Skillet Blueberry Cobbler is one of the best desserts you can make - it's sweet, slightly tart, has great texture, so easy, and baked right in a cast iron skillet! Top with scoops of vanilla ice cream and it's sure to be a favorite.
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Key ingredients and substitutions
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen both work! I prefer fresh, though.
- Unsalted butter: Unsalted is always best for baking so you can control the salt content. You could use salted butter instead, but if you do reduce the added salt to ¼ tsp.
- All purpose flour: This is my go-to baking flour. I have not tried with other flours so cannot guarantee good results.
- Granulated sugar + light brown sugar: I love the combination of both these sugars in this recipe – using both adds great flavor.
- Whole milk: I like the creaminess of whole milk, but you could sub low-fat milk instead if needed.
- Lemon zest and juice: Using both the lemon juice and lemon zest really brings through the flavor and balances the sweetness.
Kitchen tools you'll need
- 2 mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Zester
- 10-inch cast iron skillet
- Pairing knife
What is a cobbler and how is it different from a crisp or crumble?
A cobbler is a baked fruit dessert with either a thick, biscuit-like dough or thinner cake-like batter baked with the fruit. The cake-like batter version is more often found in the South and considered more old-fashioned. For this skillet blueberry cobbler recipe, we're use the old fashioned cobbler method!
A crisp and a crumble are more or less one and the same. Essentially, they are fruit baked with a crumbly topping comprised of butter, flour, and sugar (sometimes with the addition of oats, nuts, and other ingredients). Crumbles tend to have the topping clumped together a bit more than a crisp.
You can read more about this here.
The easiest ways to zest a lemon
Zesting a lemon can be quick and easy, here's some tips on how to do it most efficiently. First, for any of these methods, you'll want to make sure you clean your lemon to remove any wax coating that may have been on there.
- Using a zester: Holding the zester in one hand and the lemon in the other, put the lemon against the zester and move the lemon away from you in quick motions, turning it after every one. Do this until there are no more yellow spots. If the zest sticks to the zester, give it a tap on your surface and it should release.
- Using a peeler: Holding the peeler in one hand and the lemon in the other, the same way you would peel skin off a potato, peel the zest off of the lemon in slow downward motions. You'll need to slice the peels afterwards if you use this method.
What's the benefit of using a cast iron skillet for this recipe?
A cast iron skillet is one of my most-used kitchen tools because it's so versatile. It keeps heat so well, and if seasoned properly is beautifully non-stick.
For this recipe in particular, I love using a cast iron skillet because it gives the cobbler nice crispy edges, bakes it evenly, is both the baking dish and the serving dish, and you can cook it in your oven or in a grill with a lid.
If you're worried about clean-up, here's a quick article on how to care for your cast iron.
How to make Skillet Blueberry Cobbler
- Step 1: In your mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Work these together with your hands until fragrant.
- Step 2: Add the flour, light brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and whisk to combine.
- Step 3: Add the milk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice, whisk to combine.
- Step 4: In the separate mixing bowl, combine the blueberries with 1 tbsp granulated sugar.
- Step 5: Once your oven is preheated to 350℉ place the butter in your cast iron skillet and place the skillet into the oven to melt the butter.
- Step 6: Once the butter is melted, take the skillet out of the oven, pour in the batter, smooth it to the edges.
- Step 7: Top with the sugared blueberries, and sprinkle 2 tbsp granulated sugar evenly over the top.
- Step 8: Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
FAQs
Absolutely can!
Yes, I'd recommend strawberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries.
The recipe is just as delicious if made in an 8x8 baking dish.
Let it cool to room temp then store in an air tight container in the fridge (because there's fruit). Best eaten in 2-3 days.
Yes, cook it and allow it to cool to room temperature, remove from the skillet, and transfer it in a freezer safe container or bag. It'll be good for 2 months.
The all time best is vanilla ice cream of course. But you could also do a sprinkle of powdered sugar, dollops of whipped cream, or a quick lemon glaze (mix powdered sugar + lemon juice until you reach your desired consistency).
More blueberry recipes
- Mini Strawberry and Blueberry Galettes
- Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf Cake
- Homemade Blueberry Pop Tarts with Lemon Glaze
Recipe
Skillet Blueberry Cobbler
INGREDIENTS
Batter:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest about 1 lemon
- 2 tsp lemon juice about 1 lemon
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
Blueberry filling/topping:
- 2 cups fresh blueberries about 1 pint
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar separated - 1 tbsp tossed with the blueberries, 2 tbsp to sprinkle on top
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- In your mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and lemon zest. Work these together with your hands until fragrant - this infuses the sugar with the lemon zest.
- To the same mixing bowl with the lemon sugar, add the flour, light brown sugar, salt, baking powder and whisk together until combined.
- To the flour mixture, add the milk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice - whisk to until smooth.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the blueberries with 1 tbsp granulated sugar.
- Once your oven is preheated to 350℉ place the 6 tbsp of butter in your cast iron skillet and place the skillet into the oven to melt the butter.
- Once the butter is melted, take the skillet out of the oven, pour in the batter, smooth it to the edges.
- Top with the blueberries and sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp granulated sugar evenly over the top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
NOTES
- This can also be made in an 8x8 baking dish
- You can sub frozen blueberries
how much butter should be used? This looks delicious and am excited to use it but didn't see it listed as ingredient! Looks like from the picture 6 tbsp?
Yes 6 tbsp unsalted butter! Thank you for catching that, just updated the recipe card 🙂