In this vegan blueberry cobbler, sweet and juicy blueberries become thick and jammy, warm cinnamon and brown sugar add deeper flavor, and buttery and fluffy biscuits are topped with a light sprinkling of sugar to add a crunch factor. This healthy recipe is dairy-free, egg-free, easy enough for beginners, and no special equipment is needed.
I love coming home with a haul of fresh fruit from the farmer's market, but after a few days of nibbling, I want to transform them into a summery dessert. This blueberry lemon ricotta pound cake and healthy peach crisp are favorites, but when it comes to vegan dessert recipes, it doesn't get better than this cobbler.
Similar to a crisp, cobblers get their name because they look like a "bumpy cobbled road". They're much less fussy than pies, and the filling-crust combination is more to my liking.
In this healthy dessert, fresh blueberries (or frozen) become muddled, creating a thick and jammy filling. The cakey, buttery biscuits (with deeper flavor from brown sugar, cinnamon, and oats) are sprinkled lightly with granulated sugar to create a slight crunch.
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👩🏼🍳 Why This Cobbler Is The Best
- Sweet and juicy blueberries become thick and jammy, warm cinnamon and brown sugar adds deeper flavor, and buttery and fluffy biscuits (if you're a biscuit-lover, try my buttermilk maple biscuits and potato biscuits with caramelized onion and dill) are topped with a light sprinkling of sugar to add a slight crunch.
- Healthy dessert option that's packed with blueberries, which are full of fiber as well as vitamins and minerals. It's dairy-free, egg-free, and made more nutritious by using brown sugar and old-fashioned oats.
- Quick and easy: No special equipment is needed, it's easy enough for beginners, and we use simple ingredients.
- The result is a jam-like texture with fluffy biscuits on top, and this recipe is easier than making pie!
🍋 Ingredient Notes
- Blueberries - Use fresh or frozen blueberries (or use your favorite berries or fruit combination)
- Lemon zest - Adds bright citrus notes (avoid the white pithy area)
- Cornstarch - Acts as a thickener for our berry filling
- Ground cinnamon - Warm subtle spice complements the fruit and buttery biscuits
- Old-fashioned oats - Creates texture and a slightly nutty flavor to our biscuit topping (and use them to make creamy mango overnight oats!)
- Light brown sugar - Adds moisture and rich molasses notes
- Fresh lemon juice - Use fresh lemon juice if you can - it makes a difference in flavor!
🍨 Topping Suggestions
Take your cobbler to the next level by adding a fun topping. Here are some of my favorites:
- Whipped cream
- Coconut whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
- (Vegan) sorbet
- Toasted, chopped nuts
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- Use your favorite berries or fruit. Use whatever is in season - strawberries, raspberries, and even peaches would all be delicious in this recipe.
- Frozen fruit. If frozen fruit is more convenient, go ahead and use it. I don't recommend thawing before using, or it will add more liquid to the cobbler.
- Cornstarch can be replaced with tapioca flour or arrowroot flour.
- Sugar-free: Use your favorite sugar substitute (or use maple syrup if you want a cobbler that's low in processed sugar).
- Make gluten-free: Substitute all-purpose gluten-free flour and gluten-free oats.
- Use a different spice. Mix it up by adding a pinch of nutmeg, cloves, or cardamom.
- Vegan butter can be replaced with coconut oil or vegan margarine.
🔪 How To Make Vegan Blueberry Cobbler
*See recipe card below for printable instructions.
Prep oven and baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place a rack in the center of oven. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish with vegan butter or cooking spray.
Prep blueberry filling: To the baking dish, add blueberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Toss until blueberries are well-coated. Set aside.
Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine.
Make biscuit batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together melted vegan butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Add mixture to dry ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms.
Add biscuit topping to blueberry filling: Place large spoonfuls of the dough mixture on top of the blueberries in baking dish. Use the spoon or your fingers to spread out the batter (it doesn't need to be perfect). Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.
Bake for 30-35 minutes on center rack, until the biscuits are golden and slightly crispy, and the blueberries are bubbling.
Let cobbler rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. This helps to thicken it up, creating the ultimate jammy texture.
⏲ Expert Tips and Tricks
- How to serve: This cobbler can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature. It really depends on your own preference. Just note that the cooler it is, the more jam-like the blueberry filling becomes.
- Storage: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because it contains moisture from the blueberries, the shelf-life will not be as long if stored at room temperature (around 2 days).
- How to freeze: After completely cooled, place individual servings in freezer-safe bags for easy retrieval. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
- How to reheat: Place cobbler in a baking dish, cover with foil, and place in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
- Let it rest. For optimal texture, let your cobbler rest at room temperature for 20 minutes after removing from the oven. This helps to create a thicker, jammier texture.
- For a thicker cobbler and crust: Use an 8"x8" baking dish.
- Make homemade brown sugar: If you've never made brown sugar before, I'm here to tell you that it's so simple (I never buy brown sugar at the store anymore)! To a medium bowl, add 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of molasses. Use a fork to stir for several minutes, until molasses is completely incorporated into sugar. To make dark brown sugar, add an additional tablespoon of molasses.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Runny cobbler is usually the result of a few factors: extra juicy fruit, not enough thickening agent (like cornstarch), and/or not letting your cobbler rest to thicken up.
Cobbler can be thickened my adding a thickening agent like cornstarch, arrowroot flour, or tapioca flour.
I don't recommend leaving your cobbler sit out overnight, as there are no preservatives to help stabilize it. Storing it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days is the best way to keep it fresh.
Berry cobbler is good for up to 4 days, stored in the refrigerator and covered.
🍽 More Vegan Dessert Recipes
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📖 Rustic Vegan Blueberry Cobbler
Equipment
- 1 9"x13" baking dish
Ingredients
For the blueberry filling:
- 4 cups blueberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the biscuit topping:
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, melted
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place a rack in the center of oven. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish with vegan butter or cooking spray.
- To the baking dish, add blueberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Toss until blueberries are well-coated. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together melted vegan butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Add mixture to dry ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms.
- Place large spoonfuls of the dough mixture on top of the blueberries in baking dish. Use the spoon or your fingers to spread out the batter (it doesn't need to be perfect). Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if using.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes on center rack, until the biscuits are golden and slightly crispy, and the blueberries are bubbling.
- Let cobbler rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. This helps to thicken it up, creating the ultimate jammy texture.
- Serve with your favorite topping.
Notes
- How to serve: This cobbler can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature. It really depends on your own preference. Just note that the cooler it is, the more jam-like the blueberry filling becomes.
- Storage: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because it contains moisture from the blueberries, the shelf-life will not be as long if stored at room temperature (around 2 days).
- How to freeze: After completely cooled, place individual servings in freezer-safe bags for easy retrieval. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight.
- How to reheat: Place cobbler in a baking dish, cover with foil, and place in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
- Let it rest. For optimal texture, let your cobbler rest at room temperature for 20 minutes after removing from the oven. This helps to create a thicker, jammier texture.
- For a thicker cobbler and crust: Use an 8"x8" baking dish.
Barb Haner
A great summer recipe to try!!