Easy Skillet Blackberry Cobbler

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Put those fresh summer berries to delicious use with our Easy Skillet Blackberry Cobbler! Packed with fresh berries and topped with a simple but delicious cake-like topping, this skillet dessert is our healthier take on this classic!

blackberry cobbler in a skillet with vanilla ice cream on top.

Even with the summer break starting to wrap up and the school year right around the corner, the blackberries on our property are in full swing! Since we’ve already filled our pantry with our normal go-to school year staple, it was time for a fun new blackberry dessert. Welcome our new Easy Skillet Blackberry Cobbler! Unlike the cobbler your grandmother may have made, this berry-packed dessert is easily made in a skillet and is a lighter, healthier take that’s downright delicious, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

What is a Cobbler?

Quite simply, a cobbler is a fruit-based dessert with a batter topping instead of a crust found in a pie. Unlike crisps or crumbles, cobblers have more of a biscuit or shortbread-like batter found on the top and (in the south) sometimes on the bottom, as well. Think berry bottom and tender (not crispy or crumbly) dough on top. Most often baked in a dish, our version of this classic uses our favorite cast iron skillet, because it’s just so darn pretty to serve a dessert in. But you could of course also make this blackberry cobbler in a baking dish.

Ingredients Needed

bowl of flour, blackberries, milk, spices, sugar, lemon juice, and butter labeled.

Blackberries – A key ingredient to this cobbler! We also love this with blueberries, too!
Flour – We use all-purpose flour for this one, but you could easily make this gluten-free by using a 1:1 gluten-free flour, too.
Sugar – We use a touch of sugar with the berries and in the dough. Not a lot though, just enough to give the dough a little sweetness and let the natural flavors of the blackberries shine through.
Baking Powder – The leavening agent for the simple batter to rise just a bit when baked.
Milk – To create this straightforward batter. We use 2%, but you can also use whole.
Spices – Cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Just the right spices to highlight the berries and tie it all together.
Lemon Juice and Vanilla Extract – A touch of acidity to the berries and a vanilla highlight.
Butter – We keep this dessert low-fat by using butter only to grease the skillet!

Easy to Make

picture with 4 bowls, one with berries topped with spices, flour with cinnamon, and then bowls of the flour with milk added then mixed into a batter.

Two of the most important things when it comes to a delicious summer dessert? Fresh fruit and ease! And this one has both. It all comes together so incredibly easily with just a mix of the berries with spices, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and just a touch of sugar, and then a mix of the easier-than-pie (literally) batter.

two pictures of a cast iron skillet, one with a hand a some butter and then it all greased.

The first step is to grease your cast iron skillet. While we call this a skillet cobbler, you can of course use a baking dish too, we just love an excuse to serve a dessert in one of our favorite pans. And surprisingly, this is the only butter used in this recipe, making this Easy Skillet Blackberry Cobbler a healthier lower fat (just as much flavor) option!

two pictures of blackberries in a cast iron skillet and then a spoon with batter on the blackberries.

Now for the quick and easy assembly of adding the berries (but reserving a few for on top) to the greased skillet in a nice even layer before scooping the batter right on top.

two pictures of an uncooked cobbler and then a baked cobbler in a cast iron skillet.

Add that batter however you’d like and then sprinkle on the reserved blackberries and bake! When done, that batter will be nicely puffed up with a delicious berry-soaked bottom and tender crumb.

Add some of your favorite vanilla ice cream on top and this Easy Skillet Blackberry Cobbler is ready to serve!

a spoon scooping out some blackberry cobbler from a skillet.

Again, this may not be exactly like the cobbler you grew up eating, but if you’re looking for a delicious baked dessert with a fruit layer topped with a tender fruit-soaked cake topping, that just so happens to be a tad healthier, then this Easy Skillet Blackberry Cobbler is for you!

a picture with a piece taken out of a skillet with blackberry cobbler.

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a slice of a cobbler with ice cream and berries in front of a cast iron skillet with cobbler.

Recipe Tips

Don’t over-mix the batter

For this cake like topping, this batter is really simple and the fat of it comes from the milk. It only needs to be mixed just enough to be combined, otherwise, if you mix it too much, it will overdevelop the gluten and can cause a dense cake.

Layer batter, don’t mix

For the skillet cobbler, all you need to do is layer that thick batter right on top of the blackberries. Don’t mix, just layer and then finish with a few reserved blackberries. The cake will bake with those blackberries right underneath.

No cast iron skillet, no problem

You can use a 9X13 baking dish, too. Or, for a thicker berry layer, you can also use a 10″ cast iron skillet.

a plate of cobbler with a spoon in front of a cast iron with the cobbler.

Easy Skillet Blackberry Cobbler, an easy way to turn those “invasive” blackberries into something delicious!

Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, I n stagram, and Pinterest!

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