North Carolina Sonker Dessert Recipe

Contributed By: Terry Borden

Ingredients:

For the filling:
6 cups (3 pints) fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
For the topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Step 1: Prepare the filling
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large mixing bowl, add the blueberries, sugar and salt. Give the berries a gentle stir to combine them evenly. If using frozen berries, there is no need to thaw them first, unless they’re all stuck together.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch with a fork. Pour the mixture into the bowl of blueberries and gently toss to coat.
Step 2: Bake the filling
Pour the blueberry filling into a deep 8-inch square baking dish. Place the dish on a baking sheet lined with parchment to prevent the bubbling filling from creating a sticky oven spill.
Bake for 15 minutes for fresh berries and 30 minutes for frozen berries. Use a spatula to stir the filling, making sure to scrape the bottom of the dish. The cornstarch will begin to cling and you’ll want to combine it with the blueberries at the top of the mixture.
Smooth the filling back out into an even layer and bake for an additional 15 minutes for fresh berries and an additional 30 minutes for frozen berries. The filling should be hot and bubbling.
Step 3: Prepare the topping
While the blueberry filling is in the oven, prepare the sonker topping.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Add the milk, melted butter and vanilla and whisk together until smooth. The mixture will look like thick pancake batter.
Step 4: Assemble the sonker
Blueberry sonker dessert instructions
When the blueberry filling has finished its first bake, the fruit mixture should be hot and thick. Pour the sonker topping over the filling, starting at one corner and moving evenly over the surface. The batter will settle into place; there shouldn’t be any need to smooth it with your spatula. Be sure to scrape all the batter out of the bowl onto the filling.
Step 5: Bake for the last time
Blueberry sonker dessert
Bake the blueberry sonker for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when pricked in the center of the topping. You may wish to rotate the pan in the oven halfway through baking so that the top is evenly browned.
The sonker is best the day it’s baked. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Helpful Hints:

Blueberry Sonker Recipe Variations
Want to take your sonker up another notch? Try one of these fun variations.
Add a dash of almond extract to the fruit filling before you bake it.
Sprinkle in a few blackberries and raspberries for a triple berry sonker.
Sprinkle a tablespoon of cinnamon sugar over the batter before baking for a sparkling crust.
Serve with peach-flavored ice cream for an extra fruity treat.


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