11 Blackberry Recipes: How to Use Blackberries

Blackberries are edible fruits produced by blackberry plants. Blackberries, like raspberries, grow on the prickly stems of trailing shrubs. Blackberries are dark purple and have a juicy center, and they contain vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber, and manganese. Wild blackberries are native to north temperate regions and are harvested in the summer months through the early fall. Ripe blackberries are popular for dessert recipes and beverages.

You can use fresh blackberries to make several sweet blackberry desserts and beverages. Consider making the following blackberry recipes:

1. 1. Berry margarita: The essential ingredients in a classic margarita are fresh lime juice, tequila, and triple sec (such as Cointreau). The triple sec provides sweetness to balance the lime juice, but agave syrup is a popular alternative that serves the same function. This berry margarita recipe includes fresh blackberries and raspberries.
2. 2. Blackberry atole: Atole, from the Nahuatl word “ātōlli,” is a traditional Mexican drink made of ground masa, a fresh dough made from ground corn. It’s served warm, usually sweetened with piloncillo and scented with cinnamon. Piloncillo, or unrefined whole cane sugar, looks like a craggy brown cone (you can find it at Latin markets). Alternatively, mix one cup sugar (brown sugar) with one-third cup of molasses. Follow this recipe to make blackberry atole.
3. 3. Blackberry bramble cocktail: Blackberry bramble is a cocktail containing gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and crème de mûre, a blackberry-flavored liqueur. Its name is a reference to blackberry bushes, known as brambles. You can make this drink even more refreshing by muddling some fresh blackberries for a light, summery drink that you can serve at your next brunch.
4. 4. Blackberry cheesecake: You can top a classic cheesecake with blackberry syrup, a mixture of blackberries, water, and sugar. Follow this recipe and swap the strawberries with blueberries to make the fresh fruit syrup.
5. 5. Blackberry cobbler: Blackberry cobbler is a baked summer dessert that pairs tart, baked blackberries thickened with cornstarch with a fluffy biscuit topping. Like blackberry pie without the fuss of pie crust, blackberry cobbler offers a flexible format with reliably stunning results. Variations include stone fruits like apple or peach cobbler and other berry cobblers, like strawberry or blueberry cobbler. Serve this easy blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
6. 6. Blackberry galette: A galette is a rustic French dessert composed of free-form pastry dough topped with a sweet or savory filling, baked until the crust is crispy. Follow this easy recipe for a tart and sweet blackberry galette that you can even make with store-bought crust. Serve the galette with ice cream or whipped cream.
7. 7. Blackberry jam: Jam is made from pieces of fruit, usually chopped or crushed and cooked with sugar until the pectin releases and the mixture is thickened to a spreadable consistency. The most common fruits used to make jam are berries, grapes, apples, and stone fruit. Jam is ideal for spreading onto toast and filling pastries. To make this easy jam recipe, use one pound of blackberries.
8. 8. Blackberry scones: Scones are a biscuit-like quick bread, usually made of wheat or oatmeal flour and baking powder for leavening. Adding fresh berries to scones gives them juicy bites of flavor that contrast with the crumbly texture. You can serve blackberry scones with clotted cream, lemon curd, or a vanilla glaze.
9. 9. Mixed berry pavlova: Pavlova is a baked meringue dessert that is made from sweetened egg whites slowly baked at a low temperature that is finished with whipped cream and fruit. The low temperature and slow baking time creates a chewy-crisp texture on the exterior, with a soft, marshmallowy center. The finished pavlova is topped with whipped cream and a garnish of fresh fruit or lemon curd. Pair a pavlova with fresh blackberries—the tartness of the berries provides balance to the sweetness of the pavlova.
10. 10. Mixed berry pie: A mixed berry pie is a sweet baked dish with a summer berry filling made with fruits such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries in a pastry crust made with all-purpose flour and butter. This recipe calls for five cups of fresh berries. You can use blackberries or mix different kinds of berries. You can bake these pies in a baking dish or make hand pies.
11. 11. Sour cream pie: Sour cream pound cake is a moist, buttery baked dessert made with pantry staples like flour, sugar, vanilla extract, and, as the name suggests, sour cream. For a classic presentation, serve slices of the cake with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream, along with fresh berries or sliced stone fruit.

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