Smoked Blackberry Cobbler with Biscuit Topping

This smoked blackberry cobbler is full of fresh blackberries and topped with homemade sugary biscuits, all baked on the pellet grill or smoker for the perfect hint of smoke flavor. The perfect late summer smoked dessert recipe for your bounty of berries!

Prep Time10

Cook Time55

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: grilled dessert recipes, smoked blackberry cobbler, Traeger blackberry cobbler

Servings: people

Equipment

3 quart casserole dish or cast iron pan *About 12" cast iron skillet

Ingredients

For the blackberry filling:

8 cups blackberries
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the biscuit topping:

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar plus 1-2 tablespoons more for sprinkling on top
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
8 tablespoons unsalted butter very cold
⅔ cup cold buttermilk plus 1 tablespoon for the biscuit tops
butter for greasing the pan

Instructions

Prepare the baking dish and the grill: Use softened butter to thoroughly grease a large casserole or cast iron dish, all around the bottom and sides. Heat a pellet grill or smoker to 350℉ with your choice of wood or pellets.
For the blackberry filling: Add the blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Gently fold the berry mixture until thoroughly combined. Spread filling evenly into the prepared pan. Set aside as you make the biscuit topping.
For the biscuit topping: Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
Grate the cold butter on the largest holes of a box grater. Add the cold grated butter to the flour mixture. Use two forks or a pastry cutter to combine the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs (similar to the size and shape of rice cereal).
Slowly drizzle the buttermilk into the dough mixture while stirring. Mix until the dough just sticks together. Do not overmix or the biscuits will be tougher.
Assemble the cobbler: Drop dollops of the biscuit dough over the berries, leaving gaps to allow the steam to escape and the beautiful berries to show. Then brush one tablespoon of buttermilk over the biscuit topping, and sprinkle the biscuits with coarse sugar (or table sugar).
Smoke the cobbler: Cook the cobbler on the smoker for 45-55 minutes at 350°F or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the cobbler registers at least 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. This ensures the blackberries are fully cooked, soft, and juicy, and that the juices have thickened. It also confirms the biscuit topping is cooked through and not doughy in the middle. *If the topping gets too brown, loosely tent the baking dish with foil.
Rest and serve: Remove from the grill and cool on a wire rack about 20 minutes for the juices to thicken a bit. Then serve warm with vanilla ice cream. *You can also serve the cobbler room temperature or cold if you prefer.

Notes

Blackberries - Use fresh blackberries if they are available. You can use frozen blackberries, but do not thaw them first. Frozen berries contain more liquid, so increase the cornstarch to 2 1/2 tablespoons instead of 2 tablespoons.
Buttermilk - If you do not have buttermilk, pour 2/3 cup of whole milk into a small bowl. Using measuring spoons, remove 1 1/4 teaspoons of milk and replace it with 1 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice. Stir it gently and let it sit in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes until it thickens and slightly curdles. Use this DIY "buttermilk" in place of real buttermilk.
Storage - Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can freeze the baked cobbler for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge. Cover with aluminum foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes until warm.

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