The Best Sweet Blackberry Recipes - Drinks & Desserts!

This collection of the best blackberry recipes will give you tons of ideas for what to make with blackberries!

If you're wondering what to do with blackberries, here are some of the best blackberry recipes to inspire you! For a lot of these recipes, you can use wild blackberries, fresh blackberries, and even frozen blackberries. The things to do with blackberries are almost endless.

Because this is a dessert blog, we're focusing on blackberry dessert and drink recipes.

As far as sweet treats go, blackberry crumble, blackberry crisp, and blackberry cobbler are some of my favorites. They are all easy and impressive recipes that are great for summer.

There are a ton of different blackberry pastries you can make, some using store-bought pastry dough to save time. And if you have a lazy weekend day and a bunch of berries, you'll also find blackberry pastry recipes to fit the bill - like blackberry vanilla sweet rolls, be still my heart!

Surprisingly, there are a lot of different blackberry cookies you can make too. Some in bar form, which I think can double as a sweet brunch item.

Let's not forget the obvious thing to make during berry season - pie! Blackberry pies go just beyond your standard double-crust fruit pie though. Here you'll find inspiration in the form of things like blackberry slab pie and blackberry custard pie.

The sweet/tart flavor of fresh blackberries lends itself really well to cheesecake. So there are a few different blackberry cheesecake recipes in this compilation, including a raw vegan blackberry cheesecake!

And would it even be a collection of dessert recipes if we didn't feature cakes?! Don't worry, we have the cake-lovers covered with a list of gorgeous blackberry cakes.

Blackberries are a summer thing, and when it comes to summer desserts, ice cream is a no-brainer! So it stands to reason that blackberry ice cream is a natural choice. You're going to love the variety of blackberry ice creams here.

Blackberry cocktails are a delicious, refreshing happy hour treat. There are a lot of classic cocktails that are fun to make with a blackberry twist! These adults-only beverages are perfect for sipping while you're lounging around the pool, or chatting with friends.

And of course because we're making blackberry drinks for adults, we need to have kid-friendly options on hand as well! Blackberry lends itself well to sweet tea, lemonade, and other fruity non-alcoholic drinks.

Last but not least, this collection of blackberry recipes includes sweet blackberry sauces. If you really have a surplus of berries to use up, these recipes are the way to go.

Bookmark this article for when you need ideas for sweet blackberry recipes!

Jump To

• Blackberry Crumbles, Crisps, and Cobblers
• Blackberry Pastries
• Blackberry Cookies and Cookie Bars
• Blackberry Pies
• Blackberry Cheesecakes
• Blackberry Cakes
• Blackberry Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Recipes
• Blackberry Cocktails
• Non Alcoholic Blackberry Drinks
• Sweet Blackberry Sauces and Condiments
• Blackberries FAQs

Blackberry Crumbles, Crisps, and Cobblers

When blackberries are in season, one of the most common things to make with them is a crumble, crisp, or cobbler. Sweet, fruity filling with a crumbly or pastry-like topping; these types of deserts are every bit as delicious as pie, but much easier to make.

You can use solely blackberries for the filling, or switch it up and combine them with another fruit. Apples, pears, and peaches all go really well with blackberries!

Blackberry Pastries

With everything from yeasted blackberry sweet rolls, to quick and easy cream cheese blackberry Danishes made with store-bought crescent rolls, there's something here for everyone.

Blackberry Cookies and Cookie Bars

Cookies don't immediately come to mind when you have fresh berries on hand. But they should! Blackberry cookies and cookie bars are a delicious sweet treat that make a great snack, dessert, or breakfast treat.

Blackberry Pies

True confession: I had no idea there were so many different types of blackberry pies! These recipes range from fruit-forward classic blackberry pie, to creamy blackberry custard pie. And if you need dessert for a crowd, blackberry slab pie is the way to go.

Blackberry Cheesecakes

If you've never had blackberry cheesecake, get ready for a real surprise! The sweet/tart flavor of blackberries pairs perfectly with cheesecake for a luscious, creamy, and decadent blackberry recipe.

Blackberry Cakes

There are so many ways to incorporate fresh blackberries (or frozen blackberries!) into cake. The fruitiness of blackberries is a great accent to so many different cake flavors. Use blackberries in a chocolate cake for a decadent dessert, or pair blackberries with citrus for a refreshing treat.

Blackberry Ice Cream and Frozen Treat Recipes

Blackberries mean summer, and summer means ice cream! They go together like peas and carrots, peanut butter and jelly, and cookies and milk.

Blackberry Cocktails

If you're looking for summertime cocktail ideas, any one of these beverages are a great option! These blackberry alcoholic drink recipes are refreshing and delicious.

Non Alcoholic Blackberry Drinks

The flavor of blackberries lends itself really well to drinks of any kind, including kid-friendly non-alcoholic mocktails, sweet teas, and lemonades. Fresh berries make these drinks feel fancy, even though they couldn't be easier to make.

Sweet Blackberry Sauces and Condiments

Off the top of my head, I can think of about 20 different ways to use blackberry syrup, from drinks, to pancakes, oatmeal, pudding, and the list goes on. That goes double for blackberry jam and compote! Pro tip, make a batch of freezer jam to preserve blackberries so you can enjoy their fruity flavor all year long.

Blackberries FAQs

Should You Store Fresh Blackberries in the Fridge or at Room Temperature?

Store fresh blackberries in the fridge, ideally in the crisper drawer set to low humidity. Wait to rinse them until right before eating to avoid mold.

What is the Best Way to Store Fresh Blackberries?

When you have a surplus of berries that you can't eat all at once, store them in the fridge. Here's how to do it:

1. Sort. Look through the berries and remove any moldy berries or crushed berries (because crushed berries will mold quickly).
2. Prep. Line a plastic container with paper towels. Add blackberries and spread in an even layer. Add a layer of paper towels on top of the blackberries, and then add more berries, spreading them in an even layer. Continue this way until the container is full or you run out of berries. Put the lid on the container, leaving one side cracked open so air can circulate.
3. Refrigerate. Store the container in the fridge (in the crisper drawer if there's space). You will be able to tell when the berries are no longer good to eat by looking at them (don't eat moldy blackberries). If stored this way, blackberries should last up to 3 days in the fridge.
4. Wash. Wait to wash the berries until right before eating. (The one caveat to this is if you use a vinegar soak to wash the berries! See below for details.)

Pro Tip: You can use an airtight container to store fresh blackberries in the fridge. However, don't fully close the container. Leave one side open so air can circulate to extend their shelf life.

How Do You Wash Fresh Blackberries?

There are a few different methods to washing fresh blackberries:

1. Cool running water. Put the blackberries in a colander and rinse under cool running water for 30 seconds.
2. Kitchen sink. Scrub your kitchen sink and rinse it well. Fill the sink up 2/3 with cool water. Add blackberries and use your hands to gentle swish them around, similar to an agitation cycle on a washer. Remove the berries with a colander.
3. Salt water bath. If there are any bugs or worms hiding in the berries, a salt water soak is a good way to remove them. For every 1 cup of warm water, stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Soak the berries for 1 hour, and then rinse them in a colander under cool running water.
4. Vinegar soak. Similar to a salt water bath, a vinegar soak will get rid of worms, as well as bacteria. For every 1 cup of cool water, stir in 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar. Soak the berries for 5 to 10 minutes (no more than 10!), and then rinse them in a colander under cool running water.

Pro Tip: If you soak your blackberries in vinegar, rinse them well, pat them dry, and then store them in the fridge as directed above, they will last up to 10 days instead of just 3. This is because the vinegar kills bacteria on the berries, which extends their shelf life.

How Do You Flash Freeze Blackberries?

If you have a massive quantity of fresh blackberries, instead of storing them in the fridge, you can freeze them to greatly extend their shelf life!

You don't have to flash freeze blackberries; it's also possible to put them into freezer-safe bags or containers and freeze them that way. When you do that, the blackberries will freeze as a unit. If you're using this method, measure out the blackberries into 1-cup portions because you won't be able to just grab a cup of them from the freezer when they're frozen into a solid block.

But if you have the space in your freezer, flash-freezing is a better freezing method because it gives you more options when you want to eat or use the berries. You can grab out as many or as few as you like. A handful added to your morning smoothie is a great way to use them!

How to Flash Freeze Blackberries:

1. Prep. I like to do a vinegar soak (as detailed above) to wash blackberries before freezing. After that, rinse them in a colander under cool running water. Finally, pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Freeze. Line large baking trays with parchment paper or freezer paper. Spread an even layer of blackberries out onto the prepared tray(s) so that none of the berries are touching. Place the tray(s) in the freezer until the berries are frozen solid, about 2 hours.
3. Store long term. Once the blackberries are frozen on the trays, transfer the frozen berries to freezer-safe bags or containers. Label with the contents and date, and freeze the flash-frozen blackberries for up to 6 to 9 months.

Pro Tip: I recommend using a vinegar soak to wash fresh blackberries before freezing instead of waiting to wash them after they've been frozen. This is because once berries have been frozen, they are much softer (read: mushier!) when thawed, and therefore much harder to wash. Additionally, the vinegar soak will kill bacteria on the outside of the berries, thus helping extend their shelf life in addition to freezing.