There’s nothing better than a truly old-fashioned cobbler. We could seriously eat this every day, especially in the middle of summer when berries are at their peak freshness. It’s a little sweet, a little tart, and topped with a buttery biscuit crust. Bake in the oven or make in a Dutch oven outside!

For more berry dessert recipes, try our Mixed Berry Crumble or our Creamy Berry Trifle.

Why My Recipe

  • Use fresh berries or frozen to keep it easy!
  • Lemon juice and zest bring out more flavor from the berries.
  • A sweet biscuit crust that’s thick and flaky, the old-fashioned way.
Close up view of old fashioned berry cobbler.

While we love the convenience of a food processor, it feels much more authentic to make it by hand, cutting the butter in with a pastry cutter. This is one of those recipes where we want to just slow down and enjoy the simplicity of it. Start picking those berries and make this delicious, old-fashioned dessert. Your family will thank you!

Ingredient Notes

  • Berries: You can use any type of berries you’d like! We use a mix of blackberries and strawberries. Feel free to omit whichever you don’t love!
  • Lemon Juice and Zest: Brightens the flavor of the berries.
  • Sugar: Adjust to taste if your berries are extra sweet or tart.
  • Cornstarch: Thickens the filling to avoid a soggy cobbler.
  • Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation vanilla also works.
  • All-purpose Flour: This is one of those rare cases where a flour alternative can be used.
  • Powdered Sugar: Gives the dough a subtle sweetness.
  • Salted Butter: Cold butter is key for achieving the perfect, flaky biscuit topping.
  • Half and Half: Adds a creamy richness to the dough.

Fresh vs Frozen Berries

We like to use fresh berries in our cobbler, but you can use frozen. The end result may a bit runnier with frozen, since the berries end up having extra moisture once thawed. To compensate for this, double the amount of cornstarch in the recipe when using frozen fruit.

Cobbler vs Crisp

A cobbler is topped with a batter while a crisp is topped with a crumbly mixture usually consisting of flour, cereal (like oatmeal), butter, sugar, and sometimes nuts. Both are absolutely delicious in their own unique ways.

Dutch Oven Instructions

Instead of placing everything into a 9×13 pan, you can use a 12-inch Dutch oven. To create a 350°F oven environment, place 14 coals on top, and 7 coals on bottom. The cooking time will be about 1 hour. 

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freeze leftover cobbler in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and follow the same reheating instructions.

Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 15 minutes.

Microwave portions in 20-second increments until warmed through, stirring in between to ensure even heating.

More cobbler recipes…

I’ve been baking cobblers for years and while they’ve always been “fine,” this recipe produces far superior results! It’s my go to now. Have a batch of raspberry peach in the oven right now. Thank you!

– Emily
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