Can I use frozen blackberries?

Yes! Frozen blackberries work beautifully in this recipe. No need to thaw—just toss them directly with the filling ingredients. You may need to add 5–10 minutes to the baking time to ensure the filling gets fully bubbly.

Do I have to use bourbon?

Not at all. You can skip it completely or replace it with a splash of vanilla extract or even a bit of apple juice. The bourbon just adds a subtle depth and warmth that complements the berries and spice.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes—cobblers are great make-ahead desserts. Bake it fully, let it cool, and cover loosely with foil. It’ll keep at room temperature for 2–3 days. You can also gently reheat it in a low oven before serving.

Can I swap the cornmeal biscuit topping for something else?

The cornmeal topping is what makes this version so special, but you can use your favorite biscuit or shortcake topping if preferred. Just be sure to keep the pieces thin so they cook evenly.

Old-Fashioned Southern Blackberry Cobbler

Description

This Old-Fashioned Southern Blackberry Cobbler is everything I’ve ever wanted in a cobbler—and after years of testing, tweaking, and tasting, I can finally say: this is the one.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Biscuit topping

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt -
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white cornmeal
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup chilled buttermilk
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Blackberry filling

32-36 ounces blackberries
1/4 cup bourbon
1 cup granulated sugar
Juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Make the blackberry filling by mixing all the berry filling ingredients in a large bowl and setting aside.
Make the biscuit topping by whisking the flour, sugar, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, and salt together. Then, press the butter pieces into the flour mixture until they are pea-sized and evenly dispersed Stir in buttermilk with a flexible spatula until the entire mixture is hydrated. I will also use my hands to make sure everything is mixed and there are no dry spots.
Pour the berry mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Break off and stretch pieces of the topping so that they are no more than 1/2 inch thick, and cover the top of the berries.
Place on a foil-lined half-sheet pan and bake until biscuits are golden brown and fruit is bubbling hot in very center, about 40-45 minutes. Cool at least an hour before serving, to allow filling to thicken. Covered in foil, leftovers will keep 2 or 3 days at room temperature.