I’ve had the hardest time shaking myself from the funk and fog of Kobe’s passing. Creatively everything has just seemed so...trivial.

Instead of sitting in front of the computer writing or hunched over my camera trying to snap images for recipes I’ve developed, I’ve felt called to snuggle with my husband more and spend time with my girlfriends.

But, now I’m starting to feel guilty about not pouring into Brown Sugar & Bourbon as well. I made a promise to myself and you that this was THE YEAR I was going to dedicate my heart and soul to my site and give it the attention and love it needs.  

The world feels a little crazy right now doesn’t it? I catch myself reaching for things that comfort my spirit and mind. Lately that has meant taking long soaks in the bathtub, reading Brené Brown’s book Daring Greatly, spending hours on the phone with my mom and sister talking about absolutely nothin’ and of course cooking recipes that just make me feel good.

Honestly, when I developed this recipe, I needed something that reached down and hugged my soul. Something that fortified my spirit.

Blackberry cobbler is one of my dad’s all-time favorite desserts. My mom would make it a few times a year and only after he requested it.

A traditional blackberry cobbler recipe calls for a thick, almost bread-like pie crust and fresh blackberries. When I came up with this dish, I wasn’t in the mood to make pie crust from scratch or run the store and pick up a pre-made roll from Pillsbury and pretend that I actually made it for the sake of a photo (cause, friends don’t lie to each other!)

Instead I turned to my overstocked pantry and realized that I already had everything I needed to throw together some flaky biscuits and boom my “a ha!” moment arrived.

This blackberry cobbler is like a warm hug from my mama. It’s hearty, juicy and made my entire house smell like a cinnamon bomb went off (which is a good thing). The buttery biscuits take on a doughy and crumbly consistency which is honestly better than pie crust especially if, like me, you love the doughy parts of desserts. You absolutely have to serve this warm with a creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Once I snapped a few photos for my blog, I passed a plate to Shep to try out--I’d already sampled the cooked blackberries so I knew it was going to be delicious--and he inhaled the entire plate and then went back for seconds.

This dessert is perfect for those days when you just need a little extra love and comfort in your life. I know I can’t be the only one who’s been a little down with the start of 2020 so I hope this recipe brings you as much joy as it brought me.

One of my favorite things to do is see how y’all take a recipe of mine and make it your own but I know you’ll probably have a few questions on how to adapt this dish for your home. I’ve tried my best to answer some questions you might have below but if you have anymore leave me a comment or hit me up on Instagram.

Can I use frozen blackberries to make this recipe?
Yes, beware however that frozen blackberries once cooked will be more watery so you might have to up the amount of cornstarch to thicken it up to your liking.

I’m not the biggest fan of blackberries, can I use something else?
Totally understand, they can be a little tart sometimes. If you’re looking for a good substitute for blackberries you’re more than welcome to use fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries or a mix of both. Go crazy boo!

I’m not about to make biscuits from scratch, can I use pre-made ones?
So yes, but I really would encourage you to make them from scratch. They take all of 7 minutes to throw together and really help to up the comfort level in this dish. That being said, if you absolutely don’t want to make biscuit dough, I’d recommend either Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Biscuits or Pillsbury Grands! Homestyle Southern Style.

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Brown Sugar & Bourbon Blackberry Cobbler

Yield: 4-5 people

Author: Ryan Shepard

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

For Buttermilk Biscuits

• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons or 3 ounces unsalted butter, cut into cubes, cold
• ¾ cup buttermilk

For Blackberry Filling

• 4 cups blackberries
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper to dust biscuits

Instructions

For Buttermilk Biscuits

1. Place all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Cut butter into small cubes and add to dry ingredients making sure. I like to use a dough blenderto do this but you can use a fork or your hands. Make sure to work quickly so butter doesn’t get warm.
3. Add buttermilk and form into a ball.
4. Gently press or roll dough out onto a floured surface into a one inch thick disk and cut into desired shape.
5. Note: I used the second smallest ring from this set.
6. Place cut biscuits back into the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.

For Blackberry Filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except cornstarch, butter and black pepper.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once butter has melted add blackberry mixture. Bring blackberries to a low simmer and allow to cook down for about 5-7 minutes.
3. In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and two tablespoons of water making sure to remove any clumps. Pour
4. Remove biscuits from the refrigerator and place them on top of the cooked blackberries. Take a little melted butter and brush the tops of the biscuits with that and add a sprinkle of black pepper.
5. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until done. Remove from oven and let cool.
6. Serve warm with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @ryannicoleshepard on instagram and hashtag it #brownsugarandbourbon

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