This warm, comforting blackberry pear cobbler can be made with fresh or frozen blackberries and you can make them as individual servings or in one large dish.
This delicious blackberry cobbler is the perfect dessert to sink in to on the cooler nights of September. With a little added pear (or you could also use apple) for extra flavour and texture and a golden, scone-like cobbler topping on top.
I love to make individual blackberry cobblers, as they just seem more special and are no more work than making one large cobbler.
This cobbler is wonderful enjoyed on its own, or top it with a dollop of creme fraiche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients and substitutions
Blackberries – you can use either fresh or frozen blackberries for this cobbler. If using frozen, you’ll want to set them to thaw in a colander and drain off the excess liquid before mixing up the filling.
Pear – I’ve used a Bosc pear that was nice and ripe and soft, so I cut it into a larger dice as it was already soft. If your pear is more firm, a smaller dice works better. If pears are not available, apple works nicely as well. Use a sweet, softer apple and dice a little smaller, so it will be sure to soften nicely in the 30-minute cook time.
Sour Cream – Full-fat (14% b.f.) sour cream is recommended. I haven’t tested any substitutions, but full-fat plain Greek yogurt may work in a pinch.
How to make blackberry pear cobbler
Step 1: Make the blackberry filling, by stirring together the filling ingredients. Set aside while you make the cobbler dough.
Step 2: Make the cobbler dough by whisking together the dry ingredients. Add the cold butter and rub into the flour mixture, then add the sour cream. Stir until you have a shaggy, moist dough. Dump the dough out onto a floured work surface. Pat into a ball, then roll out into a circle about 9-inches round.
Step 3: Cut 4 or 5 rounds from the dough, then you can re-roll the scraps and cut an additional 1 or 2 rounds from the dough. Place one round on top of each individual cobbler, or place the rounds on top of the filling if making one large cobbler.
Recipe tips!
- You can make this cobbler in individual portions, as I have done here, or bake it up as one large cobbler. It will work the same either way. For individual dishes, cut your cobbler dough to fit your dishes, leaving a 1/2-inch or so around the outside. I used a 3-inch cutter for my dishes here.
- For one large cobbler, go for a dish about 9-inches square or round, or a similar shallow baking dish that will hold all the fruit comfortably. Then, simply cut rounds of dough as for the individual dishes, and arrange them on top of the fruit, leaving some space between them.
- If your dish or dishes seem full, be sure to bake on top of a baking sheet to catch any bubble-overs of the fruit mixture.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This cobbler is best enjoyed freshly baked, but leftovers will keep covered and refrigerated. This cobbler should also freeze well.
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Get the Recipe: Blackberry Cobbler
Ingredients
Blackberry Filling:
- 4 1/2 cups blackberries, fresh or frozen blackberries that have been thawed and drained (about 1 1/2 pints, for fresh)
- 1 cup pear, peeled, cored and diced, see Note 1 below
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, optional
Cobbler Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, reduce to 1/4 tsp if using salted butter
- 6 Tablespoons butter, cold, cut into 6 pieces
- 1/2 cup sour cream, full fat recommended
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Egg wash:
- 1 large egg, mixed with 1 Tbsp water
- White or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling top before baking
Instructions
- *If using frozen blackberries, you’ll need to thaw them ahead in a colander, draining off and discarding any excess liquid, before mixing up the filling.
- Preheat oven to 375F. (regular bake setting/non-convection/not fan-assisted).
- Prepare the filling by stirring together the filling ingredients.
- Divide filling between 5-6 ramekins or place it all into one larger baking, shallow baking dish, about 9×9-inches or similar size. Don’t go too big with your baking pan, or your filling will be quite thin once cooked. So make sure the filling fills the pan nicely and has some height, as it will reduce in height after it is baked. Set aside while you make the cobbler dough.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butt and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have an even crumb, with some pea-sized pieces.
- In a measuring cup, stir together the sour cream, baking soda and vanilla. Pour the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture and use a fork to mix until the flour is moistened.
- Pour dough out onto a floured work surface and pan dough into a flat round, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into about a 9-inch circle. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut rounds from the dough. Place one round on top of the fruit if using individual dishes, or cut 5-6 from the dough and place randomly over-top of the fruit if making one large dish.
- Brush top of dough rounds with egg wash and sprinkle with a bit of white or turbinado sugar. Place the ramekins or baking dish on top of a baking sheet (to catch any bubble-overs).
- Bake in preheated oven for 28-30 minutes or until fruit is bubbly and cobbler dough is golden.
Notes
More blackberry recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
This was a lovely dessert! I had some blackberries to use up and added some apple, as it was what I had on hand. Delicious.
So glad to hear, Hannah! Thanks so much :)
Hello, Thank you for so many recipes that I have been enjoying. Grilling large pieces of vegetables dry, then cutting up and dressing is genius. My grilled veggies used to be too oily, this is a perfect technique and one that I had never run across.
This cobbler recipe is nice, I like the individuals. I have several sizes of ramekins and they probably will all work but why reinvent, your portions look good. Can you tell me size either in volume or just measurements, depth would help. Thanks for a great site.
Denise, Venice, Fl
Thanks so much, Den and so glad you are enjoying the grilled vegetables. They get me through the Summer :) I just went and measured these ramekins. They are 2-inches tall and 4-inches in diameter. Enjoy!