Back in the 80s, I worked as an announcer for a classical music radio station, and hosted the Saturday morning listener requests program. Phone lines opened only 20 minutes before the show began; listeners gave me their classical listening wishes, and — like a jigsaw puzzle — I put together a list of four segments of about 53 minutes each, leaving me time for announcing the works and the requisite station identification at the top of the hour. It was fun, but pulling it all together at the last minuts was pretty stressful.
To this day, I still take requests, but of a different nature and pacing: food requests from dinner guests. If they like, guests can peruse my blog, or one of my family cookbooks, and ask for certain dishes, any course from soup to dessert. It’s more fun and less stressful than my radio show. This week’s request was from my friend Michael for his birthday dessert: Blueberry Cobbler. Remarkably, it is something for which I had no recipe, so I went online. One from Chez Panisse caught my attention. I tested it, made several adjustments, and that is what Michael got for his birthday; request fulfilled.
6tablespoonscold unsalted buttercut into 1/3-inch cubes
3/4cupheavy cream
vanilla ice creamfor serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse the berries, drain, and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle over the 2/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons flour and toss to mix. Set aside.
Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and the baking powder in a bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat. Using your thumb and fingers, pinch the butter into the flour mixture creating butter “flakes.” Keep pinching until there are no large pieces of butter left. Add the cream and mix with a fork, then, using your (floured) hands, mix further just until the dry ingredients are moistened and in large clumps: the cobbles.
Put the blueberries in a round or oval baking dish — a large soufflé dish works well. Take large clumps of dough and place them on top of the berries. Fit any extra topping in here and there. Bake until the topping is brown and the juices bubble thickly around it, about 40 minutes.
Let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of ice cream.
Notes
Serves 6.Markipedia adds that it is the lumps that make it a cobbler. A cobble is a lump, as in a small hill, or paving stone, piece of coal, or sloppy repair job… or that lump of dough on dessert. No lump, no cobbler.
Love that you take requests! Chez Panisse is always a good place to start. And yes please, I’ll take a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream with mine. Beautiful. 😉 ~Valentina
Well – we have learned something anew about you! How imaginative one had to be to have a superfast look at rapidly arriving requests, find the music and put it into an interesting lineup! Clapping for way back 🙂 ! Love blueberries, my health does also and this cobbler sounds delightful . . . my kind of ‘afters’ if there is room after ‘mains’ 🙂 !
This looks wonderful, David! Blueberry cobbler is one of my favourite summer desserts, and I’d happily enjoy a big scoop with vanilla (or lavender) ice cream.
For once, I posted at the right time. lol.
I loved being an announcer – it helped knowing how to pronounce compsers’ names, as well as the titles of the pieces. Ban announcing (of which there is much) drives me crazy.
I also don’t have a cobbler recipe–have tried once or twice without success. With all the fruit here now it’s the perfect time for you to post your beautiful cobbler!
I had given up on blueberry cobbler. I thought the “cobbles” were heavy and tasteless and that good blueberries were shown off far better in a pie.
But this recipe spoke to me. I trust David’s recipes and I thought I’d give it a try… it is outstanding! The sweetness of the blueberry filling is perfect and those cobbles were light and full of flavor!
This does my heat so much good, Susan! I know it’s a riff on someone else’s recipe, but I’m so happy my changes made a difference and that you loved it!
Mad Dog
July 18, 2026 at 6:10 amThat looks like a fabulous birthday present!
David Scott Allen
July 18, 2026 at 6:54 amThanks, Mad Dog — Michael enjoyed it immensely.
Mimi Rippee
July 18, 2026 at 6:15 amHuh. Interesting. Never thought about a cobble when I looked at a cobbler! It’s pretty!
David Scott Allen
July 18, 2026 at 6:55 amAnd that is why it’s good to have Markipedia around!
Barb
July 18, 2026 at 6:23 amYum!! This cobbler looks delicious! Michael is a very lucky guy! How interesting that you were a deejay! It does sound stressful, but also fun!
David Scott Allen
July 18, 2026 at 6:56 amI loved being in air — it fit nicely between orchestra performances and my teaching!
angiesrecipes
July 18, 2026 at 11:16 amThat top looks incredibly tempting!
David Scott Allen
July 18, 2026 at 9:29 pmIt’s a nice biscuit Top, Angie. I love it.
valentina wein
July 18, 2026 at 11:57 amLove that you take requests! Chez Panisse is always a good place to start. And yes please, I’ll take a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream with mine. Beautiful. 😉 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
July 18, 2026 at 9:29 pmAs I did for Michael, I would give you ice cream and red sugar sprinkles on top to make it a red white and blue July 4 cobbler!
Eha
July 18, 2026 at 2:55 pmWell – we have learned something anew about you! How imaginative one had to be to have a superfast look at rapidly arriving requests, find the music and put it into an interesting lineup! Clapping for way back 🙂 ! Love blueberries, my health does also and this cobbler sounds delightful . . . my kind of ‘afters’ if there is room after ‘mains’ 🙂 !
David Scott Allen
July 18, 2026 at 9:28 pmThanks, Eha — every once in a while it’s fun to share stories of my past!
I, too. Love blueberries and they are super good for you.
Sherry M
July 18, 2026 at 9:37 pmwhat a fabulously interesting life you have led David – and do lead I’m sure! Love blueberries.
sherry
David Scott Allen
July 19, 2026 at 2:41 pmThanks, Sherry — I do my best to keep things interesting!
FEL!X
July 18, 2026 at 10:05 pmI like blueberries too, but here I can get only these big «marbles», farmed and free of any taste…
Your blueberries look smaller and certainly tasty!
David Scott Allen
July 19, 2026 at 2:40 pmThese were very sweet berries, Felix — as you say, not always the case!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
July 19, 2026 at 2:01 pmThis looks wonderful, David! Blueberry cobbler is one of my favourite summer desserts, and I’d happily enjoy a big scoop with vanilla (or lavender) ice cream.
David Scott Allen
July 19, 2026 at 2:39 pmMmmm… the lavender ice cream idea sounds amazing! The birthday boy requested vanilla but next time it will be lavender for me!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
July 21, 2026 at 6:46 amLooks delightful, David! And right in time for blueberry season.
I didn’t know about your stint as a radio announcer. It certainly does sound like a challenging job but I’m sure you were brilliant.
David Scott Allen
July 22, 2026 at 11:15 amFor once, I posted at the right time. lol.
I loved being an announcer – it helped knowing how to pronounce compsers’ names, as well as the titles of the pieces. Ban announcing (of which there is much) drives me crazy.
Inger
July 23, 2026 at 5:35 pmI also don’t have a cobbler recipe–have tried once or twice without success. With all the fruit here now it’s the perfect time for you to post your beautiful cobbler!
David Scott Allen
July 24, 2026 at 5:06 pmI think you will love this cobbler recipe, Inger, and it is so flexible with the fruits you use!
Susan Manfull
August 1, 2026 at 2:31 amI had given up on blueberry cobbler. I thought the “cobbles” were heavy and tasteless and that good blueberries were shown off far better in a pie.
But this recipe spoke to me. I trust David’s recipes and I thought I’d give it a try… it is outstanding! The sweetness of the blueberry filling is perfect and those cobbles were light and full of flavor!
All eight of us at the dinner party loved it!
David Scott Allen
August 1, 2026 at 9:51 pmThis does my heat so much good, Susan! I know it’s a riff on someone else’s recipe, but I’m so happy my changes made a difference and that you loved it!
2pots2cook
August 6, 2026 at 4:11 amEverything blueberry is tasty for us. Your guest, I guess, was very happy with the outcome !!!! 🙂