit, making a sweet biscuit topping, and baking to golden brown perfection.
Here is everything you need.
- Mixed Berries –When making any kind of fruit cobbler, I always recommend fresh fruit. However, when fresh berries are not possible, frozen berries can be substituted
- Granulated Sugar – Check out my guide to vegan sugars and sugar alternatives.
- Cornstarch
- Lemon
- All-Purpose Flour – I have also made this cobbler with 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Baking Blend with great success. (<<affiliate links)
- Baking Powder & Soda
- Salt
- Vegan Butter – When working with few ingredients, it’s important to use high-quality, non-hydrogenated butter. I suggest using Miyoko’s cultured vegan butter for this recipe. If you can’t find Miyoko’s butter at your local grocery stores, Earth Balance is the best alternative.
- Non-Dairy Milk – Thick and creamy is best. Soy, cashew, and coconut are the kinds of milk I recommend.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One – Macerate the Berries
Macerating berries is a method that involves letting the berries sit in a fine coating of granulated sugar. The process of adding sugar enhances their natural sweetness and flavor as well as creates a thin berry syrup that, when cooked, becomes thick and compote-like. This method is used in most fruit pies, crisps, and cobblers.
To macerate the berries, simply sprinkle sugar and cornstarch over the top. Gently toss to coat and let the berries sit for at least 30 minutes (longer is fine) until the juices have been released into a light berry syrup.
Pour the berries into the casserole dish and set aside.
Step Two – Make the Drop Biscuit
To make the drop biscuit, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Add the butter in small cubes and mix it in with the dough using your fingers or a pastry cutter until small pea-sized pieces have formed. Add the non-dairy milk and stir together until a stiff dough has formed.
Step Three – Assemble and Bake
Drop pieces of dough over the mixed berries so that it is mostly covered with a large piece of dough. It should resemble a cobbled road.
Did you know?Cobbler gets its name from the drop biscuit topping which is meant to resemble a cobbled road.
Bake the mixed berry cobbler until the berries are bubbling up and the dough is golden brown.
Pro Tip: Make sure to cook your cobbler until the juices are bubbling over. Cornstarch is activated in heat and won’t thicken unless the internal temperature reaches a boiling point.
Serving and Storing
Serving – Let the cobbler sit for at least 20 minutes once out of the oven. This gives the syrup time to cool and thicken into a nice berry compote. Serve the cobbler with coconut whipped cream or your favorite non-dairy ice cream. Enjoy alongside your favorite summer bbq recipes.
Storing – Store leftover cobbler in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Tips and Tricks
- Fresh berries are always best. However, if you have to use frozen berries, place them in a colander and run them under water to allow excess juices to run off. Pat the berries try before mixing them with the sugar and cornstarch.
- For the best biscuit topping, you will want to make sure your dough is fairly dry and crumbly. Add only enough liquid for the dough to come together. If it’s too wet, it will lose its buttery flakiness.
- For a gluten-free alternative, use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free BakingBlend. For a paleo version, substitute Bob’s Paleo Baking Flour Mix, arrowroot or tapioca flour for the cornstarch, and coconut sugar for the granulated sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why, yes! It can. If you want to prepare this berry cobbler in advance but don’t want soggy biscuits, you can prepare the filling and biscuit separately.
Instead of layering the biscuit over the berries, add it to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Make the filling as well, according to the recipe instructions. Once out of the oven, let the biscuit cool completely before storing it. The fruit can be covered and stored in the refrigerator. The topping should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
When ready to serve, add the topping to the cooked berries and gently reheat at 350F until heated all the way through. This will help combine the layers and crisp up the topping before serving.
When making any kind of fruit cobbler, you can choose between fresh or frozen. I always prefer fresh fruit. Unlike frozen berries, they don’t contain extra liquid, meaning you get the most delectable filling. More importantly, they have THE BEST flavor and texture.
Since fresh berries aren’t always in season, frozen berries are a great alternative. To use frozen berries, place them in a colander and run them under room temperature water, breaking them up with your fingers. This will allow the excess juices and water to run out. Let the berries sit in the colander for at least 30 minutes so all the water has drained from them. If they are still wet, they will add liquid to your filling. Gently pat the berries dry with a paper towel before mixing them with sugar and cornstarch.
To ensure that the cornstarch properly activates, make sure to cook your cobbler until the juices are bubbling over. Cornstarch is activated in heat and won’t thicken unless the internal temperature reaches a boiling point. Your cobbler filling will continue to set as it cools so let your pie cool completely before serving.
More Vegan Crisps and Cobblers
Make sure to try out all our vegan pies and tart recipes.
This mixed berry cobbler is an easy and delicious dessert for your backyard barbecues this summer. Serve it with homemade ice cream for a creamy and refreshing sweet treat.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and rate it below.
If you made any substitutions, let us know how it turned out!
- 8 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 4 tbsp. cornstarch
- juice of 1 small lemon
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup vegan butter,
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk,
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
In a small bowl, combine the berries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Stir together and set aside for 30 minutes while making the dough.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter in small cubes and mix it in with the dough using your fingers until small pea-sized pieces have formed. Add non-dairy milk and stir together until a stiff dough has formed. You may need to add a little more milk. If so, add it 1-2 teaspoons at a time.
Transfer the berry mixture to a 9×13 casserole dish. Drop pieces of dough onto the berry mixer so that it is mostly covered with a large piece of dough.
Bake for 45-60 minutes, uncovered until the berries are bubbling up and the dough is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes before serving.
Recipe Video
Serving and Storing – Serve the cobbler with coconut whipped cream or your favorite non-dairy ice cream. Enjoy alongside your favorite summer bbq recipes. Store leftover cobbler in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Make in Advance – If you want to prepare this cobbler in advance, prepare the filling and biscuit separately. Instead of layering the biscuit over the berries, add it to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Make the filling as well, according to the recipe instructions. Once out of the oven, let the biscuit cool completely before storing it. When ready to serve, add the topping to the cooked berries and gently reheat at 350F until heated all the way through. This will help combine the layers and crisp up the topping before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of berries should I use? Fresh berries are always best. However, if you have to use frozen berries, place them in a colander and run them under water to allow excess juices to run off. Pat the berries try before mixing them with the sugar and cornstarch.
- Why won’t my filling thicken? To ensure that the cornstarch properly activates, make sure to cook your cobbler until the juices are bubbling over. Cornstarch is activated in heat and won’t thicken unless the internal temperature reaches a boiling point. Your cobbler filling will continue to set as it cools so let your pie cool completely before serving.
Margaret says
Delicious! Thank you!!!
Beth Cooper says
I loved the recipe. I used a little less sugar and mixed up the flours, but followed everything else. It was perfect!
Emily says
could you sub coconut oil for the vegan butter?
Sarah McMinn says
It would work but you would lose some of the classic biscuit taste and texture
Felix says
This was delicious! I also sprinkled some cinnamon on top before baking and served it with banana ice cream that was just frozen bananas blended with almond milk and a tiny bit of vanilla extract. Will definitely make again in the future!!! 🙂
Trinity says
You do know most refined sugar goes through a bone char filter and thus makes it non-vegan
Sarah says
Not all granulated sugar goes through bone char. Here’s an article that helps explain what sugars are and aren’t vegan.
Lisa says
Really excellent. Baked it in a casserole dish because I don’t have a cast iron. My family loved it. Thank you!
Corinne says
Would it cook the same with GF flour, I was thinking almond flour or chickpea flour or Red Mills GF flour?
Sarah says
I would use Bob’s Red Mill GF flour mix- that should work fine
Freddie says
what can be substituted for the cast iron skillet?
can I use fresh berries instead of frozen? Is there any adjustment to be made?
Thanks.
Sarah says
Any oven-safe skillet should do. As far as fresh, that should be fine. You may not need to bake it quite as long in that case.
MAE says
Where does the 2tbsp sugar go?
Sarah says
Sorry that wasn’t very clear. I edited the recipe to make it clearer. The sugar goes in with the flour and baking powder in step 3
Lorie Garcia says
I made this today. It is delicious. This is the third recipe of yours I have made. They have all turned out full of flavor. Thank you!
Sarah says
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing.