Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler

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Berry cobbler and summer go together like peanut butter and jelly. In this combo that’s meant to be, we combine juicy summer blueberries with flakey cake-like biscuits that are gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free thanks to some simple ingenuity. When the perfect pair of textures, flavors, and temperatures hits your tongue, you’ll taste why this is a seasonal classic that can’t be missed.

Easy and Delicious Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler

We think these words are the perfect way to describe this fresh blueberry cobbler that is gluten-free and adaptable in so many ways:

Delicious – This gluten-free blueberry cobbler is literally summer on a plate. It’s just begging for a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Perfectly sweet – But not too sweet!
Cakey & flaky – Gluten-free and biscuits aren’t usually used in the same sentence, but this recipe is the exception. The secret? Cutting cold butter into the flour, using just enough sugar to keep things tender, and adding a splash of vinegar to the milk to activate the leavening. These steps create a biscuit topping that has a little crunch on the outside but stays tender inside.
Easy – If you’ve never made a cobbler before, now is your time to shine. Unlike other more technical desserts, you don’t need any special equipment or skills to make a fresh and delicious warm berry cobbler. Just show up with a desire to make a mouth-watering dessert that everyone will love!
Adaptable – It’s easy to adapt this blueberry cobbler to fit a wide range of diets. It’s already free of gluten, soy, nuts, and eggs so, with just a few swaps, which we share below, you can make it dairy-free and vegan, and also insert your favorite flavors.

Ingredients to make Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler

Fresh blueberries – you can make this recipe year-round, but it really is spectacular when you make it during peak blueberry season from June through August
Lemon juice + zest – you’ll need 1 lemon
Gluten-free flour – we like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour. You can also use regular all-purpose flour if you don’t need the bread to be gluten-free
Sugar – you’ll need both brown sugar and cane sugar
Butter – use unsalted and COLD butter; for a vegan and dairy-free version, use vegan butter (we like this one from Miyokos Creamery)
Milk – use dairy or unsweetened non-dairy milk; for vegan, opt for non-dairy milk of your choice such as almond, cashew, or coconut
White vinegar – this is what helps activate the leavening in the biscuits
Vanilla extract
Cinnamon
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt

Fresh blueberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a mixing bowl

Fresh blueberries tossed in brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest spread evenly in a white baking dish

The BEST Cobbler Starts with the Juiciest Blueberries

The beauty of making a cobbler in summer is that you can take advantage of the bounty of fresh berries. Not only are blueberries at their peak of delicious taste in summer, but they are also cheaper, easier to find, and plump-full of sweet juice.

Health Benefits of Blueberries

Ask anyone what some of the healthiest foods on the planet are, and blueberries always top the list. It is pretty common knowledge that blueberries are an easy-to-get-your-hands-on top source of beneficial antioxidants. High-antioxidant foods, like blueberries, help protect against cell damage and chronic inflammation, which are conditions that can lead to unwanted disease over time. Blueberries are also exceptionally high in fiber (4 grams in 1 cup), vitamin C, and manganese – all nutrients that contribute to overall health and especially heart health.

Fluffy, Gluten-Free Biscuits – the Best Topper for Blueberry Cobbler

Without gluten and eggs, how do you make biscuits that have the perfect texture and rise? Well, we employ two things here that solve those issues. First, we call for cold butter pieces that you “cut in” to the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives so that the result is tiny pieces of unmelted butter that will melt and distribute as the biscuits bake. Second, we add a splash of vinegar to the milk to activate the leavening. These steps create a biscuit topping that has a little crunch on the outside but stays tender inside.

Divide and Conquer (errr, Cover)

Now that you’ve made the biscuit topping it’s time to make nine cute little islands of dough that you’ll place on top of the berry mixture. Don’t worry about being exact with your measurements, just eyeball it. The dollops of dough should be about 2 ½ inches in diameter. The biscuits will spread a bit once they’ve baked, and you want that heavenly berry filling to have space to bubble up between the biscuits to release any steam as they bake.

How to Make Blueberry Cobbler that is Dairy-free and Vegan

With just a few swaps you can easily make this gluten-free blueberry baked recipe a dairy-free and vegan blueberry cobbler so that anyone following a special diet or with certain food allergies can enjoy this perfect seasonal dessert.

Simply swap the butter for vegan butter (we like this one from Miyokos Creamery) and use unsweetened non-dairy milk of your choice such as almond, cashew, or coconut.

This blueberry cobbler recipe is already free of gluten, eggs, and nuts making it a versatile option for family dinners and potlucks that everyone will appreciate (look at you being thoughtful!).

Off to the Oven: The Hardest Part

We don’t mean that the hardest part is yet to come. Honestly, you did it! That’s all it takes to make this delicious summer dessert. What we mean is that the hardest part is now waiting for this gluten-free blueberry cobbler to bake! We don’t know about you, but the sweet smell of blueberries, vanilla, and cinnamon wafting from the oven are enough to make us weak in the knees and want to dig right in as soon as it emerges from the oven all golden brown and bubbly.

Just Stay Cool When Making Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler

Now trust us, after you pull your delicious creation from the oven, it’s worth the wait to let this gluten-free blueberry cobbler cool for 30 minutes or more to let the sauce thicken just a bit (and so you won’t burn your tongue on the first bite). Of course, if you absolutely cannot wait, we understand. Dish it up and top a fruity-biscuit serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. To keep it dairy-free and vegan, use a vanilla non-dairy frozen dessert or whipped topping (some great ones exist now).

Other Summer Desserts to Try:

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Let’s Get Cookin’

Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler

The gluten-free blueberry cobbler of your dreams! This recipe is simple and creates delicious warm berry filling that gets topped with tender, cake-like biscuits. Easily adapt this recipe to be dairy-free and vegan, if needed.

Author: Jessica Beacom
Prep Time: 30 mins.
Cook Time: 40-42 mins.
Total Time: 1 hour, 15 mins.
Yield: Serves 9 1x
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free

Ingredients

For the Filling

5 cups fresh blueberries (28 ounces)
Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice (½ medium lemon)
⅓ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 ½ tablespoon gluten-free flour*
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt

For the Topping

1 cup + 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour* (150 grams)
3 tablespoons cane sugar, plus ½ – 1 teaspoon more to sprinkle on top
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
½ cup milk (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice)
½ teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease or butter a 9×9-inch baking dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Toss well to combine, then spread the berry mixture into the bottom of the baking dish.
To make the topping, in a measuring cup, combine the milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract; set aside to sit for 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, place the flour, cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir or whisk to combine.
Add the chilled butter cubes to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender, two knives, or a fork, cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until a wet dough forms. (Tip: The dough will look like a very thick pancake batter and will thicken more as it sits.)
Using a spoon, scoop the topping onto the berry mixture forming 9 flat mounds. Don’t worry if the biscuits don’t touch – they will spread out during baking, and a little room between them is desirable so the berries can release steam. Sprinkle a little sugar over the mounds of dough, then place the baking dish in the oven.
Bake until the filling starts to bubble vigorously and a toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean, about 40-42 minutes. NOTE: If the biscuits are starting to brown too much, very loosely cover the baking dish with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking time.
Remove the dish from the oven and allow the cobbler to cool for 30 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

Notes

*we like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour. You can also use regular all-purpose flour if you don’t need the bread to be gluten-free. For best results with the biscuits, we recommend weighing your flour to 150 grams.

**we have not yet tested this recipe with frozen blueberries or other types of fresh berries, but will update any instructions after we do. We highly recommend using fresh blueberries, as we have tested the recipe multiple times using them and love the results every time.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/9 of recipe
Calories: 204
Sugar: 20 g
Sodium: 192 mg
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 2 g
Cholesterol: 11 mg

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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her husband and two daughters. She’s been described as a ‘real food evangelist’ and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time, she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, and camping out under the stars.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Cobbler originally appeared on TheRealFoodrds.com