Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Our dreamy Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix is ideal for busy summer days and spontaneous parties. With just eight basic ingredients, simple equipment, and a 15-minute bake time, you can quickly mix, bake, and dig into this juicy, cakey, easy berry cobbler whenever the mood strikes!

• Summer flavor: Scoop up the taste of summer with every spoonful of the lusciously tangy-sweet berries in a syrup accented with vanilla and lemon.
• Tender topping: The buttery, golden brown cobbler with a cake mix topping bakes up crispy on the edges with a lovely, soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture inside.

Summer is meant to be enjoyed, and I love to share hacks and shortcuts that deliver delicious foods faster and easier. In addition to our delicious Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix, our One-Bowl Lemon Cupcakes, 10-Minute Chocolate Mousse, and Easy 10-Minute Tiramisu make indulging in craveable summer desserts a cinch.

Table of Contents

• What is Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix
• Gemma’s Pro-Chef Tips
• Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
• What Makes a Cobbler Different From a Crisp?
• Can You Use Other Fruits in This Crisp Recipe?
• FAQs
• More Cobbler and Crisp Recipes

What is Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix?

• Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix is a streamlined version of a cobbler, which contains fruit filling that’s topped with a sweetened batter and baked. Our recipe features a berry filling covered with a soft, crumbled yellow cake topping made with boxed cake mix. Cobblers are beloved for their unbeatable flavor, texture, seasonal vibe, and ultra-simple prep!
• This berry cobbler recipe comes together quickly because the base is made from FROZEN BERRIES—so there’s no cleaning or chopping—and the two-ingredient topping is boxed cake mix combined with melted butter. The pantry and freezer staple ingredient list and the no-fuss prep make this delectable triple berry cobbler a go-to recipe for last-minute summer visitors or a treat that’s easy to whip in a summer cabin rental.
• Cobblers came about due to necessity. The average American colonist had limited ingredients and kitchen equipment, so making traditional English pastries and steamed puddings was impractical. Cobblers, named for their rustic, uneven appearance that resembles a cobblestone street, became popular along with crisps and crumbles. 

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Glass measuring jug
• Wooden spoon
• 9 x 13 baking dish

Key Ingredients and Why

Frozen mixed berries

• Frozen mixed berries are not only budget-friendly and convenient to use in berry cobbler recipes, but because they’re flash-frozen right after they’re picked, they have fabulous peak-season flavor.
• We used a mix of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries here, but you can use one type of berry or another combination you prefer.
• Note that if you use frozen strawberries, chop them into bite-sized pieces in a food processor before using them.

Granulated sugar

• Sugar draws moisture from the berries and thickens it into a gorgeously flavorful syrup.
• Importantly, sugar contributes to the thickening of the fruit mixture. When the sugar draws out the juices from the berries, that syrupy liquid combines with the cornstarch to create a thicker filling. 
• Additionally, the sugar caramelizes during baking, adding a delightfully toasty note and making the filling thicker. 
• Sugar adds sweetness to the fruit mixture.
• Make sure to use enough sugar as directed for the large amount of fruit that’s called for here.
• Note that sugar-free substitutes may not thicken it up as well.

Water

• Water mixes with cornstarch to create a smooth slurry that helps thicken the berry mixture.
• Additionally, mixing cornstarch with water prevents it from clumping, so it coats the fruit mixture evenly.

Cornstarch

• Cornstarch is activated when it’s mixed with water and heated. The cornstarch absorbs moisture, swells, and forms a gel, giving the cobbler a spoonable consistency.
• Instead of cornstarch, you can substitute tapioca starch, arrowroot powder, or Instant ClearJel in a 1:1 ratio.
• You can also use oats or plain breadcrumbs in place of cornstarch. Note that these will create a heartier texture than a gelatinizing ingredient like cornstarch. 

Vanilla extract

• Vanilla extract highlights the berries’ sweet-tart fruitiness and adds a creamy, warm, floral taste.

Lemon

• Lemon adds a refreshing astringency to the fruit mixture, giving dimension and contrast to the sweetened berries.
• Using lemon juice and lemon zest adds the most intensely delicious citrus flavor.

Box of yellow cake mix

• Yellow cake mix is the base of the cobbler topping. It contains flour, leavening, sugar, and vanilla, eliminating the need for individual ingredients.
• Yellow cake mix gives the cobbler topping a mildly sweet, homey, vanilla-butter flavor that tops the intensely jammy berries perfectly.

Melted butter

• Melted butter binds the yellow cake mix together, making a cohesive, moist topping.
• The butter coats the flour in the cake mix, which inhibits gluten formation. This contributes to the tender texture of the cobbler topping.
• Melted butter combines with yellow cake mix to make a lovely crumbly topping with craggy bits that get golden brown and toasty.

How to Make Mixed Berry Cobbler with Cake Mix

Gemma’s Pro-Chef Tips

• You can use fresh berries instead of frozen berries for this recipe, but we recommend this only if the berries are in season. Otherwise, frozen berries will give you the best flavor.
• You can make this with a single berry (instead of mixed) if you wish.
• Make sure the berries are bubbling before you remove the cobbler from the oven; otherwise, it will not set properly.
• If the topping gets too brown before the berries are cooked, cover the cobbler with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
• This cake mix cobbler would be delicious with a dollop of Crème Fraiche Whipped Cream or our Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream!

Make Ahead & Storage Instructions

Can You Make Cobbler Ahead of Time?

• The filling can be mixed an hour in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
• It’s best not to let the filling sit for more than an hour as it could get too watery.

Storage Instructions:

• Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two days.
• Reheat at 300°F (150°C) for ten minutes or in the microwave, loosely covered, for about two minutes or until heated through.

What Makes a Cobbler Different From a Crisp?

• In a cobbler, the fruit filling is covered in a cake or sweetened biscuit batter which does NOT contain oats. The batter is spooned on the filling and it “cobbles” together as it bakes. 
• In a crisp, the fruit filling is covered with a more crumbly texture. A crisp topping typically contains butter that’s rubbed in with sugar and flour and a hearty ingredient like oats or nuts. A crisp topping bakes up crunchier than a cobbler topping. 

Can You Use Other Fruits in This Cobbler Recipe?

• Yes, you can use other fruits in this cobbler recipe. 
• Peaches, plums, or nectarines would be delicious.
• Strawberry rhubarb cobbler is a classic, especially in the spring. Apple or pear cobbler is ideal in the fall and winter. 
• Cut whatever fruit you use into bite-sized pieces.

FAQs

What can I use for topping if I don’t have a boxed cake mix?

• Use our Homemade Cake Mix!
• You can also use the topping from my Peach Cobbler for this recipe. This alternate topping is made from ingredients you most likely have in your fridge and cupboard, and it comes together quickly.

How do you thicken a cobbler?

• The cobbler filling thickens while baking because the sugar draws out the fruit’s juices, and the cornstarch mixes with them to create a gel-like consistency. 
• To ensure proper thickening, use the full amount of sugar and cornstarch called for in the recipe. 
• The cobbler must be thoroughly baked to ensure that the filling thickens. Bake the cobbler for 40-45 minutes until it is bubbling thickly. 
• If you have very juicy berries, you can reduce the liquid by pre-cooking them briefly before making the filling. 

Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?

• You MUST use the full amount of sugar as directed in the recipe.
• The cobbler will not gel correctly if you reduce the sugar.

Can I make this Mixed Berry Cobbler gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make this Mixed Berry Cobbler gluten-free.
• Use a gluten-free yellow cake mix instead of the conventional yellow cake mix.
• Be sure to check that the cornstarch you use is certified gluten-free, as some cornstarch brands can be contaminated by products containing gluten during processing.

Why isn’t an egg necessary in the cobbler topping?

• When mixed with melted butter only, the topping has an ideal crumbly texture.
• Adding an egg would make the cobbler topping cake-like and spongy.

More Cobbler and Crisp Recipes

• The Perfect Apple Honey Cobbler
• Peach Blueberry Crisp
• The Ultimate Chocolate Cobbler
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Crisp
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler

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