Ultimate Skillet Blueberry Cobbler with Smoked Sugar & Buttermilk Biscuit Topping
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Ah, summer! The season of vibrant flavors, outdoor gatherings, and unforgettable desserts. If you’re looking for a show-stopping treat that perfectly encapsulates the warmth and sweetness of summertime, look no further than this incredible **Skillet Blueberry Cobbler**. It’s not just any cobbler; it’s a harmonious blend of smoky, sweet, and tangy, topped with a tender, crunchy buttermilk biscuit. This recipe is your secret weapon for barbecue season, blueberry season, and, of course, ice cream season!
Imagine a rich, perfectly spiced blueberry filling, bubbling gently right in your cast iron skillet. Now, picture that luscious filling crowned with a golden, fluffy biscuit topping, generously sprinkled with unique bourbon smoked sugar. The result? A dessert that delivers comfort, elegance, and a hint of unexpected complexity with every spoonful. This isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience, designed to make you the star of any summer gathering. And for more delightful blueberry creations, don’t miss my Blueberry Cake Filling!
Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, enjoying a quiet evening on the porch, or simply craving something sweet, this **Cast Iron Blueberry Cobbler** is guaranteed to satisfy. Its rustic charm, combined with the sophisticated flavor of smoked sugar, makes it a truly special treat that’s surprisingly easy to prepare.
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Why This Skillet Blueberry Cobbler is a Must-Try
There are countless reasons to fall in love with this **Smoked Sugar Blueberry Cobbler**. Here’s what makes it truly exceptional:
- Uniquely Flavorful: The addition of whiskey smoked sugar transforms a classic dessert into something extraordinary, offering a subtle smoky depth that complements the sweet and tart blueberries beautifully.
- Perfect Texture Contrast: A warm, gooey blueberry filling meets a light, tender, and perfectly crisp biscuit topping. It’s a textural symphony!
- Rustic Elegance: Baked and served directly in a cast iron skillet, this cobbler boasts a charming, homemade appeal that’s perfect for casual family meals or impressive enough for guests.
- Versatile with Berries: Whether you have a bounty of fresh summer blueberries or rely on the convenience of frozen ones, this recipe adapts effortlessly.
- Easy to Make: Despite its gourmet taste, the preparation is straightforward, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels.
- Ideal for Any Occasion: While it screams “summer,” this cobbler is delicious year-round, perfect for holidays, potlucks, or a cozy dessert after dinner.
Ingredients for the Perfect Blueberry Cobbler
This delightful **Cast Iron Blueberry Cobbler** comes together with simple ingredients, transforming them into a dessert marvel. The magic truly happens when they combine in your skillet. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to create this easy, yet impressive cobbler:
- Unsalted Butter: Essential for both the rich blueberry filling, preventing it from sticking, and adding incredible buttery flavor and tenderness to your biscuit topping.
- Blueberries, Of Course! They are the undisputed stars of this **Skillet Blueberry Cobbler**. You have the flexibility to use either fresh, in-season berries bursting with natural sweetness, or convenient frozen blueberries. If using fresh berries, check out these tips on how to keep summer berries fresh for longer! If using frozen, there’s a simple adjustment to the liquid, as detailed in the FAQ.
- Granulated Sugar: This sweetens the blueberry filling to perfection. If your fresh blueberries are exceptionally sweet or you prefer a less sweet dessert, feel free to slightly reduce the amount.
- Smoked Sugar: This is where the unique “smoky” flavor comes from! I highly recommend this bourbon smoked sugar for its rich, subtly savory notes. Any smoked sugar will impart a wonderful depth. Alternatively, you can use regular raw sugar (like turbinado) for a fantastic crunch on the topping, even without the smoky element.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: A crucial ingredient that brightens the intense blueberry flavor and beautifully cuts through the sweetness of the filling, adding a zesty counterpoint.
- Water: This helps achieve the ideal consistency for the blueberry filling, ensuring it’s thick and luscious without being overly syrupy.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: A touch of high-quality vanilla extract adds a warm, aromatic dimension that elevates all the other flavors. For the best results, consider making your own with my guide on how to make vanilla extract at home with just two ingredients!
- Ground Cinnamon: Is there anything more perfect than cinnamon with berries? Its warm, spicy notes perfectly complement the blueberries, adding a cozy depth to this **Skillet Blueberry Cobbler**.
- All-Purpose Flour: This serves a dual purpose: it thickens your delightful blueberry filling and forms the foundational structure of your tender biscuit topping. For consistent baking results, always weigh your flour using a kitchen scale!
- Light Brown Sugar: This adds a lovely caramelly sweetness and moisture to the biscuit topping, giving it a rich, golden hue and a tender crumb.
- Buttermilk: The secret to light, fluffy, and tender biscuits! Its acidity reacts with the baking powder, creating lift, and its liquid content brings the dough together.
- Salt: A pinch of salt is essential in both the filling and the topping to balance and enhance all the sweet and fruity flavors in this irresistible **Skillet Blueberry Cobbler**!
Equipment Essentials for Your Cobbler
The star of this recipe is undoubtedly the 10.5-inch cast-iron skillet. If you don’t already own one, this recipe is a fantastic reason to invest! I frequently use my cast-iron skillet for baking, having crafted my delicious pineapple upside-down cake and my savory black olive parmesan focaccia in it. The benefits are numerous:
- Even Heat Distribution: A well-seasoned cast iron skillet cooks everything incredibly evenly, preventing hot spots and ensuring your cobbler bakes perfectly from edge to center.
- Beautiful Caramelization: Cast iron provides an unparalleled ability to achieve a gorgeous, crunchy caramelization on the edges and bottom of your baked goods, adding a depth of flavor and texture that other pans simply can’t match.
- Rustic Presentation: Serving directly from the skillet adds a charming, rustic touch to your table, making dessert feel extra special and homemade.
- Durability: These pans are built to last a lifetime, becoming better with each use.
- Versatility: Beyond cobblers, cast iron is excellent for searing, frying, roasting, and baking a multitude of dishes, making it an indispensable tool in any kitchen.
For this recipe, this is the skillet that I use, and I highly recommend it!
Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Delicious Skillet Blueberry Cobbler
Creating this irresistible **Skillet Blueberry Cobbler** is simpler than you might think. Follow these easy steps to bring this warm, bubbly dessert to life in your kitchen.
Preparing the Flavorful Blueberry Filling:
- Preheat Your Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C). This ensures it’s ready for baking as soon as your cobbler is assembled.
- Melt the Butter: In your trusty 10.5-inch cast iron skillet, melt ¼ cup of unsalted butter over medium heat. This butter forms the rich base for your blueberry filling.
- Combine Dry Ingredients with Berries: Add the 3 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen), 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of salt to the melted butter in the skillet. Stir gently to coat the blueberries evenly. The flour will help thicken the filling, while cinnamon and salt enhance the flavors.
- Sweeten and Simmer: Next, incorporate ½ cup of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of smoked sugar (or turbinado for crunch), 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of water, and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 3 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the sauce to slightly thicken.
Crafting the Tender Buttermilk Biscuit Topping:
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together 1½ cups (192g) of all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of packed light brown sugar, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Ensuring these are well combined is key to an even rise.
- Cut in Cold Butter: Add 6 tablespoons of very cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, to the dry ingredients. Use your fingertips or a pastry blender to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. This step is crucial for creating flaky biscuits.
- Add Buttermilk: Pour in ⅔ cup of buttermilk and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough biscuits. The dough should be soft and shaggy.
- Assemble and Top: Drop rounded spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the simmering blueberry filling in the skillet. Once the topping is in place, generously sprinkle ¼ cup of smoked sugar (or turbinado sugar) over the biscuits. This creates a beautiful, crunchy crust.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Transfer the skillet to your preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the blueberry filling is visibly bubbling around the edges and the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked through.
Serve your warm, aromatic **Skillet Blueberry Cobbler** immediately, preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy every comforting bite!
Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
As soon as I tasted bourbon smoked sugar, I instantly knew it would be the perfect finishing touch for a cobbler or cake. It offers a unique, rich, almost savory smoky flavor that truly elevates the dessert. Plus, since it’s a raw sugar, it delivers that delightful crunch that a good finishing sugar should always have! The Bourbon Smoked Sugar I used for this recipe is readily available on Amazon. If you can’t find it, any variety of smoked sugar will work. In a pinch, you can swap it out for turbinado sugar (also known as raw cane sugar). While you’ll miss the smoky layer, turbinado sugar will still provide a fantastic crunch to your biscuit topping!
Absolutely, yes! This recipe is incredibly versatile and works wonderfully with both fresh, in-season blueberries and convenient frozen blueberries. Frozen fruit is a fantastic pantry staple, eliminating concerns about ripeness or spoilage. I often use several cups of organic frozen blueberries directly from the freezer – no thawing required! The only adjustment you’ll need to make when using frozen berries is to reduce the liquid content in your blueberry filling. Specifically, decrease the lemon juice from two tablespoons to one tablespoon, and reduce the water from three tablespoons to two tablespoons. This accounts for the extra moisture released by frozen berries as they cook.
No cast iron skillet? No problem! You can definitely still enjoy this delicious **Blueberry Cobbler**. Simply prepare the blueberry filling ingredients in a regular saucepan on the stovetop, simmering until it thickens as instructed. Once the filling is ready, transfer it to a 9×9 inch baking pan, top with the biscuit dough, and bake as directed. You’ll still get a fantastic cobbler, just without the rustic skillet presentation.
If there are any leftovers (a rare occurrence!), cover the skillet or baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store the cobbler at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. For best flavor and texture, warm individual servings in the microwave or oven before enjoying.
You can prepare certain components ahead to save time. The blueberry filling can be cooked and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The biscuit dough can also be made, formed, and refrigerated for up to 1 day, or frozen for longer. When ready to bake, assemble the chilled components in the skillet and bake as usual, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if starting from cold.
Serving Suggestions & Variations
This **Skillet Blueberry Cobbler** is absolutely divine on its own, but it truly shines when served warm with a few classic accompaniments. A generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream melting into the warm blueberry filling is simply heavenly. For an extra touch of indulgence, consider a dollop of freshly whipped cream. A drizzle of crème anglaise or a sprinkle of toasted almonds could also elevate the experience.
Looking to experiment? While blueberry is a classic, you can adapt this recipe with other berries or fruit combinations. Try mixed berries for a “berry medley cobbler,” or incorporate peaches for a late-summer treat. The smoked sugar topping also works beautifully with apple or cherry fillings, adding a unique twist to traditional fruit desserts. Don’t be afraid to make it your own!
More Irresistible Blueberry Recipes
If you’re as big a fan of blueberries as I am, you’ll love exploring these other delicious recipes:
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Skillet Blueberry Cobbler with Smoked Sugar
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Equipment you may need
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10-inch cast-iron skillet
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measuring cups and spoons
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food scale
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mixing bowls
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whisk
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rubber spatula
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pastry blender
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups blueberries – fresh or frozen — see note*
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked sugar – see note**
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Biscuit Topping
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour – 192g
- 3 tablespoon light brown sugar – packed
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup smoked sugar – for topping (turbinado sugar will work as a substitute)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
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Add blueberries, flour, cinnamon, and salt to the skillet and stir.
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Add sugars, lemon juice, water, and vanilla. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
Biscuit Topping
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In a bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
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Add chilled butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your hands or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
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Add in heavy cream and mix until combined.
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Place by rounded spoonfuls on top of the blueberry filling, and sprinkle smoked sugar on top.
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Bake 35-40 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Video
Notes
Smoked sugar: I used Whiskey Barrel Smoked Sugar from Savory Spice Shop, but feel free to use any smoked sugar you like, or substitute turbinado sugar.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
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