We were craving a summery berry cobbler but wanted to keep things gluten-free and plant-based. Gluten-free biscuits can be tricky, so it took a few rounds of testing to perfect them, but we happily arrived at tender, flaky biscuits that pair seamlessly with this jammy cobbler!
Though butter-free and naturally sweetened, it doesn’t skimp on flavor or texture and would easily please a crowd of all types of eaters! Just 10 ingredients required. Let us show you how it’s done!
How to Make Berry Cobbler
This versatile cobbler starts with your choice of berries. We love using a combination of sweeter fruits like cherries or blueberries along with more tart ones like blackberries and raspberries for complex flavor and a perfect tart-sweet balance. Lemon zest is also lovely for additional tartness.
Mixing the berries with coconut sugar and letting them sit is a technique called maceration (you can think of it like marinating). By some science magic, the sugar draws moisture from the fruit and forms bonds (okay, that’s enough science for today, kids). The important part is that it makes juicy, tender, saucy fruit! And by adding arrowroot powder or cornstarch, the fruit thickens with baking.
Next, we make the flaky, vegan, gluten-free, grain-free biscuits! We know, it’s sorcery, friends!
Our trusty combination of almond flour and potato starch makes them light and fluffy, while coconut milk and oil make them rich and flaky. Add the other biscuit essentials like salt, baking powder, and (coconut) sugar, and you’ve got the most perfect cobbler topping!
Gently scooping the biscuit dough over the berry mixture (and avoiding pressing it down) gives the biscuits a golden brown exterior and prevents them from getting mushy.
We hope you LOVE this berry cobbler! It’s:
Summery
Comforting
Fruity
Jammy
Perfectly sweet
& Made with flaky biscuits!
It’s the perfect dessert for 4th of July celebrations, summer BBQs, or after a trip to the berry patch. But since it works well with frozen fruit, it’s also perfect year-round! Enjoy this cobbler on its own or topped with Coconut Whipped Cream, Coconut Yogurt, or scoops of Creamy Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream for additional sweetness and contrast.
More Gluten-Free Berry Desserts
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Easy Gluten-Free Berry Cobbler (Vegan)
Ingredients
BERRY FILLING
- 4 ½ cups fresh or frozen berries (we used 2 cups frozen raspberries, 2 cups blackberries, and 1/2 cup cherries // if fresh, remove stems and roughly chop // for a more tart cobbler, use tart berries such as raspberries)
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or sub organic cane sugar // reduce by up to half if you prefer less sweet desserts)
- 2 Tbsp arrowroot powder (or sub cornstarch)
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
COBBLER TOPPING
- 1/4 cup canned light coconut milk (or sub other dairy-free milk)
- 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 3/4 cup potato starch (or sub all-purpose GF flour blend, but biscuits will be slightly more gummy)
- 3/4 cup almond flour (or sub finely ground cashews or another nut or seed flour)
- 2 Tbsp coconut sugar (or sub organic cane sugar)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 Tbsp solid* refined coconut oil (or sub chilled vegan butter)
FOR SERVING optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C) and get out an 8 x 8-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.
- To the baking dish, add fruit, sugar, arrowroot powder (or cornstarch), and lemon zest (optional) and stir to evenly coat. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
- To a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, add light coconut milk (or other dairy-free milk), apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, and vanilla extract (optional) and whisk to ensure there are no clumps. Let this curdle while you prepare the other ingredients for the cobbler topping.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine potato starch, almond flour, coconut sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
- Add coconut oil to dry ingredients and use a pastry cutter, fork, or clean hands to cut the oil into the flour until well combined and it resembles the texture of wet sand.
- Add wet mixture (dairy-free milk + apple cider vinegar) to the dry mixture and stir to combine into a wet dough. It should be a little crumbly but moldable with your hands. If looking too crumbly, add more coconut milk; if too wet, add more almond flour or potato starch.
- Using a small or medium cookie scoop or spoon (~1 ½ Tbsp // avoid using a larger scoop or the biscuits may be doughy in the center), top berry filling with clumps of the cobbler dough. For best biscuit texture, DO NOT press down on biscuits. They should look rustic!
- Place cobbler in the oven to bake for 30-40 minutes. The fruit should be bubbling and the cobbler biscuits golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving to help the fruit firm up.
- Serve warm with vegan vanilla ice cream or coconut whipped cream (optional). Store cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Biscuits can be frozen for up to 1 month before baking and added when ready to bake.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1 ½ cups each of raspberries, blackberries, and cherries, and without optional ingredients.
Deanie says
So delicious!! We used Bob’s Redmill 1-to-1 GF flour and almond flour, oatmilk, and vegan butter. We ended up adding a little more almond flour to the topping because ours was a little wet. Turned out so well. Will definitely make again!
Yay! We’re so glad it was a success, Deanie. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Crystal N says
This was wonderful and very satisfying. I didn’t have potato starch so I used 1/4 cup almond flower, 1/4 cup bobs red mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour and 1/4 cup bobs red mill all purpose gluten free flour. And I didn’t have lemon zest so I put 2 drops of lemon essential oil in. I am so happy to have found this recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Crystal! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
CJ says
WOW!! Just made your recipe as written, using fresh cherries & raspberries, and oatmilk in the cobbler, and it is absolutely delicious! The perfect balance all around and not too sweet! The texture and flavor of the cobbler topping is perfect! High praises from my boyfriend as well, he’s already asking for me to make it again!
Whoop! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, CJ. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Patricia says
I used almond milk instead of coconut milk, stevia instead of sugar and frozen berries. Absolutely yummy, will definitely make again, so easy and satisfying yet healthy. Been wanting to try this for a while, thanks for another great recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Patricia! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Whitney says
I made this with mixed berries and it was SO yummy!
Would this recipe work with frozen peaches?
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Whitney! We do have a peach version here (slightly different to account for peaches being more watery).
Lucie says
I had to use a lot more coconut milk. Also used organic coconut flour which probably wasn’t the best. I just tasted it and it’s Ok. Good thing I don’t have to serve it to anyone else. Found it a bit dry.
Hi Lucie, sorry to hear it didn’t turn out. Coconut flour doesn’t work in this recipe because it’s very drying! We recommend almond flour + potato starch for the right texture.
Brionna says
Any suggestions on what to replace the almond flour with for a nut-free household?
Hi Brionna, if not gluten-free, then a lesser amount of all-purpose flour should work! If gluten-free, your best bet might be sunflower seed flour or a lesser amount of cassava or a gluten-free blend, but we can’t guarantee the result will be the same.
Dina says
I hosted a dinner party and needed a dessert that was low in added sugar, vegan, and grain-free to suit several guests’ nutritional requirements. This fit the bill! Absolutely delicious, served warm with (optional) almond milk based vanilla ice cream. I used fresh strawberries and blueberries and vegan butter. The fruit was exceptionally sweet so I decreased the sugar to 2 tbsp in the fruit and added a dash of cinnamon. PERFECTION! Will definitely make again, and not change a thing. Thanks MB — your recipes are always a hit.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Dina. So glad everyone enjoyed!
Susan says
This was delicious. I used strawberries, raspberries and cherries in my combination.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Susan! Thank you for sharing! xo
Emily says
Very good, flaky, not wet inside, not too sweet. Highly recommended.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Emily. So glad you enjoyed!
Ines says
this is so good, would highly recommend using almond flour even if you’re not gluten free
Brenda Jolliff says
Was really really good. The topping was actually flaky. I did substitute Bob’s Red Mill baking mix for the potato starch, but did not notice any gumminess.
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing your modifications, Brenda. So glad you enjoyed!
Shannon says
Best GF cobbler I’ve tried! I just happen to have potato starch in the house too. The cobbler part was super biscuit-like and fluffy. I used raspberries and blackberries I had in my freezer from the garden. I didn’t have vegan butter or coconut oil, so I used 3T of regular unsalted butter.
Yumm! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Shannon. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Sher says
I left my cobbler on the counter covered all night. Does it have to be refrigerated? I thought it was like pie?
That’s fine! We just prefer storing it in the refrigerator.
Lena says
Can you please make a peach version??
Yes! We’ll add it to our ideas list =)
Carissa Law says
Can I substitute the coconut sugar with brown sugar?
Yes!
Krissy says
While I made mine using peaches, it was super delicious! The notes above about the biscuits being a little more gummy than flaky when using ap gluten-free flour (I used King Arthur Measure for Measure) are true, but they’re still sweet and pretty flaky when using flour. Next time, I’ll order some potato starch and try it that way! But, I didn’t have any at hand.
Otherwise, this is super satisfying. The peaches worked so well with the lemon zest and the minimally sweet biscuits on top. I’m sure with berries it’s even delicious. I’ll definitely make this again!
We’re so glad to hear it turned out well, Krissy! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! xo
Vanessa says
One hundred. Percent. YES! Super easy to throw together & extremely satisfying. Topped it off with oat vanilla ice cream.
I didn’t have almond flour on hand so I substituted 1:1 all purpose – ended up having to add another couple tablespoons of coconut oil to compensate for its density. Baked for the full 40 mins. They held together, were crumbly (no sogginess!), and served as the perfect complement to the fruit.
Doing this again for sure. Such post-dinner luxury in so little time!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your experience, Vanessa! So glad you enjoyed!
Thea says
Loved this recipe! I’m gluten free and egg free but I can eat dairy so I made these with Jersey cow milk and butter instead of the coconut milk and oil. Turned out delicious! I think I will skip the lemon zest next time but otherwise this is going to be in regular rotation through the summer and in the winter when it’s time to get out the frozen berries.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Thea! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Jennifer Yang says
I want to try making this next! Is it possible to do a thin layer of the crust all over? Or is it better keeping them in scoops, I don’t have an ice cream scooper?
Hmm, we think a thinner crust might bake differently, and get too soggy. The scoops work best because they’re tall enough that they don’t absorb too much juice! A small measuring cup might work to get a similar effect. Let us know how it goes!
VICKY says
This looks delicious as I just pulled it off the oven! Can’t wait to try it! Wondering if I can make this same recipe using peaches instead? Been getting delicious fresh peaches at the farmers market and its tempting to try it out! Thanks!
Yay! Hope you love it, Vicky! Peaches will add more liquid, so we’d suggest adding more cornstarch. Let us know how it turns out!
Krissy says
I made mine with peaches! I think my oven runs hot, so my biscuits on top got brown before the peaches started to get juicy, so I dropped the oven to 350 and baked it until it looked like they were getting soft. I used the same amount of arrowroot powder mentioned in the recipe, and they came out great! You might have to adjust based on how juicy your peaches are!
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Krissy!
Def says
I counted at least (even with optionals) 15 ingredients.
Hm, not sure how! This one requires just 10 ingredients. Perhaps you’re counting coconut sugar twice? But that would still only make it 11.
Debi Kellerer says
Hi, could i substitute buttermilk for the apple cider vinegar and non dairy milk?
We haven’t tried that, but it should would work well. Let us know if you try it!
Marin says
Oh this was so delicious! I followed the recipe exactly & we were blown away how good this tastes. You cannot tell it’s gluten free or even plant based, as the biscuits were so buttery & had the perfect texture.
We used all frozen berries & they didn’t turn out jammy, more like a thin sauce. I’m not sure, perhaps it needs more arrowroot if you use all frozen berries? Will try it with fresh berries when it’s summer here in Australia. Love it!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Marin! Did you make sure to let it cool for a bit after baking? That helps the texture firm up. We’ve used all frozen berries with success, so we wonder if it could be the type of berries causing it to be too thin? Strawberries will make it more liquidy, so perhaps leave those out?
Marin says
Oh yes the frozen berries did have quite a lot of strawberries in them! Maybe I’ll buy the berries separately & mix them up myself & not include strawberries. Thanks for the tip!
RENE says
I have tapioca flour. It should probably work vs buying potato starch. I hate buying things I only use once in awhile. I have so many fresh blueberries. I plan to try this recipe.
Hi Rene, Potato starch is pretty unique in its ability to make baked goods light and fluffy. Let us know how it turns out!
Hannah says
Could you make this with peaches and raspberries and if so do you need to increase the sugar?
Hi Hannah, you shouldn’t need to increase the sugar, but it may be more liquidy from the peaches. We’d suggest increasing the arrowroot or cornstarch in the filling. Let us know how it turns out!
Melissa Sywensky says
My sister is gluten free and mostly a vegetarian (with occasional slips). I made this for her when she came to visit this weekend and she was beyond in love with it. Even the rest of us who are not gluten free had trouble telling this was gluten free. Thank you!
Woohoo! We love to hear this. Thanks for the lovely review, Melissa, we’re so glad everyone enjoyed! xo
Ellie Fendler says
Can Tapioca Starch be substituted for the Potato Starch?
Hi Ellie! We haven’t tried this without potato starch, but it’s possible tapioca, cornstarch, or arrowroot starch would work well here, maybe a combo of those? Let us know how it goes if you give it a try! xo
Trinity says
Easy to make, lots of fruit, delicious with whipped cream. Will make again for sure!
Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks for the lovely review, Trinity! xo
Kate says
Made this tonight almost exactly as written except I used vanilla oat milk (and so left out the vanilla), which didn’t curdle but didn’t seem to impact the final product. We had a great haul of fresh fruit from our local farmers markets, so I used a 1/2 pint of fresh blueberries, ~1/2 pint of fresh Ranier cherries, a yellow peach and a white peach. The fam devoured it without much of a comment outside of the occasional “mmmmmm.” Needless to say, we’ll be making this a ton this summer–just switching up the fruit depending on what’s in season at the market! Thanks so much for this!
Amazing!! Such a great way to use fresh seasonal fruit. Thanks for the lovely review, Kate, we’re so glad everyone enjoyed it!
Rachael Gaynor says
Loved the fruit portion (I used equal parts blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries). Served with a side of coconut ice cream and homemade granola. The biscuits were a little off for me (kinda mushy and bland). I was careful not to press, but think my coconut oil wasn’t quite solid enough. I will definitely give it another try, but if it doesn’t pan out (pun intended!), I’ll go for a nutty granola crumble topping instead. I’m looking forward to experimenting with different fruit combos. Thanks again!
Oh no! Sorry the biscuits didn’t work out perfectly this time, Rachael, it’s possible that using fresh fruit might contribute to more juices which could make the biscuits a bit soggier, too. Let us know how round 2 goes, thanks for sharing your experience! xo
Neysa says
Can I make this with regular flour if I don’t have gluten free? Would it be a 1:1 substitution? Thank you!
Hi Neysa! We haven’t tried this with regular flour but it should work – perhaps start with the same amount and if needed add more coconut oil until you reach the “crumble” texture of the dough in the video (before adding the liquid). Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!