I love summer! It's barbecue season, blueberry season, and ice cream season -- three big reasons that you NEED to make this cobbler! This smoky, sweet skillet blueberry cobbler with whiskey smoked sugar and a tender, crunchy biscuit topping is all you need to feel like summertime! It starts with a rich, spiced blueberry filling that is cooked up right in the skillet. Then we'll top our blueberry filling with a tender biscuit topping and the added touch of whiskey barrel smoked sugar. This cobbler will make you the star of your next barbecue!
Ingredients
This cast iron blueberry cobbler comes together so easily right in the skillet, and is topped with an easy buttermilk biscuit topping and the amazing flavor of smoked raw sugar. It's very easy to put together! Here's what you'll need:
- unsalted butter - to keep your blueberry filling from sticking to the skillet, and to add buttery richness to your biscuit topping.
- blueberries, of course! They are the star of this skillet blueberry cobbler. They can be fresh or frozen.
- granulated sugar - to sweeten up your filling. If you're using in-season blueberries that are very sweet, feel free to decrease the amount of sugar a bit.
- smoked sugar - for that smoky flavor. I used this one from Savory Spice Shop, but any smoked sugar will achieve that flavor. Or you can swap in regular raw sugar for a nice crunch in this cast iron blueberry cobbler!
- lemon juice cuts the sweetness of the filling and brightens the blueberry flavor.
- water - helps create the consistency of the filling.
- vanilla extract - adds another dimension of flavor. Be sure to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract. Or better yet, check out my post on how to make vanilla extract at home with just 2 ingredients!
- cinnamon - is it me, or is cinnamon so perfect in berry desserts? It works so well in this skillet blueberry cobbler!
- flour - thickens up your blueberry filling and makes up the bulk of your biscuit topping. Be sure weigh your flour using a kitchen scale for the best results!
- brown sugar - gives the biscuit topping a caramely sweetness.
- buttermilk - its acid and liquid content is perfect for your biscuit topping.
- salt - to bring out all these flavors in this skillet blueberry cobbler!
Equipment
You'll need a 10.5-inch cast-iron skillet for thisI've used a cast-iron skillet before in my baking, to make my pineapple upside-down cake and my black olive parmesan focaccia. I love baking with a cast-iron skillet because, in addition to beautiful presentation, a well-seasoned skillet cooks everything so evenly and gives your dishes a nice crunchy caramelization. It's absolutely a go-to tool in my kitchen! This is the skillet that I use.
Tips and F.A.Q.
Recently, my friend Nicole sent me a set of amazing spices from Savory Spice, and I couldn't wait to try them out. As soon as I saw their Whiskey Barrel Smoked Sugar I knew it would be great as a finishing sugar on a cobbler or cake. It's got a rich, almost savory smoky flavor and it's a raw sugar so it brings that crunch that a good finishing sugar always has!
The Whiskey Barrel Smoked Sugar that I used for this recipe is available on Amazon, or you can always use another variety of smoked sugar, or in a pinch swap it out for turbinado sugar. Even without the layer of smokiness, turbinado sugar will give your biscuit topping a nice crunch!
Yes! Either! This recipe is so versatile. You can use your fresh, in-season blueberries, or you can grab some frozen, always-in-season blueberries, like I did. Frozen fruit is SO convenient and eliminates the worry that your fruit isn't ripe or has gone bad. I used a few cups of organic frozen blueberries and tossed them in, still frozen. It's that easy!
The only adjustment you'll have to make if you use frozen berries is to reduce the amount of liquid in your blueberry filling, reducing your lemon juice from two tablespoons to one and reducing your water from three tablespoons to two.
If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can definitely make this blueberry cobbler recipe in a 9x9 baking pan. Just simmer the filling ingredients in a saucepan until thickened, then add it to the baking pan to bake!
More Irresistible Blueberry Recipes
📖 Recipe
Equipment you may need
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
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add blueberries, flour, cinnamon, and salt to the skillet and stir.
- Add sugars, lemon juice, water, and vanilla. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes.
Biscuit Topping
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add chilled butter and work it into the dry ingredients with your hands or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add in heavy cream and mix until combined.
- Place by rounded spoonfuls on top of the blueberry filling, and sprinkle smoked sugar on top.
- 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
Nutrition
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Last Updated on December 5, 2021 by Chenée Lewis
Denise Teel
I am anxious to try this, but if I cook this in my cast iron skillet in a pellet smoker. I don’t need to use the smoked sugar correct?
Chenée Lewis
Yes, and in that case you can substitute raw sugar, or just granulated sugar! Hope you enjoy!
Denise
I am anxious to try this, but if I cook this in my cast iron skillet in a pellet smoker. I don’t need to use the smoked sugar correct?
Chenée Lewis
Right! In that case I'd replace the smoked sugar with regular coarse or raw sugar!
Kelly
This looks delicious! Can I make it in a bigger cast iron?
Chenée Lewis
Thanks! Yes you can! It would most likely just cook a bit faster so keep an eye on it halfway through the cook time.
Christy Hoover
I love a cast iron cobbler! I I cannot wait to try it with the smoked sugar.
Chenée Lewis
Me too!! Hope you like this one 🙂
Mila
I love that this is a one pan deal! That's always a win in my book!
Chenée Lewis
Oh yeah, one pan is the way to go!
Katrina Adams
I can’t wait to try this recipe!! I am picking fruit today from a u pick farm!!
Chenée Lewis
Oh wow freshly picked blueberries would make this cobbler next level! I hope you enjoy!!
Armelle Dee
Cobbler are perfect for the season and great for large gartering. Your recipe is aazing
Chenée Lewis
Thank you! I love cobblers too 🙂
Erika | Black Girls Who Brunch
Beautiful dish and beautiful photos! I want to try this smoked sugar for sure!
Chenée Today
Thanks so much! Yeah I was so happy to get that smoked sugar as a gift! It's amazing.
Jazz
The smoked sugar takes this cobbler over the top in the best way.
Chenée Today
Thank you! That's my favorite part too!
Adri
I totally agree with you about baking on cast iron. It’s soo awesome! This dish is gorgeous and I can’t wait to try it!
Chenée Today
I hope you enjoy! 🙂
Marta
Girl. You DID not just get me hooked on smoked sugar?!?! Yes, you did! This dessert is straight up perfection.
Chenée Today
Thank you!! I'm hooked too!!
Chef Mireille
I love the amazing flavors that coming from making in cast iron and cobbler is one of my all time face desserts. Definitely will bake it in my cast iron pan next time I make it and ooh - smoked sugar!
Chenée Today
The cast iron just makes it all caramelize so nicely! I hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂