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This sourdough mixed berry cobbler is the perfect cozy dessert for berry season or anytime you want an easy, delicious recipe with simple ingredients.
The filling is packed with juicy mixed berries and topped with a soft, buttery cobbler topping made with sourdough discard and buttermilk for extra flavor and tenderness. A small touch of brown sugar adds warmth and depth that pairs beautifully with the berries and subtle tang from the discard.
This easy recipe works beautifully baked in either a cast iron skillet or deep pie dish and is especially delicious served warm with s scoop of vanilla ice cream. I love to use our homemade vanilla ice cream recipe.
For more sourdough berry desserts, be sure to try this Sourdough Strawberry Cake, Sourdough Strawberry Muffins, Sourdough Strawberry Galette, and Sourdough Blueberry Bread.
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Mixed Berry Cobbler
- Super Easy Dessert Recipe: This sourdough cobbler recipe makes a simple-yet-elegant dessert for family meals or special occasions.
- Simple Ingredients: If you have a sourdough starter and some frozen or fresh berries, most of the other ingredients are common pantry staples. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by combining regular milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Uses Up Extra Starter: This is a great sourdough recipe for using up any extra discard. You could also use active starter. Here’s how to make your own sourdough starter if you don’t have one yet.
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Mixed Berries: Either fresh or frozen berries will work for this fruit cobbler. You can use a mix of fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, fresh blackberries, or whatever you have on hand.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by combining regular milk with lemon juice (see recipe tip below).
- Vanilla Extract: Use store-bought or homemade vanilla extract.
- Sourdough Starter Discard: Recently fed discard creates the best flavor.
- Sugar: Both white sugar and brown sugar are used.
- All-Purpose Flour: I usually use unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Since we’re using sourdough discard, these are the leavening agents.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is used. If you only have salted butter, you may want to reduce the salt in the recipe.
Buttermilk Substitutions
To make 1/2 cup of buttermilk, combine 1/2 cup of regular milk with 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir together and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes until the milk curdles slightly. You can also substitute 1/2 cup of thinned yogurt for the buttermilk.
Recipe Tips
- Frozen berries work wonderfully in this recipe and are encouraged for convenience and year-round baking. You can also use fresh fruit. During testing, I used about 1 1/2 bags of Trader Joe’s frozen mixed berries along with a handful of sliced fresh strawberries.
- Do not thaw frozen berries before baking, as thawing can release excess liquid and create a thinner filling.
- For a thicker, more jammy filling, use 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. If you prefer a slightly softer filling, 2 1/2 tablespoons is ideal, especially if serving the cobbler warm.
- Recent sourdough discard works best for balanced flavor and texture. If your discard is very thin or liquidy, you may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of flour to the topping batter.
- For best texture, avoid overmixing the cobbler topping. A gently mixed batter will bake up soft and tender.
How to Make Sourdough Mixed Berry Cobbler
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this sourdough berry cobbler:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Add the frozen berries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt directly to your skillet or baking dish. Toss until evenly coated. Let sit for 10–15 minutes while preparing the topping.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, buttermilk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Step 3: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until combined.
Step 4: Pour in the melted butter and gently mix until a soft batter forms. Do not overmix.
Step 5: Spoon the batter over the berry mixture in rustic dollops. It does not need to fully cover the fruit.
Step 6: Sprinkle the top with raw sugar if desired.
Step 7: Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling in the center.
Step 8: Let the cobbler cool for at least 25–30 minutes before serving. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover cobbler covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the cobbler in a 300°F oven until heated through.
As the cobbler sits, the filling will continue to thicken, especially when refrigerated. The topping is best enjoyed fresh but still tastes delicious the next day.
If desired, leftovers can also be enjoyed cold straight from the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQs
No. Add the berries straight from the freezer. Thawing them first can release excess liquid and create a thinner filling.
The filling thickens as it cools. Serving it too early may result in a looser filling, while allowing it to rest creates a thicker, jammy texture.
Absolutely. This recipe works well in both a cast iron skillet and a deep pie dish. A skillet will create slightly more caramelized edges, while a pie dish gives a softer, classic cobbler texture.
Yes. Active starter can be used in place of discard, though it may create a slightly lighter texture.
Yes, you can. The cobbler may be done quicker with fresh berries, so be sure to check on it earlier. I would begin checking it at 35 minutes.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Sourdough Carrot Cake
- Glazed Sourdough Lemon Bread
- Sourdough Lemon Bars
- Sourdough Blueberry Muffins
- Sourdough Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
If you make this sourdough mixed berry cobbler recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!
Sourdough Mixed Berry Cobbler
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet or deep pie dish
Ingredients
For the Berry Filling
- 4 cups mixed berries, 600–650g , frozen (do not thaw) or fresh
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 100g
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 12–15g
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, 20g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For the Cobbler Topping
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard, 120g, room temperature or slightly cool
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, 120g, room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 65g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, 125g
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter, 70g, melted and slightly cooled
- 1-2 tablespoons raw sugar, or coarse sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Add the frozen berries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt directly to your skillet or baking dish. Toss until evenly coated. Let sit for 10–15 minutes while preparing the topping.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, buttermilk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until combined.
- Pour in the melted butter and gently mix until a soft batter forms. Do not overmix.
- Spoon the batter over the berry mixture in rustic dollops. It does not need to fully cover the fruit.
- Sprinkle the top with raw sugar if desired.
- Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling in the center.
- Let the cobbler cool for at least 25–30 minutes before serving. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
- Use the same amount: 4 cups (600–650 g) fresh mixed berries.
- If your berries are on the firmer side and not especially juicy, you can reduce the cornstarch slightly to 2 tablespoons for a softer, more syrupy filling.
- Fresh berry cobbler will most likely finish a little sooner. Bake at 375°F for about 35–45 minutes, It’s done when the topping is golden brown, the filling is bubbling vigorously in the center (not just around the edges), and the berries are tender.
- Don’t skip the 25–30 minute cooling time. Fresh berry cobblers can seem a little loose straight from the oven, but the filling thickens considerably as it cools.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
