Mixed Berry Cobbler
Juicy mixed berries baked under a soft, golden biscuit topping, simple enough for a weeknight.
- Measurements grams + cups
- Cuisine American
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- A cobbler topping is dropped in spoonfuls rather than rolled or cut, so there is no pastry technique involved.
- Frozen mixed berries work straight from the bag, which makes this a dessert you can build from the freezer.
- One dish goes in the oven and comes out ready to serve.
Recipe
Mixed Berry Cobbler
Juicy berries under a soft golden biscuit topping.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
For the fruit
For the biscuit topping
Instructions
- Step 1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F and lightly grease a 23 cm / 9 inch baking dish.
- Step 2. Toss the berries with the 100 g sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice, then spread them in the dish.
- Step 3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, 35 g sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Step 4. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly with some pea-sized pieces left.
- Step 5. Stir in the milk just until a thick, shaggy dough forms. Do not knead it.
- Step 6. Drop spoonfuls of dough over the fruit, leaving a few gaps so steam can escape.
- Step 7. Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling bubbles around the edges.
- Step 8. Rest for 15 minutes before serving. The filling thickens as it cools.
Notes
- Leave gaps between the spoonfuls of dough. A sealed lid traps steam and the underside of the topping stays raw and pasty.
- Use frozen berries straight from the freezer. Thawed berries collapse and flood the dish before the cornstarch can set anything.
- The 15 minute rest is part of the recipe, not a suggestion. Served straight from the oven the filling is liquid and runs across the plate.
- If the topping browns before the filling bubbles, lay foil loosely over the dish for the last 10 minutes.
Mixed Berry Cobbler — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/mixed-berry-cobbler/
Ingredient Notes
- Mixed berries
- Any combination works. Strawberries hold more water than blueberries, so a strawberry-heavy mix gives a looser filling.
- Cornstarch
- Berries release a lot of juice. Without a thickener the filling stays watery and the underside of the biscuit never cooks through.
- Cold butter
- Cold butter left in visible pieces creates steam pockets as it melts, which is what makes the topping light rather than dense.
- Milk
- Whole milk gives the richest topping, but any milk works. Add it last and stop stirring as soon as the dough comes together.
Equipment
- 23 cm / 9 inch baking dish
- Two mixing bowls
- Pastry cutter or two knives
- Spoon for dropping the topping
Substitutions
- Mixed berries
- Peaches, plums or a peach and blackberry mix all work at the same weight. Stone fruit is sweeter, so drop the sugar by about 20 g.
- Milk
- Buttermilk gives a tangier, slightly softer topping. Unsweetened plant milks work with no other changes.
- All-purpose flour
- A cup-for-cup gluten-free blend containing xanthan gum works in the topping. The dough will be softer and spread more.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The topping softens overnight — reheat uncovered in a 175 C / 350 F oven for about 15 minutes to bring it back.
Freezing: Freeze baked and cooled cobbler for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat uncovered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen berries?
Yes, and there is no need to thaw them. Toss them frozen with the sugar and cornstarch. Expect an extra 5 minutes or so in the oven.
Why is my cobbler runny?
Either it needed longer in the oven, or it was served too soon. The filling should be visibly bubbling before it comes out, and it thickens considerably during the 15 minute rest.
Why is the topping doughy underneath?
The spoonfuls were placed too close together, trapping steam. Leave gaps. It can also happen if the fruit layer was still very wet, so check the cornstarch is evenly distributed.
What is the difference between a cobbler and a crisp?
A cobbler has a soft biscuit or scone topping dropped over the fruit. A crisp has a crumbly oat and butter topping. Same idea, quite different textures.
Can I make this ahead?
Best baked fresh, but you can prepare the fruit in the dish and the dry topping mix separately several hours ahead. Add the milk and drop the topping just before baking.
Can I double it?
Yes. Use a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13 inch dish and add roughly 10 minutes. Check the centre is bubbling rather than going by the colour of the topping alone.
Did you make this?
Let other people know how it went. One tap, nothing to fill in.
Thanks — that helps.
