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My easy gluten free blueberry cobbler recipe has a fluffy pastry topping baked until golden and crisp, with a bubbling layer of sweet, juicy blueberries underneath.
Even early-season berries taste amazing here, and I get rave reviews all summer long. You can even make it with frozen blueberries in the off-season—no need to thaw first.
Why this recipe works
The blueberry filling bakes into a thick, jammy layer—whether you use fresh or frozen berries. It’s like an upside-down pie, with a golden pastry topping that browns beautifully, even with a juicy filling.
This cobbler is also super flexible. Try raspberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries, or a mix—they all cook at the same rate and release a similar amount of liquid.
Want to use peaches or nectarines instead? They hold their shape more, so start with my gluten free peach cobbler recipe, where the filling gets a head start in the oven. I recently published a gluten free blackberry cobbler if you have them. For apples you can give my apple crumble recipe a try.
Recipe ingredients
Here are some tips about what you need to make this recipe, including an explanation of the function of each in a successful result.
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen full-sized blueberries work best. Don’t use wild or mini berries—they break down too much. No need to thaw frozen berries. The fruit forms the whole base of the recipe, and baking only intensifies the flavor, so be sure you like the taste of your berries.
- Sugar: You’ll use sugar in both the filling and topping. If your berries are extra sweet, you can reduce the amount in the filling since the sugar is mostly there to enhance the flavor of the berries. We always expect blueberries to taste sweeter than they do, so a lack of sweetness will make the dish taste too tart.
- Butter: Cold butter for the topping yields a fluffy texture as it expands in the heat of the oven as the moisture in it evaporates. We use melted butter in the filling to add buttery flavor, and on top to help the topping brown in the oven until it's golden.
- Buttermilk: Adds flavor and tenderness to the pastry topping, and moisture to bring it together.
- Gluten free flour: Use an all purpose gluten free flour blend (like Better Batter's original blend or Nicole’s Best) in the topping for a cobbler that holds its shape and doesn't spread too much during baking. The filling uses a starch or single-ingredient flour like white rice or tapioca flour to help it hold onto the moisture that's released from the berries. Be sure to use something without xanthan gum if you do choose to use a blend, since that can make the filling chewy.
How to make gluten free blueberry cobbler
The full ingredients and instructions for this recipe are in the recipe card below, but here's a visual overview of how you do it and an explanation of the reason behind each step:
1. Make the pastry topping
Whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar to avoid any clumps of leavening. Add cold, shredded butter and toss to coat it in the flour, which will expand in the oven to create a light, airy pastry.
Pour in the buttermilk and mix until a soft, craggy dough forms. Chill the dough while you prepare the filling so the butter stays cold and the pastry holds it shape as it bakes.
2. Make the filling
Toss the blueberries with sugar, rice flour (or other starch), salt, optional cinnamon, vanilla, and melted butter. If you're using frozen berries, work quickly so they don't defrost, which could result in a mushy filling.
Add a few drops of water as needed to moisten all the dry ingredients. Spread the filling into a greased baking dish.
3. Assemble the cobbler
Scoop the chilled dough over the blueberry filling, leaving a few gaps to create that “cobblestone” appearance after baking. Spread slightly into an uneven layer so the topping browns more in spots.
Brush the top with melted butter for flavor and browning, and sprinkle with sugar for a golden, crunchy finish.
4. Bake and serve
Bake at 375°F until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 35 minutes.
A toothpick inserted in the topping (not the filling) should come out clean, but if you push the tester in too far, you'll hit the warm, gooey filling, which won't bake until dry. Let the dish cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving to give the filling and topping some time to set so you can scoop portions with some of each.
Ingredient substitutions
No buttermilk
Mix ½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream with ½ cup milk. For dairy free, use unsweetened nondairy versions of both.
Dairy free
Use block vegan butter like Melt or Miyoko’s Creamery in both the topping and filling. They’ll still give you great texture and flavor.
Using different fruit
You can substitute raspberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries, or a mix. For peaches or nectarines, try my gluten free peach cobbler recipe—they need more time in the oven.
Alternative starches for the filling
Instead of rice flour, try superfine glutinous white rice flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot, or cornstarch. Avoid flour blends with xanthan gum in the filling—it can make the texture gummy.
make ahead/leftovers
Storage suggestions
This cobbler is best the day it’s baked, when the topping is crisp and the filling is bubbly. But leftovers still hold up well!
To store:
Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
To reheat:
Uncover, sprinkle the topping lightly with lukewarm water, and bake at 300°F for about 10 minutes to crisp it back up.
To freeze:
Once completely cool, wrap the cobbler tightly and freeze. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before reheating the same way.
Want a different topping?
Use my drop-style gluten free biscuit dough for a classic look, or try my gluten free berry crumble for a more rustic finish.
Gluten Free Blueberry Cobbler Recipe
Ingredients
For the pastry topping
- 1 ¼ cups (175 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (See Recipe Notes or click thru for details)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum, (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, chilled and grated on a standard box grater
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) buttermilk, chilled
For the filling
- 2 pounds fresh or frozen blueberries, (about 5 cups)
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (36 g) superfine white rice flour, (or tapioca starch, glutinous white rice flour, or cornstarch all work; Nicole's Best works well, too)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- water, by the drop, as needed
For finishing
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a baking dish with an 8-cup to 10-cup capacity lightly and set it aside. I used an oval casserole pan, but a 9-inch square or round baking pan works fine.
Make the pastry dough.
- In a large bowl, place the gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 2 tablespoons sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Add the grated butter, and toss to combine the butter in the dry ingredients.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the buttermilk and mix until just combined. The mixture will be thick but much softer than biscuits.
- Place bowl with the topping in the refrigerator to chill briefly, while you make the filling.
Prepare the filling
- In a large bowl, place the blueberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup rice flour (or alternative), salt, and (optional) cinnamon, vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of melted butter, and toss to combine completely.
- Mix in water by the drop as necessary just to moisten all of the flour and sugar.
- Transfer the blueberry mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
Finish the cobbler.
- Remove the topping from the refrigerator. Using two spoons or a spring loaded ice cream scoop, scatter the topping evenly over the top of the blueberries.
- Using a spatula or knife, spread the topping out into a craggy somewhat even layer, leaving a few small gaps where the blueberries poke through.
- Brush the pastry topping evenly with the 1 tablespoon of melted butter.
- Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar on top of the melted butter.
- Place the baking dish in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until done.
- The cobbler is done when the filling is bubbling, the top is golden brown all over and a toothpick inserted just into the topping comes out clean.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving, so the filling and topping can set up.
Video
Notes
Use a high-quality all purpose gluten free flour blend like Better Batter's original blend or Nicole’s Best with added xanthan gum. Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 works if you add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum, otherwise the topping may be crumbly. I don’t recommend Cup4Cup anymore due to a recent formula change. Want to make your own blend? See my all purpose gluten free flour blends page. What to use in the filling
Stick to single-ingredient flours like superfine white rice flour, tapioca starch, or cornstarch. Avoid blends with xanthan gum, which will make the filling gummy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
FAQs
You may have added a bit too much water to the filling. Letting it rest at room temperature helps—blueberries naturally contain pectin, which will thicken the filling as it cools.
Yes! Try glutinous white rice flour, tapioca starch, arrowroot, potato starch, or cornstarch. Cornstarch may release a bit of liquid as it cools, but it’s still a great option.
Absolutely. Double it for a 9×13-inch baking dish, or cut it in half and bake in smaller ramekins (totaling about 8 cups capacity). Just be sure to leave room for bubbling filling.
Made this with King Arthur’s GF 1:1 flour and tapioca starch for the filling. I did it in our deep cast iron pan. Absolute crowd pleaser and did honor to our fresh picked blueberries. Thank you!
I made this cobbler for a pot luck dinner.
It is delicious!
So glad you enjoyed the cobbler, Virginia. Thank you for letting me know!
I made it with blueberries. Even my non gluten family loved it. Not sure if it was error on my part for the topping? I did not have enough to cover so made a double batch. Used all of it and it turned out delicious!
Hi Nicole! Haven’t tried this recipe yet but looks amazing! I always seek your recipes out as I’ve not been disappointed yet ! Thank you! The ingredients say 2 lb or 4 cups of blueberries. Is that supposed to be two pints instead of 2 pounds?
Hi, tg, thanks for reaching out and for the kind words. Two pounds of berries is correct. I changed it to say about 5 cups, but it’s really 4 to 5 cups. If they’re smaller berries, 1 cup is about 8 ounces. I hope that’s helpful!
I am quite interested in trying this recipe. One question though:
The recipe calls for 1 cup [6 fluid oz] of buttermilk for the topping. Should that be 8 fluid oz?
Yes, it should be 8 fluid ounces, Jeffrey. Thank you so so much for pointing that out, and please forgive the error! I’m so glad you asked.
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS DESSERT, THE BEST I’VE TASTED IN A LONG TIME!
So happy to hear it, Jan! Thanks for sharing your experience.
Can I use cherrys instead of blueberries?
Hi, Shay, yes, I think that would work well. Just, of course, be sure to pit them and I would also slice them in half so they bake in the same amount of time that the topping does. Sounds delicious!
Nicole, would it be ok to use canned blueberry pie filling for this, instead of mixing up a filling from scratch? And if so, do you have any tips for that? Thanks so much, this sounds like an awesome crust especially ?
Interesting question, Angie. I’m a little concerned that the filling would overcook while the crust is baking, since it takes quite a while to bake. And since the filling goes underneath the crust, you can’t add the filling later. Maybe try rolling the crust thinner so it bakes faster, and adding some fresh (or frozen) whole blueberries to the filling so there’s more moisture released during baking so the filling doesn’t dry out?
Interesting: for me, a cobbler has biscuit-like pieces of dough on top, thus like “cobbles” in a cobbled street. I usually make mine with a slightly modified version of your simple drop biscuit recipe on top of fruit filling. This is what I would call a pandowdy, but whatever it is called, it sure looks delicious! Rhubarb is just coming into season … yum!
I discuss making the topping with rounds instead of a single sheet of pastry, Sophie. I’ve never heard the term “pandowdy.” Must be regional to you!
You can disregard my email about not being able to find the recipe for the GF Blueberry Cobbler! Found it. Sorry. But I would still like to know if I can use “GF Flour” (which I think includes many different types of lour) in making these things, particularly the biscuits. Thanks.
Please follow the link in the recipe ingredient that says “all purpose gluten free flour,” Carllie, for the flour blends page that provides all the information you need on GF flour blends.