Wild Blackberry Cobbler

Dutch oven cooking is a fun and tasty way to camp. This Wild Blackberry Cobbler recipe is no exception! The sweetness of the blackberries pairs perfectly with the buttery biscuit on top. Serve it warm straight out of the dutch oven for a dessert that everyone will love. Enjoy!

Blackberries are a staple of PNW summers. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, this meant playing in the forest and collecting wild blackberries with my family. We lived alongside a deep ravine that was full of stickery blackberry thickets. My cousins and I would head out, brave scratches, and return with buckets full – ready to prepare pies, tarts, and of course, cobblers.

Surprisingly, the species of blackberry that you see growing all over the west, from backyards to along the road to at trailheads, are not native to the area. The plant was introduced to the area in the late 1800s by Luther Burbank and is known as the Himalayan Blackberry. The species can grow in about every habitat, and because it is so adaptable and widespread, local agencies now label it as an invasive species. Nevertheless, it still produces some tasty fruit!

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Where to Forage for Blackberries for Blackberry Cobbler

• For city dwellers, there is no need to leave Seattle to find blackberries ready to forage. Discovery Park, Seward Park, and the Burke Gillman trail are all top spots. Be sure to wash your berries well to remove any urban pollutants.
  
• In late summer, head to the Oregon Coast. Here, blackberries are plentiful around the many streams flowing out to the Pacific Ocean.
  
• No luck foraging for blackberries? Want to make this recipe with strawberries or raspberries? Washington, Oregon, and Northern California are also full of U-pick berry farms.

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So when you hear the word “cobbler,” what comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you will immediately think of a variation of a pie. While many cobblers are made with pie dough for a crust, I prefer a biscuit topping. This gives a heartier, more homey feel to the dish and I think works better for Dutch oven cooking.

This for Wild Blackberry Cobbler called for a drop biscuit, where the batter is spooned on the fruit base. It’s the easiest option for camp, but a rolled and cut biscuit also works for this dish.

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Steps to Make Dutch Oven Wild Blackberry Cobbler

1. Prep your heat source by heating 17 charcoal briquettes.
2. Grease your Dutch oven with butter.
3. Stir together berries, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla.
4. Pour fruit mixture into Dutch oven.
5. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Slowly stir in buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, and lemon zest.
7. Spoon dough over fruit mixture.
8. Bake cobbler for 40 minutes in the Dutch oven by placing 11 briquettes on the bottom and 6 on top.
9. Let cool and indulge!

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This dessert is prepared over a fire in a Dutch oven. As Dutch ovens are quite heavy, this recipe works best for car camping, river trips, or dessert at a friend’s cabin. New to cooking with a Dutch oven? No sweat. Here is a “how-to” guide to get you going!

The last component of a perfect blackberry cobbler is a sweet topping. To keep it simple, dust with powdered sugar. Other options include vanilla ice cream, lemon glaze or a zesty whip cream.

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @bewildeats on Instagram and hashtag it #bewildeats.