Mixed Berry Cobbler

I adore any cobbler recipe, but this mixed berry cobbler is one of my favorites. While it’s sweet from the berries, lemon juice and zest add a tangy brightness to the filling. Adding a dab of zest to the topping creates an unexpected flavor.

While it’s hard to wait to eat this sweet treat, I like to let it cool just slightly after taking it out of the oven so it has time to thicken, then top a bowlful with ice cream. There is nothing better than a warm dessert mixed with cold ice cream. Heavenly!

If you’re someone who doesn’t like lemon, you can leave the zest off the topping. However, in the filling, the lemon tends to cut the sugar, and its flavor is subtle, so I’d suggest keeping it in that part of the recipe.

Ingredients

Many of these ingredients are standard kitchen staples, except for the fresh produce, of course.

• Berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, sliced strawberries)– you can use fresh or frozen berries, but if using frozen mixed berries, do not let them thaw out. I suggest adding another half tablespoon of cornstarch as well if you choose to use frozen berries.
• Granulated sugar– granulated sugar crystals are the perfect size to quickly dissolve when baking, complement the natural sugars in the berries and also balance the acidity.
• Cornstarch– in fruity desserts like this cobbler, cornstarch helps to thicken the fruit mixture, avoiding a runny filling.
• Lemon zest– often even more lemony than the juice itself, lemon zest adds a zing to baked goods.
• Lemon juice, fresh squeezed- while there is plenty of internet-based debate on whether to use fresh squeezed or bottled lemon juice, I prefer the brightness of fresh squeezed lemon.
• Vanilla extract– Vanilla is a natural choice for flavor, but almond works well too.

For the topping:

• All-purpose flour– made from a mix of hard and soft wheat, all-purpose flour is ideal for most baking projects. Make sure to check your flour to ensure that it is, indeed, all-purpose, and not self-rising.
• Granulated sugar- did you know that in the 12th century sugar was used for medicinal purposes? In England, sugar was used to help cure or alleviate a number of ailments including stomach issues, chapped lips, and fevers. I like to use it to cure my mood after a tough day!
• Light brown sugar– using brown sugar helps baked goods to stay moist so you wind up with a soft, dense final product. Packing the brown sugar is an important step to make sure your cobbler is as sweet as it should be.
• Lemon zest- Lemon zest provides a super clean lemon flavor without the tartness of lemon juice. Use a zester to get the best fine bits.
• Baking powder- baking powder is the leavening ingredient in the recipe and is partially responsible for the topping’s light texture.
• Baking soda– baking soda also plays a part in helping to create the perfect texture for this topping. Make sure to use both the baking soda and the baking powder to get that texture, but also to retain all of the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Fine sea salt- using fine sea salt means the crystals will dissolve quickly when mixing.
• Unsalted butter, cold- some baked good recipes call for butter to be closer to room temperature, but since you’ll be cutting the butter into the mixture, you’ll want it to be cold.
• Cold buttermilk- buttermilk works in tandem with the other leavening agents to achieve a light texture and also adds a touch of tang.
• Decorator’s sugar- the size of the grains of this type of sugar add crunch as well as sparkle to the topping. Turbinado is another fantastic crunchy sugar.

This cobbler is also delicious topped with whipped cream, cream fraiche or vanilla bean ice cream.

How To Make Mixed Berry Cobbler

1. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, then set aside. Also preheat the oven.
2. In a large bowl add all of the berries as well as sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Coat all of the berries with sugar by gently stirring to combine. Try to keep the berries as intact as possible, they will break down a bit while baking, so you don’t want that process to happen faster than intended. Spread this into the prepared pan.

3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. To ensure that the dry ingredients are evenly mixed, make sure to break up any clumps from the brown sugar using a fork or other utensil.
4. Before adding the cold butter, either dice it into small pieces or grate it. Then, toss the butter with the flour mixture.
5. Using a pastry cutter, fork or grate the cold butter, cut the butter into the mixture until the butter pieces are pea-sized or smaller. Cutting the butter this way will ensure that perfect flaky texture in the cobbler crust.
6. To create the desired sticky, wet dough, add ⅓ cup of the buttermilk to the mixture. Then, stir it together until combined.

7. Working with a few tablespoons of dough at a time, flatten the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. Then, gently arrange the pieces of dough on top of the berries, leaving some berries exposed for a pretty presentation. This doesn’t need to be perfect, let it be a little haphazard.
8. Using a pastry brush, spread the remaining buttermilk on the dough. This step will help the crust to crisp and brown.
9. Sprinkle the decorator’s sugar on top of the dough. While the purpose of this step is to achieve a sparkling crust once baked, it is okay if some of the sugar lands on the berries as well.

10. Bake for 45-50 minutes. When the mixed berry cobbler is ready to be removed from the oven, the topping will be golden brown and there should be bubbling along the edges. If you are not sure if it is done, you can poke the topping with a toothpick – if it comes out clean, the cobbler is ready.
11. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. The filling may be somewhat thin when it is initially removed from the oven, but it will thicken as it cools. It’s also hot, you don’t want to burn yourself!

Variations

The great part about this cobbler is that you can use it as a base recipe and add or subtract berries to your liking. You need to have 8 cups of berries total, so any mix will work.

If you’re looking to serve this at a party, you may want to keep in mind that some people are not a fan of blackberries. These particular berries tend to have larger seeds which can be hard to eat. If that’s the case, I would recommend leaving the blackberries out and adding more of another berry.

Looking to add more flavor? Have fun experimenting with different extracts! Add ½ teaspoon of almond extract, strawberry extract, orange extract, or lemon extract to the filling for a twist on a traditional cobbler.

What To Serve With Mixed Berry Cobbler

Mixed Berry Cobbler is delicious all on its own, but it can also be paired with some other treats for a decadent dessert:

• Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
• Sweet Cream Cold Brew
• Meringue Ice Cream Cups
• French Martini Cocktail

Storage and Freezing

You can store mixed berry cobbler in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It will also freeze well for up to 3 months.

Other Fruity Dessert Recipes

• Angel Food Strawberry Parfait
• Easy Peach Dump Cake
• Dessert Pizza With Fresh Fruit
• Strawberries and Cream
• Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix

Banana Blondies

Overripe bananas sitting on the counter? These Banana Blondies will come to the rescue. It will become one of your favorite sweet treats!

Old Fashioned Hummingbird Cake

With tropical flavors of banana and pineapple and a hint of cinnamon, this EASY Hummingbird Cake recipe is always a winner!

Apple Nachos

Apple nachos are an easy no-bake dessert featuring crunchy fresh apple slices drizzled with dreamy caramel sauce, marshmallow fluff, mini M&Ms and whipped cream.

Mixed Berry Cobbler

Assorted berries with a tangy biscuit topping, thick, sweet and mildly tangy summer dessert recipe.

2.72 from 76 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: berry cobbler, cobber recipe, mixed berry cobbler, mixed berry cobbler recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Cooling Time:: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 209kcal

Equipment

• Pastry Cutter
• Zester
• 9×13 baking dish

Ingredients

For the cobbler:

• 2 1/2 cups blueberries
• 2 1/2 cups raspberries
• 1 1/2 cups blackberries
• 1 1/2 cups strawberries , sliced
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• zest of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice , fresh squeezed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar , packed
• zest of half a lemon

For the topping:

• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , cold
• 1/3 cup , plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk , divided
• 1 tablespoon decorators sugar or turbinado sugar , optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, sliced strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Toss to coat. Spread the berries into the prepared baking dish.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until it is a sandy mix with no large clumps.
• Add the cold butter, and combine with a pastry cutter or a fork, blending until it is no longer dry and powdery.
• Add ⅓ cup of the buttermilk and stir it together until combined, this will be a sticky, wet dough.
• Take a few tablespoons of the dough and flatten it out to about 1/4 inch thick. Lay the pieces of dough on top of the berries. I like to leave some of the berries exposed for a pretty presentation.
• Brush the dough topping with the remaining buttermilk using a pastry brush. Sprinkle the decorators sugar on top.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and it’s bubbly along the edges.
• Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

I like to serve mine slightly warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 125mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 251IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg