Experience a delightful twist on a classic American dessert! Our **Grilled Blueberry Cobbler Recipe** transforms this beloved treat by infusing it with a subtle, irresistible smoky flavor, making it a truly memorable culinary adventure perfect for any summer gathering. Forget heating up your kitchen – the grill is your new oven!
While burgers, steaks, and chicken often dominate our grill menus, the warm months present an exciting opportunity to explore **BBQ Dessert Ideas**. Grilling desserts offers a unique smoky depth that conventional baking simply can’t achieve, creating a fantastic alternative to traditional oven-baked sweets and keeping your kitchen cool.
Why This Grilled Blueberry Cobbler is a Summer Essential
Venturing into the world of grilled desserts might seem unconventional, but once you experience the magic of a blueberry cobbler cooked over an open flame, you’ll wonder why you ever did it any other way. This recipe isn’t just a delicious treat; it’s a smart choice for several compelling reasons:
- Beat the Heat: During the scorching summer months, turning on your oven can quickly transform your kitchen into an unbearable sauna. Grilling your dessert keeps the heat outdoors, allowing you to enjoy a freshly baked treat without sacrificing your comfort. It’s the ultimate solution for maintaining a cool and pleasant indoor environment.
- Unforgettable Smoky Flavor: This is where the grilled cobbler truly shines. The subtle infusion of smoky notes from the grill adds an extraordinary depth and complexity to the sweet, juicy blueberries and buttery biscuit topping. It’s a flavor profile that stands out, elevating a simple fruit cobbler into an epicurean delight that will have your guests asking for the secret ingredient. This unique characteristic makes it far more exciting than its oven-baked counterpart.
- Embrace Culinary Adventure: For those who love to experiment with new cooking techniques and push the boundaries of their grilling skills, this recipe offers a rewarding challenge. It’s a fantastic way to utilize your outdoor cooking equipment for something beyond savory meats and vegetables, proving that your grill is a versatile culinary tool capable of producing exquisite desserts. Discovering new ways to create delicious food is part of the joy of cooking, and this grilled cobbler is a perfect example.
- Perfect for Outdoor Entertaining: Imagine serving a warm, bubbling cobbler straight from the grill to your patio table. It’s a fantastic centerpiece for any backyard barbecue, picnic, or summer party. The aroma alone is enough to draw a crowd, making it an excellent conversation starter and a memorable end to any meal.
While my husband typically takes charge of the grill for our savory dishes, when it comes to crafting a dessert like this grilled blueberry cobbler, it becomes my culinary playground. I eagerly reach for my trusty cast iron skillet, a workhorse perfect for high-heat grilling. The filling is a symphony of plump, bursting blueberries, carefully balanced with sugar, a touch of cornstarch for thickening, and a hint of warm cinnamon. To brighten the flavors and cut through the sweetness, I always add a generous amount of fresh lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. This simple addition elevates the berry mixture, making it truly vibrant.
Once the luscious blueberry base is ready, it’s time for the signature biscuit topping. Dollops of rich, tender biscuit dough are strategically placed over the fruit, creating that classic cobbled texture. The grill’s heat management is key here. I aim for a steady temperature between 350º and 400ºF, adjusting the vents on our Big Green Egg to maintain consistency. After about 20 minutes, the filling begins to bubble furiously, a clear sign of delicious things to come. I then slightly reduce the heat and let it bake for another 10 minutes or until the biscuit topping turns a beautiful golden brown, perfectly cooked through with a slight crispness on top and a soft interior.
Essential Tips for a Perfect Grilled Blueberry Cobbler
Fruit cobblers, crisps, and pies are summer staples in our household. My husband absolutely raved about my Grilled Apple Crisp, which inspired me to tackle a cobbler using the same innovative method. Grilling a cobbler is an unusual, yet brilliant, technique, especially when you want to avoid heating up your kitchen on a sweltering summer day. The most cherished feedback for this berry cobbler came from my youngest son, a self-proclaimed blueberry skeptic, who admitted, “You know, I really don’t like blueberries, but I guess I’d never tasted a *really* good blueberry dessert until now.” That’s a glowing endorsement if I ever heard one!
- Assess Berry Sweetness: Before you even begin mixing, taste your blueberries. Their natural sweetness can vary greatly. I often find the lesser amount of sugar specified in the recipe to be perfect, but if your berries are tart or less flavorful, feel free to increase the sugar by a tablespoon or two. This ensures a perfectly balanced dessert.
- Monitor Grill Temperature Closely: A reliable grill thermometer is your best friend when baking on the grill. The goal is to maintain a consistent temperature of around 350°F (175°C), mirroring the conditions of a conventional oven. For charcoal grills, this means careful management of vents and briquette placement. For gas grills, preheating and then adjusting burner levels for indirect heat is crucial.
- Invest in Quality Cookware: A sturdy, well-seasoned cast iron skillet is ideal for grilling desserts. Its excellent heat retention and even heat distribution prevent hot spots and ensure the bottom of your cobbler cooks evenly without burning. If you don’t have cast iron, a heavy-duty disposable aluminum pan can work in a pinch, though it might cook slightly differently. Ensure any bakeware you use is oven and grill-safe.
- Indirect Heat is Key: To transform your grill into an effective oven, you must set up an indirect heat zone. On a gas grill, turn off the central burners, placing your skillet over the unlit section. For charcoal grills, arrange the hot coals around the perimeter of the grill, leaving the center clear. This prevents direct high heat from scorching the bottom of your cobbler while allowing it to bake gently.
- Lid Management: Just like an oven, keeping the grill lid closed is essential to maintain consistent temperature and ensure even baking. Resist the urge to peek too often, as each time you lift the lid, heat escapes, extending the cooking time.
- Visual Cues for Doneness: Your cobbler is ready when the blueberry filling is bubbling vigorously around the edges and through the biscuit topping. The biscuits themselves should be beautifully golden brown and appear cooked through. If unsure, you can gently prod a biscuit with a toothpick; it should come out clean.
- Serving Suggestions: This grilled blueberry cobbler is phenomenal served warm, ideally with a generous scoop of high-quality vanilla bean ice cream that melts into the warm fruit. A dollop of freshly whipped cream or a sprinkle of fresh mint leaves can also add an elegant touch.
- Make Ahead Option: While best served fresh from the grill, you can prepare the blueberry filling and biscuit dough ahead of time. Store them separately in the refrigerator, then assemble and grill when ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grilling Desserts
The possibilities for grilled desserts are more extensive than you might think! As long as you can effectively maintain the grill’s temperature and use bakeware or cookware that can withstand the heat and potential smoke, you can create a wide array of sweet treats. Beyond fruit cobblers and crisps, consider grilled brownies, simple fruit tarts (especially those with a shortbread or cookie crust), fruit pizzas (cooked on a pre-baked crust), and even individual ramekin desserts like molten lava cakes. The key is to choose recipes that benefit from indirect heat and can achieve a crispy exterior and tender interior in a grill environment.
To successfully use your grill as an oven, establishing an indirect heat zone is paramount. For a gas grill, this involves preheating all burners, then turning off the burners directly beneath where your baking pan will sit, leaving the side burners on to maintain temperature. For a charcoal grill, arrange the hot coals around the perimeter of the grill grate, creating a clear central area where your dessert will sit. This method allows the grill to heat up to baking temperature (typically 350-400°F or 175-200°C) without directly exposing the bottom of your dessert to intense flames, which prevents burning and ensures even cooking, similar to how an oven bakes.
Yes, you absolutely can use frozen blueberries! There’s no need to thaw them beforehand. Simply add them directly to your mixing bowl with the other filling ingredients. Keep in mind that frozen blueberries will release more moisture as they cook, so you might need to add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to the filling to ensure it thickens properly. Also, the overall baking time on the grill might be slightly longer to account for the frozen fruit. Look for the same visual cues of doneness: bubbling filling and golden-brown biscuits.
Preventing a burnt bottom is crucial for any grilled dessert. The primary method is to use indirect heat, as described above, ensuring the pan is not directly over a heat source. Additionally, using a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet helps distribute heat more evenly. Some grill masters also place a small, disposable aluminum pan or a few layers of foil underneath the cast iron skillet for added insulation, especially if their grill tends to have hotter spots. Regularly monitoring the grill temperature and rotating the skillet halfway through cooking can also help.
More Delicious Summer Grilling Recipes to Explore
Summer means full-swing barbecue season at our house! With long weekends and holidays on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to stock up on charcoal and propane and ignite your passion for outdoor cooking. This Grilled Blueberry Cobbler is the ideal sweet finish to any summer meal, but there’s a world of savory grilling delights to explore. We’ve gathered some fantastic inspiration to complement your cobbler and round out your ultimate summer menu. Make sure to add this unique dessert to your holiday menu and surprise your guests!
- Grilled Chicken Marinade from Tidy Mom – Perfect for juicy, flavorful chicken every time.
- Cilantro Lime Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa by Taste And See – A vibrant and zesty seafood option.
- Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs by Moore or Less Cooking – Sweet and savory skewers bursting with tropical flavor.
- Grilled Asparagus with Lemon and Manchego Cheese by Cupcakes & Kale Chips – A simple yet elegant side dish.
- How to Grill Shrimp Scampi – Quick, garlicky, and utterly delicious.
- Grilled Potato Packets – An easy and flavorful side that cooks right on the grill.
- Beef Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Butter – A show-stopping main course for special occasions.
- Plus, more of my Best Dessert Recipes for every craving!
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Grilled Blueberry Cobbler Recipe
30 minutes
30 minutes
1 hour
8 servings
A classic blueberry cobbler with a tender biscuit topping, cooked on the grill for a unique smoky flavor and perfect for summer entertaining!
Ingredients
Berry Mixture:
- ½-⅔ cup granulated sugar (adjust based on berry sweetness)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 cups fresh blueberries
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (from one small lemon)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Biscuit Topping:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen and grated
- ½ cup heavy cream, plus extra for glazing biscuits
- Coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to 350ºF (175°C) for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, arrange coals for indirect cooking.
- In a large bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Add the fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Gently toss until the berries are evenly coated.
- Pour the blueberry mixture into a 9-inch cast iron skillet or a heavy-duty disposable aluminum pan.
- To make the biscuits, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a separate medium bowl.
- Grate the frozen butter directly into the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to quickly toss and coat the butter shreds with flour.
- Gradually add the ½ cup heavy cream and mix until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overmix; a slightly shaggy dough makes for tender biscuits. Add a tiny bit more cream if the dough seems too dry.
- Scoop out spoonfuls of the biscuit dough and gently drop them evenly across the surface of the blueberry filling.
- If desired, brush the tops of the biscuits with a little extra heavy cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a golden, sparkly finish.
- Loosely cover the skillet with aluminum foil and place it on the indirect heat zone of your preheated grill. Grill for about 20 minutes, closely monitoring the grill temperature.
- After 20 minutes, carefully remove the foil cover. Continue to grill for another 5-10 minutes, or until the blueberry filling is visibly bubbling and the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked through. Cooking times can vary significantly based on your grill type and ambient temperature.
- Carefully remove the cobbler from the grill. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- For a convenient shortcut, you can use a can of premium refrigerated biscuit dough from your grocery store. Simply arrange the biscuits on top of the fruit filling.
- The amount of sugar in the berry filling is a guideline. I found ½ cup to be just right for sweet blueberries, but if your berries are particularly tart, you may want to increase it to ⅔ cup or even ¾ cup. Taste your berries first and adjust to your preference.
- If you’re using a gas grill, you generally have better control over temperature. Charcoal grills may require more frequent monitoring and vent adjustments to maintain a steady heat. Be patient, as grilling can sometimes take a little longer than oven baking.
- To check for doneness, especially in the biscuit topping, insert a toothpick into the center of a biscuit. If it comes out clean and the biscuit feels firm, it’s likely done. If it still seems doughy, continue cooking for another 5 minutes and recheck.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving (Approximate):
Calories: 506
Total Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 48mg
Sodium: 338mg
Carbohydrates: 81g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 48g
Protein: 5g
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