Our 13 Best Blackberry Desserts Make Berry Picking Worth the Pain

Transform blackberries into cakes, cobblers, compotes, and more.

A slice of blackberry pie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
Photo:

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Blackberries are the bad boys of berry season. Grown on tangles of thorn-studded canes, juicy and intensely sweet blackberries are nowhere near as easy to pick as strawberries and blueberries, and you'll often end up with an unintentional blackberry juice tattoo. Oh, but the rewards are so worth the painful scramble through the bramble. Here are some of our best blackberry desserts to make it all pay off deliciously.

01 of 14

Blackberry Crisp

close up of homemade Blackberry Crisp on a square plate with fresh blackberries in a bowl
Sheila LaLonde

Using only a handful of ingredients, this blackberry crisp is about as simple as it gets yet it's earned a solid 5-star rating from Allrecipes home cooks.

02 of 14

Chef John's Blackberry Buckle

Chef John's Blackberry Buckle
Chef John

For this rustic dessert, you'll pour the batter in a pan and top it with blackberries. As it bakes, the batter will rise — or buckle — around the fruit.

03 of 14

Lemon Cupcake with Blackberry Buttercream

close up of homemade Lemon Cupcake with Blackberry Buttercream frosting topped with fresh blackberry
jillianlaura

Note that this top-rated recipe makes 24 mini cupcakes or 12 regular cupcakes. The recipe says to spread the blackberry frosting on top, but you can pipe it on in a big swirl and top with a fresh berry to make it extra special.

04 of 14

Blackberry Upside-Down Cake

Blackberry Upside Down Cake on a blue plate
JimmyandNancy Long

Trina Dodge raves, "I followed the recipe but made mine in a bundt pan. Turned out beautiful and tasted awesome. It was a huge hit."

05 of 14

Blackberry Pie

A slice of blackberry pie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

"Perfect pie," says Nickie M. "We just had this after dinner tonight. We picked the blackberries from the fence line running down the driveway. It's so cool to use ingredients from your yard to feed your family!"

06 of 14

Blackberry Puff Pastry Tarts

Blackberry Puff Pastry Tarts on a white plate
abapplez

Frozen puff pastry shells make this elegant dessert come together quickly and easily. Whip this together when you want to make a big impression with minimal effort.

07 of 14

Sweet Blackberry and Brandy Sauce

Sweet Blackberry and Brandy Sauce over ice cream
Nanby

You'll love this brandy-kissed sauce over ice cream, pound cakes, cheesecakes, pancakes, French toast...you get the picture. Try it over lemon bars, too.

08 of 14

Fresh Blackberries and Cream Ice Pops

Fresh Blackberries and Cream Ice Pops on a beige background
tatissitat

All you need is a blender and some popsicle forms or paper cups to make these easy, fruity, healthy ice pops.

09 of 14

Chef John's Peach Blackberry Flognarde

Chef John's Peach Blackberry Flognarde in a white dish
Chef John

And now for something a little different, but absolutely outstanding. Fresh blackberries and peaches are baked in a thyme-scented custard in this fancy-sounding but surprisingly simple French dessert.

10 of 14

Blackberry Mascarpone Tart with Thyme Shortbread Crust

Blackberry Mascarpone Tart with Thyme Shortbread Crust on a marble background
Kim's Cooking Now

"Buttery shortbread with a hint of thyme, topped with a sweet mascarpone cream and a beautiful blackberry swirl," says Kim's Cooking Now. "You'll be sure to impress your guests with this beautiful summer tart!"

11 of 14

Blackberry Curd Tart

a lovely plum-colored fruit tart with two rows of fresh blackberries arranged along one side
Kim

"Have a surplus of blackberries?" asks Kim. "Why not make them into a delicious and beautiful tart? Make sure to adjust the amount of sugar in the filling according to how sweet your berries are — if they're a bit tart, try 2/3 cup sugar instead of a 1/2 cup."

12 of 14

Baking Mix Blackberry Cobbler

Baking Mix Blackberry Cobbler in a glass pan
Guy N Sue Cox

Using all-purpose baking mix, such as Bisquick, makes this cobbler easy to put together in a snap. It uses fresh or frozen berries, so you can enjoy it any time of the year.

13 of 14

Blackberry Ice Cream

Blackberry Ice Cream in a glass
RainbowJewels

Fresh blackberries combine with heavy cream, lemon zest, and a little sugar to create a wow-worthy forzen dessert. Reviewer Retta says, "I made it with a fresh berries and it was the best ice cream I've made."

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More Blackberry Recipes

Mama's Blackberry Cobbler in a blue dish
lutzflcat

If you're craving more ways to use this beloved summertime berry, check out our other recipes below.

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