Blackberry Cobbler: Southern Summer Memories

This easy blackberry cobbler recipe is full of plump berries and sweet dumplings that simmer along with a red wine blend until they come together in a thick, sweet compote. The red wine blend enhances the flavor of the berries and brings out bright flavors that keeps this classic southern dessert from being too sweet. Just add a buttery lattice top and bake to sweet perfection! 

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For this recipe you'll need: flour, sugar, salt, butter, vanilla, ice water, fresh blackberries, merlot or a red blend wine

Southern Blackberry Cobbler Is a Bite of Summer

Say blackberry cobbler and you'll stir up some sweet summer memories for many of us. Actually, here in Texas blackberry season is more of a late spring thing but since it's usually 90 degrees in April I suppose you could call it summer, right?

Cobbler recipes are one of those things that families in the south will go to war over. I am almost positive the whole Hatfield and McCoy feud was ignited by a vicious cobbler disagreement.

• One crust or two?
• Pie crust or biscuit crust...or crumble crust?
• Dumplings IN the filling or no?
• Shortening or butter?

Oh honey, it gets intense!

To my mind a cobbler has one flaky pie crust made with butter AND a few squares of pie crust need to be tossed in the filling as it's simmering. The dumplings help thicken it AND they make that quintessential southern recipe stretch to feed a crowd.

While the dumplings are simmering they absorb some of the flavors of the blackberries and, in this case, wine. The texture gets a little doughy and a little chewy. It's so dang good.

But Is THIS Cobbler Recipe Springtime Light and Healthy?

Well, define light and healthy.

In this part of the country, where we deep fry butter and chicken-fry bacon, I'd say that this extravagantly luscious blackberry cobbler is a light and healthy dessert.

You see, normally I'll add a little citrus to my blackberry filling for pies and cobblers. It balances the sweet and brings out all of the flavor. This time I decided to use the wine instead of the citrus and I promise you I won't make it any other way ever again!

The dark fruit flavors in the wine enhance the blackberries and do all the work of the citrus I was using while adding an entirely new level of flavor. Next time I'm going to reduce the water and increase the wine a bit.

Blackberry Cobbler Hints, Tips, and Tricks

This is an easy recipe but there are a few little tricks to make it easier, better, or just different. Sometimes this section is called Cook's Notes. 

• Some people abhor pie crust on a cobbler. If you are one of them you can make this with your favorite biscuit crust and roll a bit of it real thin for the dumplings.
• If you are in a hurry use bought pie dough from the grocery store. If you don't tell I won't.
• You can use frozen blackberries as well - in a pinch you can use canned pie filling.
• Make sure the pastry is icy cold before you try to use it. When I made this I was stopping every few minutes to take pictures and the pastry got warm so it was very hard to work with.
• If you want a really pretty lattice you need to get one of the ruffly edged cutters.
• You could make this same recipe with peaches and chardonnay.
• This freezes well, baked or unbaked. Nice to have on hand for unexpected company!
• Brush some melted butter over the top of the pastry and sprinkle with sugar before baking. It gives it a delicately crumbly sugar layer that's yum.
• Some people like it warm with ice cream or whipped cream. I personally like it with plain cream poured over the top.

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If you like classic (and updated!) southern desserts as much as I do then you'll likely love this Daisy Cakes Bakes cookbook where the writing is as good as the recipes. 🙂

Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler Recipe

Y'all. This blackberry cobbler recipe is seriously good stuff. I had a friend that was driving down to College Station where #6 child is going to A & M and I had her take him a container of it. We all know there's nothing like a little bit of mom's homecooking now and then, right? 🙂

You may also like this bourbon peach cobbler!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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