Old fashioned blueberry cobbler is a classic from-scratch fruit dessert you can prep quickly and bake fresh for tonight. Rich blueberry filling is brightened with lemon zest and topped with a crispy golden brown cobbler topping that tastes amazing with vanilla ice cream.
Classic fruit desserts go hand in hand with summertime, don't you think?
This old fashioned blueberry cobbler is one of my husband's very favorite treats when I serve it still-warm from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top.
If I had my pick, it would be my southern peach cobbler coming out of the oven but since I think he's pretty special, I'm more than happy to make this delicious blueberry version when he's in the mood.
If you're new to baking homemade cobblers, you're going to love how easy this recipe is to prep and bake!
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Why This is the Best Recipe
When given the choice, I love a classic fruit dessert. I think this is the best old fashioned blueberry cobbler because:
- Fresh or Frozen Blueberries: You can use either fresh in-season blueberries from the store or your favorite frozen blueberries to make this any time of year.
- Not Too Sweet: The rich blueberry filling has a bright zing of lemon flavor to it which helps keep it from getting too sweet.
- Perfect Cobbler Topping: I love the mix of crispy topping and fluffy cake texture in the cobbler topping. It bakes up a beautiful golden brown color.
- Short List of Ingredients: This recipe is from scratch but only needs a few items from your pantry!
Ingredients
To make this homemade blueberry cobbler recipe, all you need to have on hand is:
- Blueberries: As I mentioned, you can use fresh or frozen blueberries. If you use frozen blueberries, there's no need to thaw them.
- Lemon
- Flour
- Sugar
- Butter
- Milk
- Egg
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Salt
You may also want to have whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving.
Prep the Blueberry Filling
The first step for any fruit cobbler is to prepare the fruit filling.
Rinse and drain the blueberries (if using fresh) and add them to a large mixing bowl.
If using frozen berries, don't thaw them. Just add them to the bowl.
Add the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Toss to combine.
Add the flour and cinnamon to the blueberries and stir to coat.
Spread the blueberry filling in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Cut the butter into small cubes and sprinkle them over the fruit like this:
Prep the Cobbler Topping
Now that the blueberry filling is prepped, it is time to make the cobbler dough.
This comes together pretty quickly and easily, so wait to do it until after the blueberries are ready.
First, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl.
Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the flour.
Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour. You could also use a fork or a pastry cutter if you have one, but I've found that I can work much more quickly by pinching it with my fingers.
Continue to pinch the flour and butter together until all the flour has been moistened by the butter and it is starting to clump together. (Image #2 below.)
Beat the egg into the milk in a separate bowl. Then pour that mixture into the butter-flour mixture.
Use a spatula to stir them together until the dough is completely moistened and it starts to form a ball. The dough will still be quite lumpy though.
Use a large table spoon to portion off dollops of the cobbler dough and drop it evenly over the blueberry filling.
This will form the "cobbled" look of the cobbler topping. The dough will cook together slightly in the oven as it puffs up, but it is ok to have some spaces between the dough portions for the blueberry to peek through.
Baking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cover the prepared blueberry cobbler loosely with aluminum foil before placing it in the oven. This will help prevent the topping from getting too dark too quickly.
Bake the cobbler for 20 minutes and then remove the foil.
Bake for an additional 20 minutes to finish the cobbler and get a pretty golden brown topping.
The blueberries will be hot and bubbly and the juices could run over the side of the pan. You may want to set the baking dish on a larger baking sheet to collect any drips.
Make Ahead Tips
A homemade, old fashioned blueberry cobbler will keep for 2 - 3 days but it definitely tastes best on the day it is baked fresh.
You can store it, covered, at room temperature. You could also keep it in the fridge.
How to Freeze
To freeze the blueberry cobbler, assemble the recipe as instructed and then wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to 6 months.
You can bake the frozen cobbler directly or thaw it in the fridge overnight before baking the next day.
Do not try to freeze the already-baked cobbler, the blueberry filling will lose its texture in the process.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the blueberry cobbler warm or at room temperature. While the blueberry filling would taste great cold, the texture of the cobbler is best at room temperature or warm.
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream are classic cobbler toppings for great reason. They complement the dark, rich blueberry filling so well.
This easy dessert would be a perfect Memorial Day dessert but I know my husband would love it for a date night at home for our anniversary, too!
More Fruit Desserts
If you love seasonal fruit desserts as much as I do, you won't want to miss these delicious recipes:
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Blueberry Cobbler
Ingredients
For the Blueberry Filling
- 8 cups fresh blueberries about 2 pounds
- ⅔ cup sugar
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 tablespoon butter
For the Cobbler Topping
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 ½ tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoon (1 ½ sticks) butter cold and diced
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoon sugar for sprinkling over the top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Rinse and drain the blueberries. Add them to a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Sprinkle in the flour and toss to coat.
- Pour the blueberries into a 9 x 13-inch pan. Dice the 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle it over the blueberry mixture. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the diced cold butter to the bowl and use a fork to cut it into the flour mixture. You can also use your fingers to pinch it in but work quickly so the heat from your hands doesn't melt the butter.
- Measure the milk and add the egg. Whisk them together before pouring them into the flour and butter mixture. Use a spatula to stir everything together, the dough should be lumpy.
- Use a spoon to portion off the cobbler dough and drop it over the top of the prepared blueberry mixture. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top.
- Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the topping is lightly toasted and brown.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
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