Blueberry Cobbler

Blueberries are one of my favorite summer fruits, and as we enter peak blueberry season, I can’t stop thinking of all the great dessert options they provide. Now I love a blueberry crisp as much as the next person, but when it comes down to it, nothing beats a cobbler. It's all about that biscuit topping! These biscuits are particularly good: not too sweet and super-tender, with a crisp golden top. If it were up to me, I'd eat them all first. Keep reading on for all of my top tips on how to ace every aspect of this essential summer dessert:

How To Make Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

• Blueberries: Blueberries are a classic summer fruit that I can’t get enough of. Sweet and slightly acidic, each berry is a bright pop of juicy flavor—especially when cooked into baked goods. Fresh blueberries are going to work best here, but if you only have frozen on hand, or are making this recipe out of season, frozen blueberries will work great, just remember to leave time for them to thaw before use.
• Granulated Sugar: Sugar is going to help macerate the blueberries which creates the iconic saucy center that you expect from a cobbler. It is also going to help bring out the natural sugars of the blueberries, without overpowering the dish and making it too sweet.
• Cornstarch: I’m using cornstarch here as a quick and easy way to thicken the blueberry sauce. We don’t want the sauce to be so runny that it doesn't hold together.
• Lemon Juice & Zest: I am using lemon in this cobbler to bring a little bit of refreshing tartness. There is already a slight acidity in blueberries, so adding in lemon juice and the slightly bitter zest balances out the flavor profile.
• All-Purpose Flour & Baking Powder: I’m using both flour and baking powder here to make sure that the biscuits are light and airy. Baking powder creates air bubbles that help make sure baked goods don’t turn out too dense.
• Cold Butter: Using cold butter ensures that our biscuits will have flaky layers. If you use warm or room temperature butter, you won’t end up having a pastry with layers, but instead a too-dense brick of pastry.
• Heavy Cream: Using heavy cream instead of milk or another cream with less fat makes for more flavorful, silky biscuits. I love the way that heavy cream makes these biscuits rich and moist.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Start by preheating the oven to 375°, and while it comes up to temperature, in a large bowl, toss the blueberries with ¾ cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest. When the mixture has come together, season it with a pinch of salt and stir to combine.

Then, in another large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon salt. When the dry ingredients are thoroughly combined, add in the cold butter and use your fingers or a fork to break the butter down into small, pea-sized, pieces. You want to make sure that you have these pieces so that the flaky, buttery layers can form when baked.

Slowly pour in the heavy cream while stirring to mix until a wet, shaggy dough forms.

Set the dough aside and pour the prepared berry mixture into a medium baking dish and spread evenly. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, dollop scoops of dough onto the top of the berry mixture until the surface is covered well, but leaving space for the cooked berry mixture to show between the individual biscuits. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the remaining heavy cream and sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Carefully place your baking dish into the preheated oven and bake the cobbler until the berry mixture is bubbling and the biscuits have turned golden brown. This should take about 47 to 50 minutes. When finished cooking, remove the cobbler from the oven and allow it to sit to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

What To Serve With Blueberry Cobbler

Cobbler’s best friend is ice cream. The warm buttery biscuit crust, and cooked fruit sauce pair perfectly with a cold scoop of your favorite ice cream. With my blueberry cobbler I think our mason jar ice cream or coconut ice cream work especially well. Or if you’re feeling fancy, try out our homemade gelato.

Storage

Any leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. While reheating in a microwave will certainly work, I recommend popping yours into a 350° oven for 10 minutes.