Lusciously thick blueberry filling baked under a soft and pillowy sugar cookie topping!
When it comes to blueberries, I definitely prefer them baked into scrumptious pastries or delectable desserts. Something magical happens when blueberries are baked into moist muffins, fluffy pancakes, delectable pies, or comforting cobblers. They get sweeter, juicier, and much more vibrant in color. It’s almost a waste to eat them raw when they have so much more potential baked into something sweet.
ESPECIALLY when that something sweet is this…
This Blueberry Cobbler is PERFECTION. In fact, I almost titled it “The Perfect Blueberry Cobbler” because it simply IS!!! However, I decided not to let my ego get the best of me and opted to remain humble about my tremendously brilliant baking abilities.
Okay, so WHY is this The PERFECT Blueberry Cobbler?
LOADED With Blueberries: With a whopping 7 cups of blueberries in this cobbler, it’s absolutely brimming with blueberry sweetness.
THICK Filling: This filling is perfectly thick and not the least bit runny! I don’t know about you, but I always get so disappointed when I bake up a beautiful crisp or cobbler only to discover that the filling is soupy or runny. Thanks to my pre-cooking tip (which I’ll explain later on), you can say adios to runny filling!
Soft Sugar Cookie Crust: Instead of your typical (and boring) biscuit dough baked on top, this cobbler is baked under the softest sugar cookie crust. It adds an extra sweetness to the cobbler without being overly sweet. Once you’ve tried this, you’ll never wanna go back to the biscuit. It’s like dipping a freshly-baked sugar cookie into luscious blueberry pie.
Tips for Making Blueberry Cobbler
Pre-Cook The Filling: This is HANDS-DOWN the best way to ensure that your cobbler (or crisp) filling turns out nice and thick. No matter how much flour or cornstarch is added, it’s nearly impossible to obtain these same lusciously thick results. Believe me, I’ve tried! Even though the filling is cooked to a high temperature in the oven, I’ve found that it still needs a little extra help before it bakes.
Reserve Some Berries For The End: When pre-cooking the filling, a lot of the blueberries get smashed or break up. That’s why I like to reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the berries for the very end. Once the filling is nice and thick, I take the pan off of the heat, toss in the reserved berries, and stir.
Chill The Dough: This step is VERY important. The dough is super soft and sticky right after it’s been mixed, which makes it very hard to work with. Moreover, the dough needs to be properly chilled so that it doesn’t spread too quickly in the oven.
Almond Extract Is A Must: To achieve that nostalgic bakery-style sugar cookie flavor, you need to add a little almond extract to the dough. It really brightens up the flavor and adds an indescribable sweetness to the sugar cookie topping.
Sprinkle With Sugar: This might seem like a tiny minuscule detail, but sprinkling a little coarse sugar on top of the cobbler really adds to the whole experience. Not only does it give the sugar cookie a delicate crunch, but it also lends an overall sweetness. You could also use plain granulated sugar, but the coarse sugar retains its crispness better.
Allow Cobbler To Rest: Although the wait can feel like torture after your house has been filled with the scent of warm sugar cookies and warmed blueberry goodness, it’s best to let the cobbler rest for AT LEAST 30 minutes. This gives the berry filling time to set up and thicken, while also creating a firm yet soft sugar cookie topping.
Can I Use Frozen Blueberries?
Yes, you may! In fact, I ended up using mostly frozen blueberries for this cobbler, and it turned out amazing.
Can This Cobbler Be Made Ahead Of Time?
Yes! I actually recommend baking this cobbler the night before you plan to serve it. Not only does it guarantee a thicker blueberry filling, but it tastes just as good, if not better the day after. However, I also don’t blame you if you can’t wait that long after being subjected to the deliciously enticing aroma circulating throughout your home…
Blueberry Sugar Cookie Cobbler
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Blueberry Filling:
- 7 cups blueberries, divided
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
For Topping:
- Coarse Sugar
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue beating on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg, and beat just until combined. Add the milk, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on medium-high speed until fully incorporated.
- Dump in the flour mixture and beat on low just until combined, about 1 minute. Shape dough into a flat disc, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours, or until it's less sticky, and easier to handle.
Make the Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a medium saucepan, heat 5 1/2 cups of the berries over medium heat until they soften and their juices release (about 3-4 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt together. Stir dry mixture into the berries and continue stirring until mixture thickens, and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of berries along with the lemon juice.
- Transfer the filling to a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Use greased hands to place flattened pieces of the cookie dough evenly over the filling. Sprinkle coarse sugar evenly on top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Leftover cobbler can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.