Southern Blueberry Cobbler Recipe

While summer is the ultimate time to savor desserts made with seasonal fruit, you don't have to limit yourself to when the fresh stuff is in season. Jessica Morone, Tasting Table recipe developer and food photographer of Jess Loves Baking, proves that you can make all of your favorites with frozen produce too. Case in point: This Southern blueberry cobbler recipe will satisfy all of your fruit-loving dreams. 

Aside from the sweet fruity nature of it, Morone is a big fan of the topping and explains, "I love the addition of the cornmeal because it makes it more of a cross between a biscuit topping and a cornbread topping." Using simple pantry ingredients with the added touch of blueberries, this versatile dessert is delicious as an afternoon snack with tea or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream after a meal. And since you don't have to rely on fresh fruit, you can whip this up at any time of the year. Let this delicious Southern blueberry cobbler inspire future creations! 

This recipe relies on common pantry staples and a few extras. You'll need unsalted butter, blueberries (Morone notes that either fresh or frozen are fine), sugar, a lemon (for both the juice and zest), all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal (fine to coarse depending on your preference), baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and turbinado sugar. 

In case you have any allergies, Morone notes that a gluten-free flour blend can be used instead, and a dairy-free butter and milk option (mixed with lemon juice to make a buttermilk substitute) can be swapped in. Meanwhile, if you don't have turbinado, she recommends replacing it with light brown or demerara sugar. As for the cornmeal, Morone explains that "it makes the biscuit topping a bit firmer and it a bit more of a crunch," so don't miss out on this delicious twist. Finally, you'll want to plan to have vanilla ice cream in your freezer, because the combination is just right. 

Set out a 13x9-inch baking pan to start, then cut a ½ cup of unsalted butter into smaller pieces. Place them evenly on the surface of the pan, then pop it into the oven and set it to preheat to 375 F. Once the butter has melted across the surface (it will happen quickly), cautiously remove the dish from the oven and set it aside. 

Morone notes that this method of melting butter "is pretty traditional in the south." Don't turn the oven off just yet — you'll be baking the cobbler in no time.

Grab a large bowl and toss in 6 cups of blueberries, 1 cup of sugar, ¼ cup of flour, and 1 tablespoon each of lemon juice and lemon zest. Give the ingredients a good stir to coat them evenly in the mixture.

Grab a second bowl and add in ½ cup of sugar, 1¼ cups of flour, ⅓ cup of yellow cornmeal, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, ¼ teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Whisk the ingredients, then add in 1 ½ cups of buttermilk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and continue to whisk the contents until the result is smooth.

You're ready to assemble the cobbler. Start by transferring the blueberry mixture into the buttery baking dish. Make sure the fruit is evenly distributed across the base. Next, pour the batter on top, spreading it out so that the surface is uniform. Finally, sprinkle ½ tablespoon of turbinado sugar over the batter for a sweet crunch.

Move the cobbler to an oven rack and bake it for 40 to 45 minutes. Keep an eye on it as it approaches an end. Morone explains that you'll know the cobbler is done baking when it's "golden brown on top and the blueberry filling is bubbly." This Southern blueberry cobbler is best served warm from the oven, with an extra scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate treat.

As for the leftovers, Morone advises keeping it covered at room temperature for up to two days, but claims that "it is much better refrigerated when it can last up to five days."