It’s almost summer. Can you feel it?
When I think of summer, cobblers, crisps, and ice cream come to mind. Also, bike rides, beach trips and patio drinks. What about you?
This summer I’m determined to further explore my love for berries, starting with this simple blackberry cobbler. Shall we begin?
There’s something extremely romantic and effortless about a fruit cobbler to me. I suppose it’s because it’s a dump, mix, and bake sort of recipe – my favorite kind.
I’ve tried crisps in the past but never a cobbler. My family wasn’t big on cobblers, so I seemed to have missed them altogether. Sad day. I was determined to change that.
Origins of Cobbler
Our search for the origins of cobbler left us with a sad lack of information. All that seems to be known is that this dessert may date back to the early 19th century and have English roots. There are several desserts similar to cobbler, including crisp, betty, grunts/slumps, buckle/crumble, pandowdy, and more!
And to ensure everyone can enjoy this recipe, I kept it both vegan and gluten free. Bonus? Just 1 bowl and roughly 30 minutes required.
It starts with a lightly-sweetened, 5-minute biscuit-inspired topping that’s vegan butter-free, relying instead on coconut oil to give it that quintessential crumbly, flaky texture.
Then, it’s onto the blackberries, which are tossed in sweetener (coconut or cane sugar) and a bit of arrowroot to thicken.
A sprinkle of pecans and coconut sugar finish it off before going into the oven. This is the perfect time to make some coconut whipped cream or soften some dairy-free ice cream. What’s a cobbler without toppings, after all?
This cobbler is dreamy. It’s:
Warm
Fruity
Crumbly
Tender
Perfectly sweet
A little tart
Simple + quick
& Perfect for summer gatherings
This would make the perfect dessert to whip up for guests or warm-weather gatherings. It’s so effortless and easy, yet makes you look like a pro, especially when baked in a cast iron – so fancy.
The best part about this recipe is it’s versatile:
No gluten free flour? Sub all purpose.
No blackberries? Sub another fruit (such as raspberries, blueberries, or nectarines)
No coconut oil? Sub vegan butter.
No pecans? Sub walnuts or omit.
If you make this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment and rate it, which is super helpful for us and other readers. And don’t forget to take a photo and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We adore seeing what you come up with. Cheers and happy baking!
Simple Blackberry Cobbler (Vegan + GF)
Ingredients
COBBLER TOPPING
- 3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend* (sub all-purpose if not gluten-free)
- 1/4 cup gluten-free oat flour (ground from GF rolled oats)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp organic cane sugar* (plus more for topping)
- 1/2 Tbsp baking powder*
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 1/2 Tbsp cold coconut oil or vegan butter (use refined coconut oil for a less intense coconut flavor)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (plus 1 tsp lemon juice per 1/3 cup almond milk)
- 1/4 cup pecans (optional // chopped // or sub walnuts or chopped almonds)
FILLING
- 24 ounces fresh blackberries* (let thaw if frozen)
- 2 Tbsp organic cane sugar (or sub coconut sugar or other sweetener of choice)
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch (optional // for thickening)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and butter a 12-inch cast-iron (or similar sized) pan with vegan butter or coconut oil. Set aside.
- Add all dry topping ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Also measure out almond milk and add lemon juice to begin curdling.
- Add vegan butter or coconut oil to the dry ingredients and use a fork or pastry cutter to cut it in. It should resemble the consistency of fine, wet sand.
- Add almond milk mixture a little at a time, stirring, until a dough is formed. It shouldn’t be too sticky – you will likely not use it all.
- Transfer to a lightly floured surface (with gluten free flour) and form into a disc with your hands. Set aside to rest.
- Add berries to the same mixing bowl and toss with sugar and arrowroot or cornstarch and then add to the buttered cast iron.
- Gently break the biscuit topping apart and position it on top of the blackberries in clumps. Press down gently so it doesn’t stick up too much (see photo).
- Sprinkle the top with 1-2 Tbsp (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) additional cane or coconut sugar and the chopped pecans. Bake for 20-28 minutes, or until bubbly and the topping is browned (see photos) and semi-firm to the touch.
- Serve with dairy-free ice cream or coconut whipped cream. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a few days, though best when fresh as the topping tends to get soggy.
Notes
*For the cane sugar, I blitzed mine into a powder in my coffee/spice grinder for a finer consistency, which is optional. You can also sub regular sugar or another dry sweetener of choice. Alternatively, you could omit it for a more savory biscuit-style topping.
*No blackberries? Sub another fruit (such as raspberries, blueberries, or nectarines).
*Some people have said using less baking powder improves taste, but we haven’t tested it that way. To be cautious, you can scale back to 1/2 tsp or 1 tsp if you’re worried about it impacting flavor. But we never experienced that issue.
*Inspired by Sprouted Kitchen’s Blueberry Oat Cobbler. Topping adapted from my Best Damn Vegan Biscuit.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without coconut whip or ice cream.
Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)
Merideth says
This was SO yummy! Made it for my vegan GF dad and it was a hit! Wouldn’t change a thing! Thank you!
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Merideth! Thanks so much for sharing. xo
Theresa says
I made the recipe to the letter and found the biscuit dough too dense. Not so dense that we didn’t eat it all. But today I still have enough berries for another go. I used only Bob’s Redmill 1-1, used Melt for shortening, and increased the milk to 1/2 cup to make it like a drop biscuit. It turned out superb! I also sprinkled coconut sugar with cinnamon on top halfway through cooking. Oh my,so good.
Thank you for sharing, Theresa! We’re so glad it turned out amazing the second time around. Another idea for a lighter, fluffier biscuit dough would be the recipe in our newest cobbler recipe.
Amy says
I made this recipe following your instructions mostly, but I subbed peaches + 1/4c sugar + 1/2 tsp cinnamon for the filling, and added a tsp of vanilla to the milk because I love vanilla in baked goods . My dough was a little dry so I also added a little more almond milk. It turned out delicious! Thanks for another great recipe!
Lovely!! Thank you for sharing, Amy! xo
Rebecca Fanucchi says
Hi! If I don’t have a cast iron pan, can I use a glass baking dish? Thank you!
Yes!
Elaine says
Worked out great. Does not yield a lot of crust. I had to do some GF flour by mixing almond flour, Tapioca Flour, and Arrowroot as that is what I had. Phew, it worked out mixing with the oat flour. I cut down on the baking powder. Very nice in the cast iron skillet. Made it with Earth Balance. Mine was blueberry. I had always wanted to make a cobbler and we were not disappointed.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Elaine!
Paige says
This turned out so well! We used frozen cherries and peaches, delicious. Thanks as always Dana!
Love those additions, Paige! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Courtney says
I love this recipe so much, although I’ve never made it with blackberries. I do 4 peaches and about 1 cup of blueberries instead, it’s perfect. And walnuts because I never have pecans. I separate it into fruit in one dish and biscuit in another dish for storing, and it works great. I have made this around five times and not once shared with anyone else. Thank you :)
Ha- love it! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Courtney! xo
Sonia Sanders says
I made this with spelt flour and I used half olive oil and half coconut oil to prevent the coconut overkill since I only had unprocessed coconut oil. I was pleased with the cobbler. Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sonia! Thanks for sharing!
Rebecca says
I have to be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever been disappointed by a recipe on minimalist baker. This was, quite simply, not a cobbler. It’s extremely bitter. I think it needs more sugar and less baking soda. It’s also very very dry. 3 cups of blackberries didn’t go far. If you drown it in ice cream it’s not terrible, but honestly it reminds me of a biscuit with bad blackberry jam on top. :( I’m sad.
Hi Rebecca, we’re so sorry that was your experience! Some people have said using less baking powder improves taste, but we haven’t tested it that way as we didn’t have an issue with it. We’ll take another look at the recipe and see if improvements can be made!
Erica K. says
Thank you so much for this recipe! My boyfriend can’t have gluten, dairy, or eggs and I was at a loss for how to make his favorite dessert for his birthday!
The only substitutes I used was using King Arthur gluten free flour because that is what my store had, I did half blackberries and half raspberries, and about half as much baking powder. Oh, I also only had a 10 inch glass pie pan to make it in. Otherwise I followed the recipe :) It turned out very yummy!! Thank you for posting this recipe!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Erica! Thanks so much for sharing!
Mary says
Just polished off my first batch, using homegrown olallieberries. (They grow great in Tucson — who knew? It was just a garden experiment…) Over-the-top good for being so quick and easy. Another big winner, Dana! We can’t wait for our next batch of olallies to ripen! But in the meanwhile, we’ll be making more cobbler with the tail end of the blueberry harvest, and then the apricots will be ripening next… Made it in individual ramekins, so my husband could have his sweet, while I like mine a little more savory. Used liquid stevia to sweeten the filling, and instead of lemon (none on hand), used coconut vinegar to thicken the almond milk. Sublime!
Debs says
I am so glad to have found your blog. This recipe is an absolute gem. My family has declared this to be the best cobbler I have ever made :)
Couple of changes I made are (a) Used instant almond milk made from almond butter (b) used sprouted spelt flour instead of AP.
I used thawed frozen mixed berries, and I could get away without adding any sugar to the filling.
Cheers.
Great tips! Thanks so much for sharing and we are so glad you enjoyed it! xo
augusta says
i believe there may be a typo in the recipe. when i followed the dough recipe exactly, it tasted very strongly of baking powder and i couldn’t eat it. when i tried it with 1/2 teaspoon as opposed to 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder, it turned out perfect and delicious.
Hi Augusta! Thanks for reaching out, we’ll check into that for you!
Marla Danielson says
Dana, I absolutely love this recipe. It tastes wonderful. I don’t use baking soda or powder and so I substituted one quarter teaspoon of quick rise yeast. It turned out fantastic and I plan to teach it to others at my cooking class at church And I will definitely give you credit. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your subs, Marla!
Molly says
Delicious and easy! Will definitely be making this again with different fruits and nut combinations.mo
Bridget says
I made this with coc flour, sorghum and tapioca flour. It tasted just like cobbler with ap flour. It didn’t have an off taste like some gf baked goods have. I’ve done alot of gf baking so this passed the test. Even my boys all loved it. This is a keeper for sure. And it wasn’t too sweet. Just enough sugar to bring out flavor.
Barbra says
I love making this dessert! I’ve made it 3 times so far. What do you do with the left over dough?
Megan says
I made this a few days ago and it was soooo very delicious!!! I followed the recipe exactly – vegan and non-vegan absolutely loved it! I will be making this again :)
Carol Poe says
Hello Dana, from Southern Oregon!
So, while making the recipe I see the measure for the berries was in oz.s & gm, not in cups. So, out comes the kitchen scale and wow, that was 5cups of marion berries for me! I then see that the sugar measure is only 2T?? Fear sets in as when I make a berry pie it calls for a scant cup to 1C. + 1 T of sugar based on preference. Also the small amount of arrowroot or cornstarch seemed shy. So, fear based I re-portioned the sugar and the cornstarch accoridingly.
Is it really 2T of sugar? Marions are fairly tart to sweet, and blackberries fairly sweet raw. Has anyone else commented on this?
I love the crust, and am vegan so it is a hit!
Thanks for any reply, and I am so greatful for your blog as I am not much of a baker!
Danielle Smith says
Delicious! My 6 year old daughter and I just made this with some organic apriums & a few of our neighbor’s African blackberries – it was delicious. The apriums were quite tart, but some coconut whipped cream provided just the right amount of sweetness. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Sue says
Just made this recipe and it was great!!! I added some pumpkin pie spice and put almond butter on it when it was hot. This will be breakfast this week!! I made mine in a 9×12 pan (some people call it a lasagna pan?) and there was enough topping for that. From the pictures above I was afraid it wouldn’t be enough but it certainly was.
Mikhaela says
I tried this recipe and the 1/2 Tablespoons of baking powder was definitely too much. Ruined a lot of berries. Maybe would try again with less baking powder.
kate says
i just picked 2 big bowls of blackberries and marion berries from my garden! making this, but with stevia instead of sugar and coconut instead of pecans:)
Vanessa says
I made this today with blueberries and added a dash of vanilla to the filling. Served with So Delicious creamy cashew ice cream, this the best dessert I’ve had in months. Thanks so much for posting!
Kathleen says
I literally just finished eating a bowl of this and am about to go back for seconds! Soooooo good and the biscuit was like a fluffy light scone, not too sweet. Thanks for giving me a recipe I wouldn’t feel too guilty about eating for breakfast! Love your site!
Stephanie says
I don’t have any oat flour on hand, do you think this would work if I just add more gluten free flower?
Stephanie says
Flour!!! Lol
Erin says
This was perfect! We picked blackberries today. Not enough for jam, but too many to just eat. I’d never made a cobbler and this was amazing. Thanks!
Jen says
I found the most gorgeous blackberries at the farmers market over the weekend and came across your recipe, which I made last night. It was on point! I didn’t have a some of the ingredients but managed with a few substitutions: equal parts almond meal and flax meal for oat flour; tapioca starch for arrowroot. I also went the coconut sugar route and blended everything with my dough blade in the food processor (so easy!). Served it up with coconut milk-based vanilla ice cream on the front porch…summertime in a bowl! All your tips were very helpful. I’m definitley filing this one away.
Jess says
I made this while the in-laws were in town. It was a hit! I added organic peaches :) Next time I’m gonna add cinnamon because fruit + cinnamon is pure heaven for me. PS I have loved all of the recipes I’ve tried on here. I think I have found my food blog soul mate!
Thanks Jess! So kind! xoxo
Ingrid says
Looks divine! I am wondering if this can be compiled ahead of time and refrigerated for a later baking, probably a few hours in the fridge? I am thinking of making for a party and would like to have it ready before the guests arrive and then still be able to serve warm. Let me know if you have any suggestions!
Hannah says
So excited to make this! Do you know about how many cups 24 oz of blackberries is?
Julia says
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it! I do have a nut allergy though, what do you recommend I use as a substitute for the almond milk? Thank you so much!
Leah says
This was so simple to make. Berries and biscuits topped with the coconut whipped cream. Wonderful! It was delicious. Thanks for posting it.
de_dietrich says
I’m gonna stay here forever! Every recipe is even more awesome than previous one, I can’t decide what should I make first!
So kind!!! xoxoxo
Coley says
Your pictures look amazing. I like how you offer alternative ingredients for people who might not have items or might not like them! I also love your blog layout, looks great!
Thanks Coley! xoxo
Hellestorm says
I have this in the oven right now… I’ve been baking for almost 40 years and I know a good pastry/dough when I feel one. And this is one of them! I just has that special consistency, almost audible, when you pull it apart to make the ‘clumps’. That airy swoosh sound! Can’t wait to eat it…
Yay! So glad to hear it. Check back with results!
Sarah | Broma Bakery says
The PERFECT summer dessert. Fruity, light, and easy. Dare I say minimal? :) I want to gobble it all up
I like the way you think ;D
Lisa @ Strum Simmer Sip says
I need two things this weekend 1) this cobbler and 2) to buy a skillet. I am realizing more and more what an awesome tool it is! Thanks for sharing this and will definitely post if I find some time make it! xo Lisa
Ali | Gimme Some Oven says
Gorgeous!!! Love all of those berries! (And that PINK!) :)
Thanks friend! Mischew.
Jen @ sweetgreenkitchen says
Oh! This is so gorgeous and I adore blackberries in dessert and just as I was thinking about how to make it gluten free for myself, you went ahead and did it for me! So yummy, can’t wait to make it.
Yay! Let me know if you give it a try!
Ana @ Ana's Rocket Ship says
Wow- I don’t think that I’ve ever had cobbler before- but I see now that that will have to change!!! How can I survive another day without eating this?
Ha! Cobblers can be a life-changing dessert. Prepare yourself! ;D
Ana @ Ana's Rocket Ship says
I don’t want to be prepared!!!! Prepared would be not eating this every week for the rest of my life- and those photo’s suggest that that would be a very bad idea!!!
Abby says
You take the most incredible photos, Dana! I feel like I’m always saying that, but it’s true. These shots are amazing.
And yum! Blackberry cobbler sounds delish. <3
So kind! Thanks Abby :D
Sabrina - A Spoonful of Photography says
Um.. I’ve just had dinner+dessert as your cobbler showed up in Feedly and now I could start with the latter again.. Looks too tempting and I guess it would also work out perfectly w/ some of the heaps of fresh local strawberries that are around currently.. That is until blackberries will be back on the bushes nearby of course ;-)
Absolutely! I think it would be amazing with strawberries!
Dawn @ Florida Coastal Cooking & Wellness says
Seriously, how do you come up with all these ideas? I’m obsessed with fresh berries right now because they are in season in Florida. Perfect timing loves!
Ha! Easy – I dream in food. :D
Mel @ The Refreshanista says
When I opened the email and saw the first photo I literally said OH MY GOD out loud! Looks amazing, I have to make this asap :)
Best comment. Hope you love this one, Mel!
Mel @ The Refreshanista says
I’m sure I will! :)
Elisabeth says
I love this! I just saw some blackberries in my fridge. I hope its enough to try this! If not I know I have some frozen ones lingering around from last year. I am going to have dessert tonight!
DO IT. Also, report back!
Heather Mason @Nutty Nutrition says
Yum! Blackberry cobbler is my favorite! I love anything with a biscuit topping!!
YOU GET ME ;D
Heather and Melissa says
This looks so unbelievably good! Thanks for the recipe!
Anna says
made me hungry!! you always make the most amazing recipes
Internet HUGS
Lisa says
so excited to try this recipe!!! I see two different measurements for baking soda…is one of them supposed to be baking powder?
Fixed! The first one is baking powder. Thanks for the catch!
Cassie says
This is amazing!! I love me some cobbler! Perfect way to use up all my blueberries!
Yes! Let me know how yours goes, Cassie!
Victoria says
I’ve never seen that type of cobbler before! Is a cobbler and a crumble the same? Regardless of what it is, that looks gooood! I’ll try it whenever blackberries appear in the bushes around my neighbourhood :D
Different! Cobbler has a more cakey or biscuity-top, while a crisp is more oats and nuts. Hope you give this a try!
Nene says
Being from down South I can understand where Victoria is coming from. I’ve eaten a plethora of cobblers and usually they have more of a pie like, flakey type of crust covering the top of the cobbler. Also, I’ve never had a cobbler that contained nuts, different! :) Therefore this is a crisp-cobbler.
Alexa [fooduzzi.com] says
I’ve never had cobbler in my life, but you may have just inspired me to give it a try! Blackberries are among my favorite fruits this time of year – I’ll definitely have to give this a shot! Pinned!
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
Berries and watermelon are the quintessential summer foods for me, so this recipe definitely screams summer. That being said, I don’t think I’ve ever had a cobbler either, so I think that definitely needs to change this year…
Definitely try it Amanda! And let me know what you think. I’m sure it’d be right up your alley ;D
Justine | Slice of Kitchen Life says
This looks so beautiful! I love all form of cobblers / crumbles / crisps, there is nothing better than juicy sweet fruit and toasted, crumbly topping! (and ice-cream!!)
Hmm, I just happen to have a bag of blackberries in my freezer…
GO TO THOSE BLACKBERRIES. Make this happen.
ines @ between kitchens says
Oh my, this is absolutely gorgeous! I must make some cobbler like this – the top dough looks just perfect!!
Have a nice weekend :)
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
My roommate just went overboard with berries and I think I have everything to make this- Thanks Dana- IT looks delicious!
SCORE!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Simple and totally pretty! Plus, I love that you made this with blackberries..I never seem to bake with them!