Berry Cobbler with Brown Butter and Basil

This blackberry, blueberry, basil  and brown butter cobbler is simply divine!

(This is an updated post from 2014.)

Simple, quick, and easy to make is one way to describe this blackberry, blueberry, basil and brown butter,  berry cobbler recipe.

Another way to describe this cobbler is blissful. This cobbler, full of flavor from basil and brown butter, certainly brought joy to our neck of the woods!

Most cobblers are straight and to the point, with a layer of fruit on the bottom and a cobbled floury top. Other cobblers have a top and bottom crust.

Did you know that the word cobbler is possibly derived from the archaic word “wooden bowl”. 

I always thought it was the cobbled top that gave it its name.

One look at the ingredients and one realizes this is not your average Joe cobbler. Not that there is anything wrong with average Joe, but in this house it was time for change.

Change began the morning that I stepped into Trader Joe’s (OK, I admit I am becoming a fan) to discover basil plants for $2.99. BIG basil plants. Cheaper than any nursery I’ve ever bought them from.

So cheap that I’m going back to buy another. And so big that I had plenty of basil leaves to harvest from the get go. 

 Alex arrived home briefly to deposit some of his belongings and Manservant was arriving the next day, so I thought I better cook/bake something to show them I still could. Bake, that is.

After all, I’ve been living on leftovers since Zoe left and haven’t even stepped foot in the grocery. As I put the basil plant into my basket, I added blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.

Racing home with my purchases, I decided I best not let them go to waste and baking was on my mind.

No sooner did I get started then Alex said he was heading back up to Vail  in just a few hours.  Are you kidding me?

Well, luckily this cobbler did not go to waste. No sooner had he said that, then I got a call from a friend inviting me to dinner. How nice and how good that I could provide dessert!

Knowing this friend did not like raspberries, I did not incorporate them, but one could if one so desired.

Actually I kind of like the whole “B” thing. Blueberries, blackberries, basil and browned butter. It works, does it not?

And blissful. This cobbler is blissful!

As I mixed up the fruit, I realized that it would also make a perfect fruit salad. Just scoop the fresh fruit over some frozen yogurt.

However if you choose to go the distance, this berry cobbler crust becomes chewy and slightly crunchy with rich buttery goodness.

The basil adds a subtle, but flirtatious taste to the fruit, and keeps one guessing as to the secret ingredient.

This easy cobbler is perfect with ice cream or whipped cream and would be perfect for dad on his day. Manservant certainly appreciated it on his arrival home!

Summer fruit desserts just make me happy. This berry, basil and brown butter cobbler is a great way to make anyone happy. I hope it works for you!

One note: I used lemon in this. To be truthful here, I am not a giant fan of lemon in desserts. Weird, I know!

In this cobbler, the lemon was noticeable when it came out of the oven, however it seemed to become more lemony in the days after, as it was slowly scooped spoonful by spoonful into someone’s mouth.

No, I admit, it wasn’t mine. It became too lemony for me to really enjoy. So proceed with caution if you aren’t a lemon lover.

Lemon lovers…use all I say. And it you expect this to be gone in one day, by all means use it. If you plan on this lasting a few days and you are like me, you may want to cut the lemon by half.