Southern Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler

There’s nothing quite like the comforting warmth of a homemade blackberry cobbler, with its flaky, buttery crust that practically melts in your mouth. Each bite combines the perfect balance of sweet and tart blackberries nestled between layers of sugar-kissed dough. Whether you’re using fresh berries at the peak of summer or frozen ones during the cooler months, this cobbler is a simple yet irresistible treat that brings a touch of nostalgia to your table.

There’s something truly special about homemade blackberry cobbler, especially when it’s made the way my mother used to do it during those hot Southern summers. She had a magical touch with her blackberry cobbler, creating a crust that was sugary, buttery, and perfectly rolled out. Of course the delicious, juicy blackberries were hand picked from my grandmother’s farm making it extra special.

Mama always insisted on a bottom crust too, because what’s cobbler without a little extra indulgence? This dessert, with its flaky crust and juicy blackberries, is one of my most cherished summertime memories.

My mother had a way of making simple ingredients come together in the most extraordinary way. The key to her cobbler was in the details—she always used ice-cold water to ensure that the crust was perfectly flaky, and she rolled the dough into long strips, layering them with care over the blackberries and sprinkling sugar along with gently brushing melted butter over the dough. Each bite was a mix of sweet, tart, and buttery goodness that melted in your mouth. To this day, I’ve never had a blackberry cobbler as good as hers.

Let’s walk through how to recreate this Southern classic.

What you will need to make my mother’s blackberry cobbler: (Be sure to see the full printable recipe below this post.)

• Granulated sugar
•  Ground cinnamon
• Fresh blackberries or frozen blackberries
• Butter
• Fresh lemon juice
• All-purpose flour
• Self-rising flour
• Vanilla Ice cream (optional but recommended)

How to make Southern Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler 

Prepare the Filling: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Lightly grease or spray with vegetable oil a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add water, berries, butter and lemon juice; bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for about 5 to 6 minutes. Stirring constantly to prevent burning. Juice should be slightly thickened.

Make the Crust: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and sugar.  Using a pastry cutter, cut in the chilled shortening and butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Gradually add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together.

Be sure not to over mix to prevent the dough becoming too tough. If the dough becomes too warm, pop it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Chilled dough is important to achieve a flaky texture. Divide the dough in half and roll one half into a bottom crust to fit your baking dish.

Press it into the prepared baking dish and bake for about 6 to 7 minutes, just until the crust begins to set.

1. This prevents the bottom dough from being too soggy. Note: To have more top crust, add more dough to the top layer when dividing up the dough especially if you want to do a lattice pie crust.

1. Assemble the Cobbler: Pour the blackberry mixture over the pre-baked crust.

Roll out the remaining dough into long strips and lay them over the berries in long strips or a lattice pattern.

You can brush the top with a bit of melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar for extra sweetness and crunch.

1. Bake and Enjoy: Bake the cobbler at 375 degrees for 40-45  minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the berries are bubbling. Let it cool slightly before serving. And of course, this cobbler is best enjoyed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Tips for the Perfect Blackberry Cobbler:

• Keep the Shortening and Butter Cold:The secret to a flaky crust is cold butter. I like to cube my butter and pop it back in the fridge while I prep the other ingredients.
• Fresh or Frozen Berries: This recipe works best with fresh blackberries, but if they’re out of season, you can use frozen berries. Just make sure to thaw and drain them before mixing with the sugar and flour.
• Don’t skip the cinnamon and lemon juice or the butter for the filling. I love small of taste of cinnamon. The fresh lemon juice adds just the right amount of fresh citrus and tartness to the berries. The butter adds a delicious richness to the filling.
• Don’t overwork the dough or the crust will be too tough and not flaky.

Can Blackberry Cobbler be frozen?

Absolutely! It freezes well for up to two months. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight and cover with foil before placing in the oven. Heat until hot and bubble. Remove from the over and take off the aluminum foil and heat just enough to crisp up the crust. The cobbler can also be heated in the microwave as well.

This blackberry cobbler is more than just a dessert—it’s a taste of home and a connection to the happy memories of my mother’s kitchen. Every bite takes me back to those summer evenings when we’d sit on the porch, enjoying the last rays of sunlight with a warm bowl of cobbler in hand. I hope it brings the same comfort and joy to your

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

Aletia

More recipes that you might enjoy

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

Apple Fritter Cobbler

Pineapple Cherry Crunch with Salted-Caramel Pecans

Easy Peach Cobbler

Be sure to check out my cookbook Deliciously Southern for a wonderful collection of tried and true Southern recipes.

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