3 Ingredient Blueberry Cobbler

Three-ingredient blueberry cobbler is the ultimate kitchen "magic trick." It’s that rare recipe where you can literally see the moment people’s faces shift from polite interest to genuine shock as they realize the delicious, bubbling dessert they’re eating was just dumped into a pan without a single measuring cup or mixing bowl. By layering dry cake mix with blueberry pie filling and grating frozen butter on top, you create a rustic, bakery-style cobbler that tastes like it took hours of effort. I first saw my sister-in-law pull this off at Thanksgiving, and after seeing her get more compliments than I did for my three-hour, from-scratch pumpkin pie, I realized that fighting against convenience is just a waste of energy when the results are this good.

My friend Rachel is a dedicated from-scratch baker who treats boxed mixes like they’re a personal insult to her culinary integrity. At a recent potluck, she dismissed this cobbler as "mere assembly" rather than baking—until she went back for her third helping. Her husband later confessed she’s been making it at home under the name "Rustic Fruit Crisp" just to avoid admitting that a 3-ingredient shortcut actually beat her complex recipes.

What Goes Into It

• Yellow Cake Mix: One 15-ounce box (used dry; do not follow the package instructions)
• Blueberry Pie Filling: Two 21-ounce cans (42 ounces total)
• Unsalted Butter: One stick (8 tablespoons), frozen for 10 minutes
• Vanilla Ice Cream: (Highly recommended for serving)

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The Assembly Process

### 1. The Foundation Preheat your oven to **375°F** and grease a 9x13-inch pan. Sprinkle roughly half of the dry cake mix across the bottom of the pan. No need to be exact—just cover the surface. ### 2. The Fruit Layer Spoon both cans of blueberry pie filling over the bottom layer of cake mix. Spread it out gently with a spoon so it reaches the corners, but try not to disturb the dry mix underneath too much. ### 3. The Topping Sprinkle the remaining half of the dry cake mix evenly over the top of the blueberries. Again, if it’s a little uneven, that’s fine! It adds to the rustic texture. ### 4. The Butter Trick Take your cold stick of butter and use a cheese grater to shred the whole stick directly over the top of the cake mix. The little curls of butter will melt into the mix to create a beautiful, golden-brown crust. ### 5. Bake and Rest Bake for **35–40 minutes** until the top is golden and the blueberry filling is bubbling up around the edges. **Let it rest for at least 10 minutes** before serving; the filling needs this time to thicken from a liquid into a scoopable consistency.

"I once used fresh blueberries thinking I was being 'healthier.' It was a disaster—the filling was sour and watery. The canned pie filling is the secret to that thick, jammy texture that makes this recipe legendary!"

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. While the top will lose some of its crispiness as it absorbs moisture, it still tastes incredible. To revive the texture, reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds, or put the whole pan back in a low oven (300°F) for 10–15 minutes.

Creative Ways to Try It

• Mixed Berry: Use one can of blueberry and one can of cherry pie filling for a deeper flavor
• Lemon-Blueberry: Use a Lemon cake mix instead of Yellow for a bright, citrusy zing
• The Nutty Crunch: Sprinkle 1/2 cup of sliced almonds or pecans over the butter layer before baking
• Spiced Apple: Swap the blueberries for Apple pie filling and add a dash of cinnamon to the dry cake mix

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This 3-ingredient blueberry cobbler is the perfect reminder that you don't need a complicated recipe to make people happy. It’s reliable, impressive, and requires almost zero cleanup. Next time you're in a pinch for dessert, just remember: dump, grate, and bake!

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I use a different cake mix flavor?

Yellow cake works best, but white cake or even spice cake would be good too. Chocolate might be weird with blueberries though.

→ Can I use fresh or frozen blueberries instead?

This recipe is designed for canned pie filling which has the right thickness and sweetness. Fresh or frozen berries would make it too watery and you'd need to add sugar.

→ Why do I need to grate the butter?

Grating cold butter helps distribute it evenly over the top. If you just slice it, you'll get uneven butter chunks. The grated butter melts into the cake mix perfectly.

→ Can I use margarine instead of butter?

Real butter tastes way better, but margarine will work in a pinch. The flavor just won't be as rich.

→ What other pie fillings work?

Cherry, apple, peach, or mixed berry all work great. Just use the same amount - two cans or 40 oz total.

→ How do I store leftovers?

Cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.