Star Spangled Gluten-Free Berry or Cherry Cobbler
Celebrate with my gluten-free berry or cherry cobbler! Made with almond, oat, and tapioca flours, this naturally sweetened treat features maple syrup and festive star-shaped toppings colored with beet powder. You can use fresh or frozen cherries or berries for a delicious and guilt-free dessert.
My Star-Spangled Gluten-Free Berry or Cherry Cobbler is not just any dessert—it’s a fun and festive way to celebrate, and I’m so excited to share it with you. What truly sets this recipe apart is the combination of wholesome, gluten-free flours: almond, oat, and tapioca. They come together to create a beautifully golden, crisp crust that’s both satisfying and nutritious. Plus, I’ve swapped out refined sugar for the natural sweetness of maple syrup, giving this cobbler a pure, delicious flavor that you can feel good about.
And the best part? I’ve added my personal touch with festive star-shaped pastry toppings, naturally colored with beet root powder. No artificial ingredients here—just vibrant, healthy colors and flavors! Whether you’re using fresh or frozen cherries or berries, this cobbler is a showstopper at any celebration, and it’s made with love for a guilt-free indulgence.
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Berry or Cherry Cobbler Recipe:
- Festive and fun: The star-shaped cookies on top make this cobbler a perfect dessert for patriotic celebrations or family gatherings.
- Naturally sweetened: Made with maple syrup, you’ll enjoy just the right amount of sweetness without any refined sugar.
- Gluten-free goodness: This cobbler uses almond and oat flour for a naturally gluten-free dessert that everyone can enjoy.
- Versatile fruit options: Whether you prefer berries or cherries, you can mix and match to make this cobbler your own.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make the best cherry cobbler recipe:
Almond Flour: You can substitute with cashew flour or a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend if needed. Both will give a slightly different texture but still work well.
Tapioca Flour: Arrowroot flour is a great alternative here. It will help thicken the sauce just like tapioca flour does.
Maple Syrup: You can swap maple syrup with honey or agave syrup, both of which will add a natural sweetness.
Oil: If you don’t have your preferred oil, melted coconut oil or light olive oil will also do the job.
Vanilla Extract: Swap with almond extract for a nuttier flavor. Just use a little less, as almond extract is stronger in flavor.
Beet Root Powder: If you don’t have this natural coloring, you can use a pinch of red food coloring or skip this entirely if you’re fine without the red tint.
Cherries: You can replace the cherries with berries like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries for a delicious variation.
Coconut Oil: Butter or ghee can be used instead for a richer flavor.
Almond Milk: Any other plant-based milk like cashew or oat milk can work, or use dairy milk if you prefer.
How to Make My Gluten-Free Berry or Cherry Cobbler
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
Add the cookie dough ingredients to a small bowl, including almond flour, tapioca flour, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, and red beet powder (or red food coloring of your choice). Stir with a spatula until well combined.
Roll the dough into a ball in your hands. If the dough sticks to your hands, dab it in more oat flour to dry it out. If the dough is too dry to hold together in a ball, dab on more oil to moisten it. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
Add sauce ingredients to a small bowl, including tapioca flour, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix together with a fork until well combined. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the Cobbler Batter
Add the wet cobbler ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl, including egg, maple syrup, milk, coconut oil, and apple cider vinegar. Stir with a whisk until the egg is well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, including almond flour, oat flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a spatula until well combined. It should be the consistency of a thick pancake batter. You can add more oat flour, or milk to adjust if needed.
Step 4: Layer the Cobbler
Spray your baking dish well with non-stick cooking spray. Fill your baking dish with one layer of fresh or frozen berries or cherries. This will be approximately 3–4 cups.
Pour the sauce over the berries.
Spread the cobbler batter over the berries or cherries. You can spread it as one solid layer, or spread it in plops to allow the fruit to show through the cracks.
Step 5: Make the Star Cookies
Spread a large piece of parchment paper on your counter and lay two bamboo skewers roughly 6″ apart. Place the cookie dough ball between the skewers and press down with your hand. Fold the parchment paper in half, covering the dough. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough length-wise between the two skewers. The height of the skewers will determine the thickness of the cookies. The thinner you can make them, the better.
Cut out the cookies with your star cookie cutters and place them on top of your cobbler. Use your creativity
Step 6: Bake the Cobbler
Bake your cobbler in a 350°F oven. If you use frozen fruit, bake your cobbler for about 35 minutes. If you use fresh fruit, bake your cobbler for about 30 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top of the cobbler begins to turn a golden brown. The fruit will be bubbly when you remove the cobbler from the oven but shrink as it cools.
Remove the cobbler and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Expert Recipe Tips
Frozen vs. Fresh Fruit: If you use frozen fruit, there’s no need to thaw it beforehand. Just bake the cobbler a little longer (about 35 minutes), while fresh fruit will take around 30 minutes.
Thickness of Star Cookies: The thinner you roll out the star cookies, the crispier they’ll be on top. Using skewers as a guide will help keep the thickness consistent.
Sweetness Adjustments: If your fruit is very sweet, you can reduce the amount of maple syrup in the sauce or cobbler topping to balance the flavor.
Prevent Sticking: If your cookie dough sticks to your hands, dust it with a little more oat flour. If it’s too dry, add a small amount of oil to bring it together.
Creative Topping: You can make your stars as decorative as you like or even add extra shapes to give the cobbler a festive flair!
Delicious Serving Suggestions
- Top with whipped cream: A dollop of homemade or store-bought whipped cream adds a creamy, light touch.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream: Pairing the warm cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a classic and irresistible option.
- Drizzle with maple syrup: For an extra burst of sweetness, lightly drizzle maple syrup over the cobbler before serving.
- Add a sprinkle of cinnamon: A dash of cinnamon on top of the cobbler just before serving enhances the warm, cozy flavors.
- Perfect for BBQs or summer gatherings: This cobbler makes an ideal dessert for 4th of July, family picnics, or summer potlucks.
- Serve warm or cold: This cobbler is delicious served warm straight out of the oven or chilled after being refrigerated.
- Pair with a fresh fruit salad: For an even more refreshing summer dessert, serve it alongside a light fruit salad.
Check out some more of my delicious patriotic recipes:
Star Spangled Gluten-Free Berry or Cherry Cobbler
Ingredients
Star Dough:
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon beet root powder natural red food coloring
- dash salt
Fruit Sauce:
- 4 cups cherries fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- dash salt
Cobbler Topping:
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2/3 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup oat flour
- 1/3 cup tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk almond milk is my fave
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Add the cookie dough ingredients to a small bowl, including almond flour, tapioca flour, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, and red beet powder (or red food coloring of your choice). Stir with a spatula until well combined.
- Roll the dough into a ball in your hands. If the dough sticks to your hands, dab it in more oat flour to dry it out. If the dough is too dry to hold together in a ball, dab on more oil to moisten it. Set aside.
- Add sauce ingredients to a small bowl, including tapioca flour, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix together with a fork until well combined. Set aside.
- Add the wet cobbler ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl, including egg, maple syrup, milk, coconut oil, and apple cider vinegar. Stir with a whisk until the egg is well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, including almond flour, oat flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a spatula until well combined. It should be the consistency of a thick pancake batter. You can add more oat flour, or milk to adjust if needed.
- Spray your baking dish well with non-stick cooking spray. Fill your baking dish with one layer of fresh or frozen berries or cherries. This will be approximately 3–4 cups.
- Pour the sauce over the berries.
- Spread the cobbler batter over the berries or cherries. You can spread it as one solid layer, or spread it in plops to allow the fruit to show through the cracks.
- Spread a large piece of parchment paper on your counter and lay two bamboo skewers roughly 6″ apart. Place the cookie dough ball between the skewers and press down with your hand. Fold the parchment paper in half, covering the dough. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough length-wise between the two skewers. The height of the skewers will determine the thickness of the cookies. The thinner you can make them, the better.
- Cut out the cookies with your star cookie cutters and place them on top of your cobbler. Use your creativity 🙂
- Bake your cobbler in a 350°F oven. If you use frozen fruit, bake your cobbler for about 35 minutes. If you use fresh fruit, bake your cobbler for about 30 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top of the cobbler begins to turn a golden brown. The fruit will be bubbly when you remove the cobbler from the oven but shrink as it cools.
- Remove the cobbler and cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Video
I made this last night, and it was fantastic! I will be making this for my family all summer! I would just say in our house there is no way this is 12 servings, lol! There are six of us, and it was gone last night- ha 😂
Suzanne! I’m so excited you had a chance to make this and that your family loved it 🙂 Did you happen to make the stars that go on the top? It tastes amazing with or without them 🙂