Easy Dewberry Cobbler Recipe

Blackberries grow year round across the U.S., but their peak season is summer, according to Specialty Produce, which means that summer is also the peak season for fresh blackberry pies, compotes, jams, and the like. The dewberry, by contrast, which could legitimately be described as the blackberry's "wild" cousin (because dewberries tend to grow in thickets in the wild), peaks in midspring, according to Pop Shop America. What that means is that blackberry fans who live in an area where dewberries grow wild (throughout the South, including the Southwest) get an additional couple of months in which to enjoy these plump, sweet and slightly tart, reddish-purple berry-like fruits – as long as you freeze them to keep them fresh for longer. And right now, we're about to give you the best possible reason for doing so: this dewberry cobbler recipe that comes to us from recipe developer and private practice registered dietician Kristen Carli.

"I love cobblers because they are truly delicious, highlight amazing fruits, and do not require perfection during the preparation," Carli explains. Although Carli lives in Arizona, where dewberries grow in abundance in the spring, she does recognize that for many people, dewberries might be challenging to locate. In that case, "you can absolutely substitute frozen blackberries, which are available nationwide," she recommends. Additionally, she points out that "this cobbler recipe would work for any other fruits as well — peaches, blueberries, cherries, etc. It is a versatile recipe!"

To make Carli's recipe for dewberry cobbler, you'll need to start with 2 ½ cups of dewberries — fresh or frozen. If you can't find either, and since blackberries and dewberries look and taste so much alike (via Our Everyday Life), you should feel free to sub in blackberries for dewberries. You'll hardly even notice the difference, Carli assures us. Whichever of these two tartly sweet berry-like fruits you end up using, you'll need to start by heating yours up with ½ cup of granulated sugar before adding it to the cobbler (as discussed below). For the cobbler base, you'll need 1 cup of all-purpose flour (fluff it up and avoid packing when you measure it, Carli advise), 2 teaspoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, 1 cup of whole milk, and 1 stick of unsalted butter (which you will need to melt). You'll also need some cooking spray.

In terms of tools, you'll need a stockpot in which to par-cook the dewberries with the sugar, a mixing bowl, and an 8x8-inch baking pan in which to bake your dewberry cobbler. Optional toppings include ice cream and whipped cream.

Before you do anything else, start by preheating your oven to that pie-baking sweet spot that is 375 F. While your oven is heating, spritz some non-stick spray on an 8x8-inch baking pan. Now, grab a large stockpot. Put the dewberries into the stockpot, and add the sugar. Turn your heat source to medium, and let the berry and sugar mixture heat up, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. You'll know when you're done when your dewberry start releasing their juices, and the mixture starts to look "syrupy," as Carli explains.

In case you're wondering, this process is known as "par-cooking," and Carli explains that it helps to keep the berries, which release a lot of liquids as they cook, from creating the dreaded "soggy bottom" for your cobbler. Additionally, it gives frozen berries a head start in the cooking process.

Immediately turn off the heat source under the stock pot, and set the dewberry-and-sugar mixture down on a heat-proof surface to rest. Now, use your microwave to melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup (this should take no longer than 30 seconds). Then add that melted butter and the milk to the dry ingredients to form a batter-like dough. Pour this batter into your pre-sprayed baking pan. This will be your dewberry cobbler's "crust." 

There's just one thing left to do now before it's time to set your dewberry cobbler in the oven to bake, and that is to gently spoon the warm berries and sugar mixture over the batter. There's no real trick to this, by the way, other than committing to doing so decisively. Slide the pan into the oven, which hopefully now has preheated to 375 F. Set a timer for 40 minutes. If at the end of the 40 minutes, the dewberry mixture is bubbling, then you're good to take it out of the oven. If not, give it another five minutes. 

Serve this dewberry cobbler warm with optional toppings such as whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or Bavarian cream.