This easy, old-fashioned blueberry cobbler is made from scratch with simple ingredients—adapted from the 1972 Betty Crocker Cookbook. It’s easy to make, no cake mix needed—just sweet blueberries and a golden biscuit topping.
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Featured Comment by Ginni:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Excellent recipe. I used cream in place of milk. A perfect 5! Thank you 😊"
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make – Stir, top, bake. That’s it.
- Old fashioned and from scratch – Inspired by a 1972 Betty Crocker classic.
- Fresh or frozen blueberries – Whatever you’ve got on hand.
- Half batch friendly – The perfect blueberry cobbler for two, with just enough leftovers for tomorrow.
- Cozy and crowd-pleasing – Even better with a scoop of vanilla.
🫐 Ingredients
Filling
- Blueberries – Fresh or frozen. Rinse and pick over for stems.
- Sugar – Adjust depending on the sweetness of your berries.
- Lemon juice – Adds brightness.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the filling as it cooks.
Sweet Biscuit Topping
- All-purpose flour – Base for the topping.
- Sugar – Light sweetness for the top.
- Baking powder – Aluminum-free preferred.
- Salt – Balances sweetness.
- Butter – Cold, for biscuit texture.
- Milk – Just enough to bring it together.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Make Old Fashioned Blueberry Cobbler
It’s the kind of easy, from-scratch dessert Grandma would’ve pulled from the oven on a summer afternoon.
1. Prepare the filling
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and blueberries.
Stir constantly over medium-high heat until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble, then cook one more minute.
✅ Pro Tip: If your berries are tart, add up to ¼ cup more sugar to balance.
Pour the filling into a 9x13 baking dish or a 2½ quart casserole.
2. Make the sweet biscuit topping
Mix all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then cut in cold butter until crumbly. Add the milk and stir just until combined—don’t overmix.
3. Add topping and bake
Drop 6–8 large spoonfuls of dough over the berry filling.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
👇 Scroll down for the complete step-by-step recipe card and printable instructions.
✔️ Tips for Success
- Fresh or frozen both work — rinse and pick over stems. If frozen, don’t thaw first.
- Taste your berries — if they’re tart or bland, add up to ¼ cup more sugar.
- Choose the right pan — a 9×13 is standard, but any dish that gives the filling room to bubble works.
- Guard against drips — if using a shallow dish, put a sheet pan on the rack below.
- Topping tweaks — butter replaces the original shortening, plus a touch more sugar for flavor. Expect a looser dough that spreads as it bakes.
- Best served warm with ice cream — classic for a reason.
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👥 How to Make Blueberry Cobbler for Two
Want a smaller batch? A half recipe makes the perfect blueberry cobbler for two with leftovers.
- Half recipe (serves 4 with leftovers): Bake in a 6×9 casserole or 8-inch round dish. Bake time will be a little shorter; remove when the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling.
- Quarter recipe (serves 2): Use a 5×5 or 6-inch round dish, or ramekins. Two large ramekins will work; if yours are smaller, plan on filling three.
✅ Pro Tip: Quarter-batch ramekins bake faster — start checking around 18–20 minutes.
🫐 More Blueberry Recipes
If you’ve got more berries to use, try one of these simple favorites:
❄️ Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days—best within 3.
- Freeze after baking and cooling. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. (The topping will soften some.)
- Reheat in the microwave or cover and warm in a 350° oven for 15–20 minutes.
❓ FAQs
Cobblers have a biscuit or cake-like topping. Crumbles and crisps are often used interchangeably, but crisps typically include oats, while crumbles do not.
Yes. You don’t need to thaw them first — just rinse and pick out any stems. Add an extra spoonful of cornstarch if your berries are especially juicy.
No. “Lazy Man” cobblers usually use cake mix. This is a true from-scratch cobbler with a biscuit topping.
You can mix the blueberry filling a few hours in advance, but make the biscuit topping right before baking. If it sits, the baking powder will lose its punch and the topping won’t rise properly.
📚 From the Betty Crocker Cookbook
This recipe is adapted from the 1972 Betty Crocker Cookbook, the same one behind my Old Fashioned Betty Crocker Banana Bread. I’ve kept it true to the original with just a few updates to the topping and instructions to make it small-batch friendly.
📖The Recipe Card
Old Fashioned Blueberry Cobbler (From Scratch)
Ingredients
- 4 cups blueberries - frozen or fresh. Rinsed and picked over.
- ½ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder - aluminum-free
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup milk
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the filling
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 4 cups of blueberries. Other berries can be used as well. Taste the berries—they vary in sweetness. You may need up to ¼ cup more sugar.
- Stir constantly over medium-high heat until the mixture boils and thickens, then cook one additional minute.
- Pour into a 9x13 baking dish or a 2½ quart casserole.
Make the sweet biscuit topping*
- Make the topping by mixing 1 cup AP flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cut in 3 tablespoons of butter with a large fork or a pastry cutter until crumbly. Add ½ cup of milk and stir until combined—don’t overmix.
Add topping and bake
- Drop 6–8 large spoonfuls of dough over the hot berry filling.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Let sit a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Easily halved—see the post for pan sizes and adjusted bake time.
- Taste your berries. Add up to ¼ cup more sugar if they’re tart.
- Rinse and pick over the berries to remove stems.
- Works with fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Use aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a metallic aftertaste.
- The filling is already cooked—bake until the **topping** is golden brown.
- Best eaten within 3 days but keeps up to 5 in the refrigerator.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream—classic for a reason.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's Note: Originally Published March 22, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Ginni says
Excellent recipe.i used cream in place of milk . A perfect 5 ! Thank you 😊
Lane says
I have the same 1972 Betty Crocker cookbook that you do! It belonged to my mother who handed it down to me. My favorite recipe that she made from this cook book was chicken fricassee with dumplings! I’m glad to know that the blueberry cobbler is worth making!
DrDan says
Almost everything in that cookbook is good. I have hit a few bummers.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Claire Mallard says
Can you make a blueberry cobbler with no milk I don't have any milk
DrDan says
Hi Claire,
I don't think it will work well without milk or a milk substitute like soy or almond milk. I always keep dry milk for times like this.
Dan
Al says
Hi Dr. Dan,
the frozen berries and only few other ingredients give the possibility to prepare this cobbler dessert spontaneous.
I like it. Delicious!
Just have your BBQ section opened in another window and the Beef Brisket Sandwich is displayed. Mouth-watering. :-)
Scrolling through your blog definitely makes me hungry - to me a clear indicator that you are doing a great job with your blog.
Thank you.
Greetings from Germany
Al
DrDan says
Yep, stuff I always have on hand.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Note to readers: Al's blog is Bobbini's Kitchen
Chris says
Great looking cobbler, Dan. For a moment I was questioning if Deloreans came out in 1972 because I had them pegged for early 80's. Then I got your reference that you were making,
We love making cobblers in our Dutch Oven with a very simple recipe not much different than yours. We change out the fruits that we use but mixed berry is my preferred favorite.
DrDan says
The Delorean reference was maybe a little old for most. A friend had one in med school in 1973.
Cobblers should be the lazy man's pie and this fits for me. Any fruit should do.
Thanks for the comment
DrDan
Note to readers: Check out Chris's blog Nibble Me This
pat says
I am going to make this tonight. But what is AP flour? Is it a brand or a special kind? I live in Canada and have just regular flour on hand.
Thanks, this looks so good and I have everything on hand if regular flour is ok.
DrDan says
AP flour is all-purpose flour which is regular white flour.