Blueberry Grunt

Blueberry Grunt is a sweet and delicious blueberry sauce-like filling smothered in flaky, buttery sweet dumplings that get crispy on top with a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. Served warm with ice cream, this is the perfect blueberry treat.

Fresh or frozen blueberries are perfect, but if you have this homemade blueberry pie filling on hand it comes together in minutes.

Blueberry Grunt

Blueberry Grunt, cobblers, buckles, crumbles, or crisps, I haven’t found one that isn’t delicious. They are all easy, nostalgic classics for which I am a total sap.

After learning about grunts and being the food history lover I am, I definitely went down a rabbit hole learning about the differences and regional traditions of these dishes. Do you know the difference between a grunt and a slump?

I didn’t either! Apparently, a grunt and a slump are often considered the same thing but a slump is served inverted in some regions. You can bet I will eat it, either way, no questions asked.

Back to the blueberry grunt. It is a Canadian tradition that is a combination of a pie and cobbler. Typically the berry filling is made and the berries are baked in the oven or cooked on the stove until they burst or grunt, hence the name.

Back to our crisp, cobbler, buckle, or grunt discussion. They are all similar desserts in that they have a delicious fruit filling they vary in crust and topping combinations.

Blueberry Dumplings

A grunt will have a dumpling on top – not a dry biscuit like a cobbler. I liken it to being the sweet cousin of the savory chicken and dumpling.

But wait, don’t picture a soggy dumpling. These are flaky, buttery sweet dumplings that get crispy on top with that sprinkling of cinnamon sugar.

Once the blueberry filling is cooked and the berries have burst, you’ll place spoonfuls of the dumpling batter on top of the berries. Then just cover the pan with a lid or some foil, so the dumplings steam and cook.

After about 15 minutes of steaming on the stovetop, I like to sprinkle on a cinnamon sugar mixture and then bake a little bit longer just to get slightly browned crispy on top dumplings.

I enjoy being inspired by other flavors, cuisines, and traditions and sometimes creating my own version that the family enjoys. It is one of the beauties of food, that it is meant to be shared.

Blueberry Grunt Ingredients

Berry Filling

• blueberries
• sugar
• cinnamon
• lemon juice

Topping Ingredients

• all-purpose flour
• sugar
• baking powder
• kosher salt
• butter 
• milk

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

• sugar
• cinnamon

Dumplings with Blueberries

Blueberry grunt is one of those – oh no company is stopping by and I need a quick dessert or snack to enjoy before they leave type of recipes. Cooked in cast iron it stays warm until you are ready to serve it.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the blueberries, sugar, and cinnamon in a cast iron skillet and bring to a boil. Stir and continue cooking over medium-low heat until the berries start to burst and create a syrupy liquid, about 8 minutes.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Grate the COLD butter and immediately toss it into the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a fork.
3. Stir in the milk, just until combined, leaving plenty of little lumps of butter. Drop spoonfuls of the batter evenly over the blueberry sauce in the skillet. (I like to use my largest cookie scoop to do this.)
4. Cover with a lid and continue cooking over low heat for 15 minutes. While this is steaming, stir together the sugar and cinnamon.
5. After 15 minutes, uncover the skillet. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the crust is golden. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Blueberry Recipes

Baking with blueberries is wonderfully easy. Fresh, frozen, or canned varieties can almost always be substituted in order to use what you have on hand.

Blueberry crunch is the perfect dessert whether you choose to serve it warm with cold ice cream or cooled and cut into bars. It’s a basic berry crisp, but a little crunchier with two layers of irresistible crisp topping.

Sweet and tangy blueberries burst with fresh flavor beneath the tender crumb of golden cake in this delightful blueberry dump cake.

Bursting with the sweet tang of blueberries in every bite, this blueberry compote is one of my favorite ways to top a serving of crepes, a no-bake cheesecake, or a bowl of ice cream.

These blueberry pie bars are the epitome of perfect summer days. Soft, sweet dough with folds of sweet blueberry pie filling and vanilla glaze.