Easy Blackberry Cobbler

Summer dessert recipes don't get much easier than this homemade blackberry cobbler. Starring juicy, ripe blackberries and an effortless stir-together topping, this glorious summer dessert comes together in minutes and is easy to customize with whatever fruit you have on hand.

This humble recipe evokes memories of my childhood summers spent roaming the woods, dodging brambles while plucking blackberries with purple-stained fingertips. We'd return our spoils to whoever's mom had a spare minute that day to transform our sweet treasures into a bubbling cobbler we'd share with the neighborhood, along with plenty of ice cream.

Good news—you don't have to send your kids out to the woods for this cobbler. Just hit the farmers' market, your local fruit stand, or even the grocery store for the berries you'll need to make this perfect summer dessert. It's so easy, you can entertain your kids for a few precious minutes by enlisting their help. Since there's no chopping required, kids of almost any age (3 and up) can lend a hand with this recipe. Dumping the berries into the pan is an easy task, as is stirring together the topping, and sprinkling it over the berries. Drizzling over the melted butter might require a little adult supervision, and there may be a little more clean up involved, but the sweet memories you'll make together will be worth it.

How To Make Blackberry Cobbler

You're not going to believe how easy it is to make this dessert. Start by getting out an 8x8-inch baking dish—glass, metal, or ceramic. Go ahead and preheat the oven to 375°F, and get ready to bake.

1. Bring on the blackberries

Grease the pan with butter or cooking spray, then pour the blackberries right in. To bring out the sweet-tart flavor of the gorgeous, deeply purple berries, add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and give everything a good stir to combine.

2. Mix up the topping

Crack an egg into a medium bowl. Use a fork to break up the yolk, stirring until the yolk and white are combined. Next, add the sugar and and flour, and continue stirring until the topping mixture is combined and crumbly.

3. Build the cobbler

Using clean hands, sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the blackberry–lemon juice mixture in the pan. To finish, drizzle 6 tablespoons of melted butter evenly over the topping and berries.

4. Bake until golden and bubbly

Pop the dish into the oven, and set the timer for 30 minutes. When the timer goes off, take a peek, then bake for another 5 minutes or so until the topping is nice and golden brown. Let the cobbler cool for about 10 minutes before serving it with your favorite ice cream.

What Fruit Can You Use Besides Blackberries?

This versatile recipe can accommodate pretty much any summer fruit that you like. Try raspberries, blueberries, pitted cherries, or stone fruit like nectarines or peaches. You can even try a mix of fruit, such as peaches and blackberries, raspberries and nectarines, or blackberries and blueberries.

What Flavorings Can You Add to This Cobbler?

For an extra citrusy punch, zest the lemon before juicing it, and stir the zest into the berries along with the juice. You can also add a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract into the berry mixture.

To jazz up the topping, stir in some lemon zest, or even a half teaspoon of cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger—or get real fun and add a mixture of all three!

What if I Don't Have an 8x8-inch Pan?

If your pan is slightly bigger, don't worry—this recipe is forgiving. A 9-inch cake pan or deep-dish pie plate will work just fine. If using a slightly smaller pan, place it on an aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips.

Can You Make Individual Cobblers?

Absolutely! Divide the blackberry mixture evenly among six (8-oz.) oven-safe ramekins or baking dishes; sprinkle the topping evenly over each dish. To safeguard against overflow, place the small dishes on an aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

What Do You Serve with Blackberry Cobbler?

A cold scoop of homemade ice cream is hard to beat on top of this warm blackberry cobbler. If you don't have any ice cream on hand, sweetened whipped cream is also quite wonderful! To make it, simply add 2 cups of cold heavy whipping cream to a bowl, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Beat at medium speed until thick and billowy, about 2 minutes.

Editorial contributions by Josh Miller.