Ever hear of this classic dessert? I first had Stovetop Blueberry Grunt when I was a kid. My nana, who loved to take us blueberry picking, would make this tasty dessert with our freshly picked berries along with her legendary Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake (the best!).
I always laughed at the term “grunt” for a dessert name. It doesn’t sound very appetizing, but it helps when you understand the meaning behind it.
A blueberry grunt, much like a cobbler, is a fruit on the bottom-based dessert. But unlike a cobbler (that bakes in the oven), a grunt is cooked exclusively on the stove top.
The fruit (in this case fresh blueberries) has to come to a boil with water, sugar and cinnamon, and then continues to cook until its sugary syrup resembles a homemade jam.
Legend has it that when this happens (especially with blueberries), the fruit grunts when it starts to split from the high heat. The fruit grunts even more after dumplings are placed on top and it has to cook further under intense heat and pressure!
I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard my blueberries grunt when I make this unique, classic recipe, but I definitely hear a lot of yums when we eat it!
Why You’ll Love It
| For all the cobbler and biscuit lovers out there- If you love cobblers, biscuits and dumplings, then you will really enjoy Stovetop Blueberry Grunt–especially since you don’t need to bake it in the oven! Classic, easy recipe with basic ingredients- There’s no fancy ingredients needed. While you don’t need freshly picked blueberries, I do recommend fresh over frozen for best flavor. Made all in one pot on the stove- Use a large, deep saucepan or Dutch oven to make this delicious dessert–no extra baking pans needed! Even better, this classic recipe is ready in 30 minutes! |
Stovetop Blueberry Grunt gets even better when served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. Get the recipe for Easy Homemade Whipped Cream by clicking HERE.
Stovetop Blueberry Grunt Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients with measurements, see the printable recipe card below
For the blueberry portion:
- fresh blueberries, rinsed
- lemon juice
- water
- sugar
- cinnamon
For the dumpling portion:
- flour
- baking powder & salt
- sugar
- egg
- milk (I use whole milk or buttermilk)
- butter
How to Make Stovetop Blueberry Grunt
Click here for a list of equipment needed for this recipe
- colander
- Dutch oven or 3-quart saucepan with lid (a glass lid is helpful to keep an eye on the dumplings)
- citrus juicer
- stirring spoon
- large mixing bowl
- scraping/rubber spatula
- mixing spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- microwaveable safe dish
Getting Started
Before you begin:
- Rinse blueberries in colander
- Juice the lemon
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter (for the dumpling portion)
Make the Blueberry Portion
In a Dutch oven or a 3-quart or larger saucepan, combine the fresh blueberries, lemon juice, water, sugar and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Cover and bring to a gentle boil while you mix the dumpling dough.
Make the Dumplings
In a large mixing bowl, blend flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Then stir in the egg, milk and melted butter. Stir until a soft dough forms and the ingredients are blended.
Uncover saucepan of bubbling blueberries. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto the berries, spacing the dumplings evenly. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Cook the dumplings without lifting the lid for 10 minutes while keeping the mixture at a gentle simmer.
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: If steam is pouring out from under the lid, it is cooking too vigorously and the heat should be lowered.
To serve, spoon 1 or 2 dumplings into individual serving bowls. Then spoon blueberries over dumplings.
Storing Stovetop Blueberry Grunt
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days (the longer it sits, the soggier the dumplings will get).
Reheat leftovers, covered, in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Love blueberries? Then Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake is calling your name!
Stovetop Blueberry Grunt
Description
Plump, juicy blueberries simmer in a sugar and cinnamon syrup before being topped with buttery, homemade dumplings. This delicious dessert is cooked exclusively on your stovetop in 30 minutes. Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and serve it warm.
The only grunts you'll hear will be from those who are missing this delicious dessert after it's all gone!
Stovetop Blueberry Grunt
For the Blueberries:
For the Dumplings:
How to Make Stovetop Blueberry Grunt:
-
Before starting...
Rinse blueberries in colander
Juice the lemon
Melt 2 tablespoons butter (for the dumpling portion)
-
Make the blueberry bottom:
In a Dutch oven or a 3-quart or larger saucepan, combine the blueberries, lemon juice, water, sugar and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Cover and bring to a gentle boil while you mix the dumpling dough.
-
Make the dumplings:
In a large mixing bowl, blend flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Then stir in the egg, milk and melted butter. Stir until a soft dough forms and the ingredients are blended.
-
Putting it all together:
Uncover saucepan of bubbling blueberries. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto the berries, spacing the dumplings evenly. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Cook the dumplings without lifting the lid for 10 minutes while keeping the mixture at a gentle simmer.
If steam is pouring out from under the lid, it is cooking too vigorously and the heat should be lowered. -
To serve, spoon 1 or 2 dumplings into individual serving bowls. Then spoon blueberries over dumplings. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Easy Homemade Whipped Cream.
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days (the longer it sits, the soggier the dumplings will get).
-
Reheat leftovers, covered, in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Note
It's helpful to have a saucepan with a glass lid for this recipe. That way, you can see the blueberries boil and grunt as the dumplings cook to perfection without ever lifting the lid!
Avoid using frozen blueberries for this recipe. They won't cook the same and the syrup will be too watery.
In a pinch, use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh.
