Everything you love about a summer blackberry cobbler — the jammy, bubbling fruit, the golden, buttery crust, that perfect crumble on top — is now in sliceable, portable bar form, and it is a very good day. These Blackberry Cobbler Bars are the kind of dessert that fits in everywhere. Make them for a bake sale, a backyard party, or just on your average Tuesday, and they’ll always disappear. They’re simple to make, stunning to look at, and are everything you want from a summer fruit dessert. Handheld cobbler. The people deserve to know about this.

What Ingredients Do You Need for Blackberry Cobbler Bars?

Mostly pantry staples! (Plus some fresh berries.) You’ll need:

• All-purpose flour.
• Butter, cold and chopped. (This does double duty — it’s both the base and the crumble on top!)
• Granulated sugar.
• Salt and baking powder.
• An egg.
• Vanilla extract.
• Fresh blackberries. (Four cups — don’t be shy!)
• Lemon juice. (Just enough to brighten those berries beautifully.)
• Cornstarch. (This is what turns the berry juices into a thick, jammy filling that holds together when you slice.)

Can you use frozen blackberries? Yes! Frozen blackberries work well here and are a great option when fresh aren’t in season. Just don’t thaw them first. Add them straight from frozen to the filling mixture and expect the bake time to run a few minutes longer. The result will be just as delicious.

How Do You Make Blackberry Cobbler Bars?

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that the crust and the crumble topping are made from the same mixture. You press half into the pan for the base, scatter the filling over it, and crumble the rest on top. One bowl, one recipe, and you get both layers. Here’s how it all comes together:

Start by making the crust and crumble. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the beaten egg and vanilla with a fork until the mixture just comes together. Press half of it firmly into the bottom of your greased 9×13 pan and set the rest aside.

For the filling, toss the blackberries with lemon juice, cornstarch, and sugar until everything is well coated. Scatter that mixture evenly over the crust, then crumble the remaining dough mixture over the top. It doesn’t need to be perfect, these are meant to be rustic. Bake until the top is lightly golden and the berry filling is bubbling up around the edges. Let them cool before slicing so the filling has time to set, then cut into bars and just try to share.