Simple Blackberry Cobbler With Pie Crust Recipe

We are about to introduce you to the holy grail of desserts. It's a recipe that looks super impressive when served, but is actually — as its creator Jaime Shelbert told Mashed — "very easy." Meet the blackberry cobbler with pie crust on top. This sweet, tart, buttery take on pie without a bottom crust is perfect for a summer day according to Shelbert, who blogs at Wholly Nourished. She says her cobbler, which she enjoys making in the summer when the berries are in season in North America, is best served with vanilla ice cream. May we also suggest adding whipped cream?

Meanwhile, fresh berries with a latticed pie crust on top? Sounds indulgent and so worth fixing in the summer — or at any point in the year, since Shelbert told Mashed you can substitute basically any fruit that's in season for the blackberries. "You can definitely switch up the fruit. Peaches, a mixture of berries, blueberries, apples, you name it," she said.

And we promise this is one dessert anyone can quickly master. "Even the lattice topping is easier than you'd think," said Shelbert. 

The shopping list for this blackberry cobbler with pie crust is short and sweet, kind of like the recipe! You will need fresh blackberries, sugar, arrowroot or cornstarch, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Not familiar with arrowroot? It's basically just a thickening agent, like cornstarch, and either works here.  

Finally, Shelbert's recipe calls for an egg, and sugar for dusting the top of your pie crust, which she suggests purchasing prepared versus making yourself. After all, this cobbler is a dessert you want to be able to easily make last minute for a get together, or just because you suddenly decided you needed a sweet treat ASAP!

Your first step to blackberry cobbler glory is to preheat your oven. You will now prepare your pie filling by adding cleaned blackberries, your sugar, and 1 tablespoon of water to a saucepan set over medium-low heat.

Next, mix 2 tablespoons of water with 3 tablespoons of your starch of choice — either the arrowroot or cornstarch. Once the berry mixture comes to a boil, stir in the starch and water mixture. You will then add the lemon zest and juice, returning the mixture to a boil. 

At this point, you want to reduce the heat to low, simmering the berries, sugar, starch, water, and lemon zest and juice until the mixture is thickened. Set the prepared filling aside and turn your attention to the pie crust, which will top your colorful berry filling and wow anyone lucky enough to taste this delicious dessert. 

We love Shelbert's trick for mastering the impressive-looking lattice work that tops this incredibly crave-worthy pie. Step one is to roll out the dough of your prepared pie crust to ⅛-inch in thickness. Now, take a baking dish measuring 8x8 inches, in which you will also bake your cobbler. Now get this: You will press the dish down in the center of the rolled-out dough. This creates a template for cutting the pie strips. Genius right? 

Now, remove the baking dish and grab a pizza cutter. We are ready to make pie strips!

Now, using your pizza cutter, create pie strips that are 1 to 1 ½ inches wide. Shelbert notes that each strip should be 10 inches long, and that you will make eight strips total. 

Next, lay half of the strips on a piece of parchment paper (or a parchment paper replacement like silpat), parallel to one another, and evenly spaced. You will weave the other four strips though the four that you laid out, creating a basketweave pattern. 

Finally, carefully place the dough in the freezer for ten minutes. Why? "The pie strips are easier to transfer on top of the berries when they are chilled and set," Shelbert explained. In the meantime, you can prep your egg wash by combining the egg with the remaining water.

Once 10 minutes are up, you can assemble your cobbler for baking.

To assemble your cobbler, first, pour the berry mixture into the baking dish you used to create your template for the pie strips. Remove the crust from the freezer, gently placing it on top of the berries. Crimp the edges of each strip to the edges of the dish to keep the topping in place during the bake. 

Now, lightly brush the egg wash on the crust, and sprinkle on some sugar for a sweet finishing touch. The cobbler goes into the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, with Shelbert adding that you want the crust to turn golden brown and the berry juices to thicken and start bubbling at the edges. "Just keep an eye on the crust so as not to overcook it," Shelbert cautioned. "I'd start looking at the crust after 20 minutes, and keep an eye on it until 25 minutes."

Then, enjoy with ice cream, whipped cream, or all of the above!