Blackberry Peach Cobbler
This dynamite Blackberry Peach Cobbler features a shattering, crisp cake batter crust that is absolutely irresistible. Serve this easy cobbler recipe with a big scoop of ice cream for a crowd pleasing summer dessert.
If you love cobbler recipes, you’ll also want to check out our Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cobbler and Mocha Chocolate Cobbler!
Magical Crispy Crust Blackberry Peach Cobbler
Cobbler and ice cream is, in my humble opinion, the perfect dessert. It is at once warm and cold, creamy and fluffy, gooey and crisp. It is unpretentious and unfussy, the perfect way to end a summer cookout.
Most traditional cobbler recipes are topped with biscuit dough, but I grew up eating cobbler with cake batter topping, and that’s still what I prefer today.
This Blackberry Peach Cobbler recipe comes from one of my aunts, and it’s topped with lightly sweetened, buttery cake batter that melts into the fruit filling below.
On the surface, this seems like a classic cake batter cobbler, but a special, albeit slightly odd, technique sets it apart.
Set some water to boil and come learn how to make the BEST peach cobbler, with an irresistibly crisp, buttery crust.
Ingredients Needed
- Peaches– You’ll need 4-6 good size peaches, or about 1 1/2 pounds. Look for freestone varieties, such as Contender, to make slicing the peaches much easier. Here’s a full list of freestone peach varieties.
- Blackberries
- Lemon zest + Juice
- Unsalted butter– we almost always use unsalted butter when baking so we can control the amount of salt.
- Pantry staples– flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla.
- Milk– Whole milk is ideal, but 2% also works.
- Boiling water- The key to the crackly sugar crust!
How to Make Blackberry Peach Cobbler
- Make the filling. Line a pan with sliced peaches and blackberries. Sprinkle with the zest of about ½ a lemon, then give the lemon a quick squeeze over the fruit (you want just a teaspoon or two). Sprinkle with sugar then toss together.
- Make the batter. Add the butter and sugar to a stand mixer and cream together for 1-2 minutes. The mixture will still have a sandy texture.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat together until the mixture is crumbly.
- Scrape the bowl, then stir in the vanilla and milk. Increase the speed and beat until the cake batter is light and fluffy. Spread the cake batter over top of the fruit filling.
- Add sugar and boiling water. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the cake batter, then pour the boiling water evenly over the top.
- Bake until bubbly and golden brown.
The Secret to Crisp Cobbler
You’ll notice that up until step four, this seems like a very normal peach cobbler recipe.
That’s where things get a little weird. Stay with me.
Sprinkle the cake batter with a little sugar and bring a ½ cup of water to a boil.
Now, take a deep breath, lay aside all your common sense, and pour the boiling water all over your lovely sugared crust.
It will look like a soupy mess, but do not despair. Pop that pan in the oven (Carefully! It’s a bit sloshy!) and wait for the magic to happen.
After about 45 minutes, you’ll pull out a golden bronze cobbler with a crust that shatters at the tap of a spoon.
The layers of this cobbler are truly a thing of beauty. Crisp, crackly crust gives way to a moist and fluffy cake that melts into sweet, saucy peaches and blackberries.
This cobbler is a full on texture experience.
How to Store Leftover Blackberry Peach Cobbler
Blackberry Peach Cobbler is best served warm, 10-15 minutes out of the oven, with a scoop of ice cream.
Leftover cobbler can be covered and refrigerated for up to five days. Reheat it in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or reheat individual portions in the microwave. The crust will not be quite as crispy reheated, but it will still be delicious.
FAQs
Do you have to peel peaches for peach cobbler?
I typically don’t. Peach skin gets very soft when baked and I don’t find it bothersome at all in cobbler.
Can I use a different combination of fruit in blackberry peach cobbler?
Yes! You can use all blackberries, all peaches, or something of your own creation–raspberries would be another lovely compliment to the peaches, or try nectarines and strawberries! When I use just peaches, I like to add a little cinnamon and omit the lemon juice and zest.
NOTE: If you’re using fruits that are less sweet, you might want to add more sugar. If I’m using all blackberries, I would add ¼-½ cup of sugar to the filling, depending on how sweet the berries are and your personal preference.
How do I get cobbler to be crispy?
The sugar on top of the cake batter is the KEY to the crisp crust. I tried the boiling water technique without the sugar, and it didn’t give the cobbler that lovely crackling crust.
When adding the boiling water, go slowly and try to wet as much of the sugar as you can.
What’s the difference between cobbler and crisp?
Cobbler typically has a cake-like or biscuit topping, while crisps have a crumbly butter and flour based topping made with or without oats. If you’re looking for a crisp or crumble topping, try this Nectarine, Cherry, and Strawberry Crisp or this Apple and Blackberry Crumble.
Try These Other Fruit Desserts!
Blackberry Peach Cobbler
This lovely Blackberry Peach Cobbler is topped with a fluffy cake batter and drizzled with boiling water to create the most incredible crisp, crackly crust.
Ingredients
For the fruit:
- 1 1/2 pounds peaches (4-5 medium peaches), pitted and sliced
- 6 ounces blackberries
- 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
- Zest from 1/2 a lemon
- Squeeze lemon juice
For the cake topping:
- 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Grease a 9 inch square pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Add the peaches and blackberries to the square pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar, lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss together.
- In an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until they're combined with a sandy texture, about 2 minutes.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and beat until crumbly, another minute. Slowly pour in the vanilla and milk and stir until incorporated, then increase the speed and beat until the batter is smooth and fluffy.
- Spread the cake batter evenly over the fruit. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar on top. Slowly pour the boiling water over top, wetting as much of the sugar as you can.
- Place the pan on the lined baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to set up for 10-15 minutes, then serve warm with ice cream.
Notes
If you're using all blackberries or another tart fruit, add 1/4-1/2 cup of sugar to the fruit before topping with the cake batter.
Leftover cobbler can be reheated in the oven, though it won't retain its crispy texture.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 260Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 398mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 4gSugar: 45gProtein: 4g
Please note nutritional information for my recipes is calculated by a third party service and provided as a courtesy to my readers. For the most accurate calculation, I always recommend running the numbers yourself with the specific products you use.
Can I substitute Coconut sugar for the topping?
Does white, brown, or coconut sugar all work equally well?
I want to make this for Easter dessert!
The coconut sugar should work fine in this recipe. Hope it’s a bit hit!
I’m really excited to try this! Question, in the pic with the sugar on the cake mix right before adding the water, it looks like brown sugar not regular. Do you use brown sugar for this recip?
Great question as that picture is kind of confusing! I use granulated sugar for the cake batter portion, and you can use granulated or brown sugar for the sprinkling on top. 🙂
Perfection, loved this recipe made it with canned sliced peaches and frozen mixed berries which is what I had on hand. Loved it!
Wonderful. I am so glad you liked it! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment. I’m excited to hear that the frozen berries and canned peaches worked. That means I can enjoy this in the winter too!
This looks fantastic. I’ve been making cobblers like crazy, and yours sounds soooo good right now. And I agree, cobblers must be eaten warm. Totally. And always come with ice cream 🙂
I totally agree with serving warm cobbler with ice cream! Don’t you just love cobbler and how you can use whatever fresh fruit you have?
First – your photos of this dish are seriously gorgeous. I am drooling at the sight of this cobbler. Second – I’m pretty sure my husband would go nuts for this dessert! His favorite berry is blackberry…he keeps saying we should plant a bush or two in our yard!
Thanks Katie! I’m sure this dessert would be a hit. You could leave out the peaches and do all blackberries for a super blackberry treat!
I love cobbler this way!
Love your story when you were a kid with your blackberry bushes. . so fun! and yes, I agree! Cobbler is the best because of the warm and cold. . yummm! This cobbler looks perfect and I love that it’s your aunt’s! 🙂
Thanks Alice. I love being able to share family recipes. They’re the best!
I have never liked biscuit cobblers, so I avoid cobblers altogether because I thought that was the only option. Now I can have cobbler! I love fresh picked blackberries – my dad picks them for me every year.
For sure! There is another way!
What a perfect recipe! Cobblers equal love… well, at least in my mind!!!
I couldn’t agree more.
I agree with you, I like my cobblers a bit saltier too!
Yummy! Thanks for stopping by.
This looks amazing. Cobbler is always a favorite, and I agree with every one of your tips on eating it. You must have that perfect ratio!
This is very similar to our peach cobbler recipe and it is sooooooo good. I love the warm, slightly gooey cake with the fruit. YUM!
I know, right?! It’s the best!
Damn girl, this looks ridiculously good. And you’re right – it’s the perfect, light, hot ‘n cold dessert. I loved everything about this post, especially your cobbler eating technique – being caught in a never ending cobbler-and-ice cream eating cycle sounds like all kinds of right to me!
Thanks Nancy! That’s the kind of cycle I want to be in.
Love the combo of blackberry and peach! And nothing beats a warm fruit cobbler with ice cream as a summer dessert!
I couldn’t agree more.
There is nothing like warm sweet fruit with pastry topping. Love that you have it on top and bottom. I have fond memories of picking blackberries too- thanks for that reminder- and YES! There MUST be ice cream!!
It’s such a great memory. Makes me want to plant some blackberry bushes in my tiny little backyard!
Love your technique!
Cobblers of any sort (well, plus fruit pies and crumbles) are my favorite summer desserts. This sounds awesome. I love the cakey bottom/top – must try!
This is a lovely southern-style cobbler! Blackberry is Michael’s favorite too! I prefer the cake-like topping too, but a lot of what you see here in Texas is almost like a pie crust on top. I could go for a huge bowl of your cobbler with some Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla right now!
I think I would like a pie crust top as well, but to me that’s pie not cobbler! I’m definitely all about the cake crust!
What fabulous childhood memories. Your recipe and tips for this comforting cobbler are very much appreciated. (And the recipe has been saved.) Thank you!
Thank you! I hope they come in handy!
Haha, I love your cobbler “rules,” and I agree with every single one of them 🙂
This is the cobbler I have been waiting for! Somewhere, many moons ago, I had a cobbler with a cobbler “crust” on the top and bottom and I loved it. Thank you for posting. Now, I just need more berries.
I hope this fits the bill! I love what the top and bottom crust lends to the texture of this cobbler!
I don´t think my frozen blackberries from last summer are enough, but I´m pinning this recipe! I adore blackberries, and with a crust and ice cream, well, it really is the bomb. I also pour cold cream, directly from the carton too. It pools with the berries and it´s wonderful!
Yes! Sometimes I do milk or cream as well. As long as you’ve got that cool something to contrast the warm cobbler- it’s just perfect!
I love cobbler so much I can’t even stand it! Love your fruit combo!
Oh, man, I love berry desserts…and blackberry cobbler has just moved to the top of my favorites. It looks amazing!
Wow, does that look good. Love the combination of fruit!!
I love cobbler!!Its my favorite dessert and I also love the cake like version better than the biscuit one 🙂 So yummy with blackberries and beautiful pics too 🙂
Thanks Soni! I think you’ll love this version then!
I LOVE cobbler!!! I’m seriously going to have to go get some berries now!
I agree. There must always be ice cream with cobbler. Always.
Love your cobbler and love the idea of blackberries and peaches! Yum!