Forget pies, y’all. Cobblers are where it’s at. This Lemon Berry Cobbler is probably one of the easiest, most satisfying desserts you can make. The bottom fruit layer only takes about a minute to mix together (thanks to frozen berries) and the top layer, which is like a sweet biscuit, takes just a few minutes more. The combination of sweet and tart flavors in this super fast and easy Lemon Berry Cobbler is the perfect end to any meal. (Or a wonderfully sinful breakfast, but I didn’t say that.)
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What is a Cobbler?
Cobbler is often confused with crumbles or crisps, which are similar desserts with different toppings. Cobblers are a saucy fruit filling poured into a casserole dish and topped with a biscuit-like topping. For this particular cobbler, I used frozen berries and a lemon infused sweet biscuit topping. Absolutely delicious!
How to Serve Cobblers
Cobblers are best served warm, with a scoop of cold ice cream on top for a delicious contrast between tart and creamy flavors, and cold and hot temperatures.
How to Store Leftover Lemon Berry Cobbler
If you can’t finish the entire cobbler in one setting (that isn’t meant as a challenge 😅), let the cobbler cool to room temperature to avoid condensation, then cover and refrigerate for later.
Lemon Berry Cobbler
Servings 4Ingredients
BERRY LAYER
- 12 oz. frozen mixed berries, thawed ($3.27)
- 1/4 cup sugar ($0.03)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.06)
- 1 fresh lemon ($0.69)
BISCUIT TOPPING
- 1 cup all-purpose flour ($0.14)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.08)
- 1/4 cup sugar ($0.03)
- 1/8 tsp salt ($0.01)
- 4 Tbsp cold butter ($0.36)
- 5 Tbsp milk* ($0.11)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Use a zester, microplane, or small-holed cheese grater to remove the zest from the lemon.
- Place the thawed berries in a bowl and add the sugar, cornstarch, about 1/2 tsp of the zest, and 1 Tbsp of the lemon juice. Stir to combine. Pour the prepared berries and all the juices into a small casserole dish (4 cup capacity).
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and another 1/2 tsp of the lemon zest. Cut the butter into small pieces, then add it to the flour mixture. Use your hands to work the butter into the flour until the butter is in very small pieces and the mixture resembles damp sand. Add the milk and stir until a slightly sticky dough forms.
- Drop the biscuit dough onto the berries in small pieces. It’s okay if the dough does not completely cover the berries.
- Bake the cobbler in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the berries are bubbling up around the edges. To prevent messes from the berry juices bubbling over, place the casserole dish on a baking sheet covered with parchment to catch any spills.
- Serve warm topped with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Garnish with any remaining lemon zest.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Lemon Berry Cobbler – Step by Step Photos
Begin by preheating the oven to 425ºF. Then use a microplane, zester, or small-holed cheese grater to remove the zest from the lemon (the thin yellow part of the peel — try to avoid getting the bitter white part).
Add 12oz. frozen mixed berries, 1/4 cup sugar, 1.5 Tbsp cornstarch, about 1/2 tsp of the lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp of the lemon juice to a medium bowl. Stir everything together until well mixed. Let the berries thaw (if not already). You can let the berries thaw before or after adding these ingredients, but either way, you want to keep all the juices that seep out of the fruit.
Pour the berry mixture and all the juices into a small casserole dish. This dish holds about 4 cups and the berries filled it about half way.
Now move on to the sweet biscuit topping. In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, and another 1/2 tsp of the lemon zest.
Cut 4 Tbsp of cold butter into small pieces and add them to the flour mixture. Use your hands to work the butter into the flour until it’s in super small pieces and the mixture looks a little like damp sand (just like in this photo).
Finally, stir in 5 Tbsp milk (that’s 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp) until a slightly sticky dough forms. You can use non-dairy milk here.
Drop the biscuit topping onto the berries in small pieces. It’s okay if the topping doesn’t fully cover the berries. To prevent a mess in your oven from the berries boiling over, place the casserole dish on a baking sheet lined with parchment to catch any spills.
Bake the cobbler for 20-25 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the berries are bubbling up around it. NOM.
While this Lemon Berry Cobbler is a show stealer on its own, a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream takes it over the top.
Hi. I’ve made this a couple times before and we love it!! Wondering if this would work with a strawberry banana frozen mix?
I’ve made this dish so many times over the years for parties, and it’s always a hit! Thank you so much for sharing! Do you know what, if any, adjustments would have to be made if I wanted to bake this in a cast iron skillet? Thank you!
I’m not sure, I’d probably have to test it to see how it turns out using cast iron.
I was elated when I saw that I had everything to make this yummy recipe (except a lemon, so I used an orange instead). Came out perfect. Will make this again and again! Can’t wait to eat leftovers tomorrow!
I made this exactly as the recipe states, and it is excellent.
Hi! I am hoping to make this on Christmas day. Would it be possible to prepare ahead of time and pull together after dinner? thanks!
You can prepare the berry part ahead of time, but I would wait until just before baking to do the topping. The baking powder will start reacting, although slowly, as soon as it’s moistened, so you don’t want the gassed to have time to escape before it’s baked.
Brought this to a colleague who was in a car accident and stuck at home recovering. (Berries have healing properties, after all. 😉) We each had a piece, and I left the rest at his place. But then—literally on the way home—I HAD to stop for more ingredients so that I could immediately make another one all for myself! Most delicious thing I’ve eaten since…well, since the last time I made this cobbler! He’s still enjoying it, so your recipe is serving a good cause. :)
I’m so glad it was such a hit and I hope you colleague recovers swiftly!
Hi Beth, I’m a long-time Budget Bytes fan and I’ve had a ton of success with your recipes. I’ve also gained a lot of insight from the comments so I’ve decided to start leaving some as well! I’m not a fan of desserts so I rarely bake, but I do have sweet-lovers in my family so I decided to surprise everyone with this cobbler recently. It was a big hit and was really not stressful to make for a non-baker.
I made the dough a couple of hours in advance and kept it cool until the main course was drawing to a close. Then it was a breeze to drop it on top of the berries and pop in the oven. Great dessert if you want to serve something impressive and warm but don’t want much hassle.
Thanks for sharing, Kiki! You’re right, comments can be very helpful for other readers as well, so I’m glad you’ve shared. :)
Incredibly quick, easy, and delicious recipe! Will definitely make again.
Psst I serve it with yogurt and call it breakfast…
Oh. My. Goodness. The Lemon Berry Cobbler is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! Unfortunately, I was unable to find a 12 ounce bag of frozen mixed berries but used a 16 ounce bag instead. I served the cobbler with some vanilla ice cream, and a tall glass of milk. I’m definitely going to make this recipe again. Thank you, Beth!!! :-)
I made this the other day for my dinner party and the flavors were out of this world! The only problem I had was – the dough didn’t cook all the way through, even though I followed the recipe exactly. I definitely want to make this again. What should I do differently next time? Oh, and my oven temps are pretty accurate. Thanks, Beth! :)
Hmm, well it will likely stay a bit wet on bottom because of the berries, but maybe try lowering the heat to 400 and baking slightly longer. Hopefully that works! :)
I love your website and the slow cooker chicken taco bowls recipe has changed my life! :) Berries (and lemon) are my favorite, and I just bought a bunch at our farmer’s market. How disastrous do you think would it be to use some Whole Foods pancake/biscuit mix with a bit of extra sugar? I’ve got a bag I can’t seem to use up.
I think that would work just fine! I think a lot of biscuit mixes have instructions on the package for that sort of thing. :) That’s really all it is… a biscuit with a tad more sugar. :)
Wow, thanks so much for responding! I kind of figured it was, but would rather hear it from you. Came out very tasty!
I added a little fresh chopped rosemary to the topping which paired so well with the lemon berry flavors! It was a hit at the potluck I took it to:)
I made it last night, and it turned out amazing! Followed the recipe throughout and it look and taste so good that it was gone withing seconds. I served it with vanilla icecream and it put it over the top. Bless your soul for this recipe!
I made this the other day for my dinner party and the flavors were out of this world! The only problem I had was – the dough didn’t cook all the way through, even though I followed the recipe exactly. I definitely want to make this again. What should I do differently next time? Oh, and my oven temps are pretty accurate. Thanks, Beth! :)
Oh my goodness! This looks so good. I must try and make this some time.
x. Cattleya
alittlecattleya.com
This looks so delicious and fun to make! I don’t have a casserole dish though and I’m pretty new to baking, could I make this in a pie plate or 8 in. square baking pan instead? Would I need to adjust the recipe and baking time?
I think an 8-inch square baking dish is your best bet. A pie plate might be a bit too shallow. Make sure to put a baking sheet under your casserole dish, too, just in case the berries bubble over. The baking sheet will catch the drips instead of it getting on your oven. :)
I’ve used a 9″ pie plate and it was fine. In that case I would definitely put a baking sheet underneath just in case, though.
This cobbler saved my life! I’m moving across the country and needed something to serve as a thank you for taking me to the airport + a housewarming gift. This cobbler was it. My friend and I tore into the cobbler after inhaling our dinner and it was AMAZING. The cobbler on top was light and fluffy, while the fruit on the bottom wasn’t overly tart or sweet. This recipe will be my go-to for a quick dessert. Thanks, Beth!
I have been reading a lot of recipes on here and made a handful but this one definitely impressed my audience. I brought this to a work picnic and everyone was surprised that I made this since apparently it tasted heavenly. Thank you!
I made this last night for my husband and I – it was FANTASTIC. We’re going to be having this a lot this summer (and forever, bc frozen berries :-) ) Thanks so much for this delicious and simple dessert!
For those who don’t have a zester/cheese grater (I grate things with my food processor) – I’ve found that peeling lemon/orange/etc. and then squeezing the peels through my garlic press works just as well!
Great idea!
Love this recipe!!! You are so awesome at what you do!! God bless you!
So I usually don’t cook often and baking is especially scary for me. Your recipes always turn out really yummy for me and I saw this one and wanted to try it. I didn’t have a dish the size I needed so I bought one of those disposable foil pans and this still turned out amazing! Thank you so much, the dough is especially delicious!
I go berry picking every summer and this looks like the perfect complement to my fresh picks!
Kari
Another winner. I knew it was going to be good when I licked the batter spoon after the dish was in the oven. 1yr old son loved it, husband inhaled it while daughter just ate the cobbler and left the berries (more for me). I enjoyed this almost as much as your Spiced Brownies.
This recipe looks amazing! I’ve never made a cobbler – I never realized how easy it could be! It seems like it’s the perfect summer treat – to enjoy on a patio with a big glass of wine!
xx, Caitlin
http://www.wandererandwolf.com
I made this last night using half a bag of raspberries and half a bag of blueberries. This was a total hit with my family! I love this type of dessert the topping is perfection! I will be making this a lot this spring and summer. It would be great to take to a friends house when I’m asked to bring a dessert!
I love the combination of lemon and berries, so I’m definitely making this. I have access to some fresh (and free) berries. Do you think I would need to adjust the recipe in any way if I used fresh berries?
I don’t think it would need any adjustment. It will look dryer (not so soupy) going into the oven, but the berries will burst while they cook.
Holey moley, it was hard to wait for this to cool down enough to eat! I had a bit of dough leftover after topping and baked 2 mini-biscuits alongside the cobblers (8-10 mins) and they were tasty on their own too. Next time I might cut back the sugar a little bit because I found that my berries were plenty sweet.
and I did eat it for breakfast too :P
Can’t wait to try this!! Looks amazing! Also where did you get that baking dish? I really like the shape :)
I got the dish at World Market! :D So many fun dishes there.
Good Luck on your signing – I hope it goes well. I like cobblers better than pies – so easy and yummy!
This looks so yummy! Can you use fresh berries, and, if so, would you add extra liquid?
Yes, you can add extra berries and you actually won’t need to add extra liquid. :) The liquid in the frozen berries is the juice from inside that just leaks out when they thaw (ice crystals break the cell walls allowing the juice to come out when it thaws). Fresh berries will burst while cooking and the juices will come out and create the sauce as it bakes. :)
Would a quick workaround of using prepared biscuit dough work as well?
Yes, that should work, but it will just be a less sweet topping. :)
A co-worker noticed I am always on your website planning my meals for the week and bought me your book which I love! Everything I make from your recipes comes out delicious. I wish I could come to your book signing, but I live in Providence, RI so that won’t be happening, but maybe one day!
We have a cookbook store in New Orleans?!?! I’m disappointed in myself for not knowing this!
Yes ma’am! It’s the cutest little mom & pop shop. You should definitely check it out even if you can’t make it to the signing. :)
This is in the oven right now for after dinner. :D
I wasn’t even planning on making a dessert tonight until I did my almost-daily Budget Bytes check. :) I have all of this stuff already (like always with your recipes!!) so I’ve got the berries thawing right now! Best part was I got my berries from the dollar tree this weekend. $1 woot woot!
So this was AMAZING!!! So stinking good. My 2 year old and 4 year old licked their plates clean.
Our first course was your blackened shrimp pasta. Also amazing. :)
Wow! That’s an amazing deal!!
Aw this looks so delicious and simple! Comfort dessert all the way :-) Man I wish I could make your book signing!! Have fun!
Dessert perfection! I may add just a touch of Rosemary…
I never thought of adding rosemary. That sounds good!! :-)
Great idea! YUM
This recipe looks delicious but I am not a huge fan of lemon. What adjustments should be made if the lemon and zest were omitted. Thanks.
Maybe you could use orange and orange zest instead?
I like someone else’s suggestion of orange. Orange is AMAZING with berries!
Wowza, this look delicious! I love lemon and blueberry :) what a perfect summertime dessert.
Cobblers 4 lyfe!!
Buying everything I need to make this ASAP, yum!!
What other fruits would you recommend for this, mangos are in season in my country (México)
Do you think they would work?
Yum, I love mango! I think if I did mangoes I would use a lime instead of a lemon. :) Peaches also work great, as do most stone fruits.
My mouth is watering right now!
Made this and your faux pho tonight for dinner. Omg. I can’t believe how good this was. I usually hate cobblers.
I’ve used your recipe for 80% of what I cook for the past two years. You never let me down. Can’t wait to buy the book!