This slow cooker 3-ingredient Amish blueberry grunt is the kind of cozy, low-effort dessert that feels like it came straight from a farmhouse kitchen. Traditionally, a “grunt” is a New England and Pennsylvania Dutch stovetop fruit dessert, where biscuit dough steams over bubbling fruit. Here, we lean on blueberry pie filling and a simple drop biscuit dough, plus one pantry ingredient, and let the slow cooker do the work. It’s the sort of warm, spoonable treat you bring to the table still in the crock, and everyone ends up asking how something so simple tastes so nostalgic.
Serve this blueberry grunt warm, straight from the slow cooker, with plenty of its syrupy blueberry juices spooned over each portion. A scoop of vanilla ice cream, lightly sweetened whipped cream, or even a dollop of vanilla yogurt makes a lovely contrast to the hot fruit and tender biscuits. For a little texture, sprinkle individual servings with toasted sliced almonds or granola. It pairs nicely with coffee after a casual dinner, or with hot tea for a relaxed weekend brunch.
Slow Cooker 3-Ingredient Amish Blueberry Grunt
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 cans (21 ounces each) blueberry pie filling
1 tube (16.3 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
2 tablespoons melted butter (salted or unsalted)
Directions
Lightly grease the insert of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a bit of the melted butter or nonstick spray to help prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
Spoon the blueberry pie filling evenly into the bottom of the slow cooker, spreading it into an even layer so every bite will have plenty of fruit.
Open the tube of refrigerated biscuit dough and separate the biscuits. Cut each biscuit into quarters for smaller dumpling-style pieces, or leave them whole if you prefer larger, more traditional drop biscuits.
Using your hands, gently flatten or pinch each biscuit piece slightly, then drop the dough pieces over the blueberry pie filling in a single, mostly even layer. It’s fine if some of the filling peeks through; the dough will puff and expand as it cooks.
Drizzle the remaining melted butter evenly over the tops of the biscuit dough pieces. This helps the biscuits turn tender and flavorful as they steam and brown against the sides of the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid, placing a clean kitchen towel or a layer of paper towels under the lid if desired to catch excess condensation and keep the biscuits from becoming soggy.
Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 4 to 4 1/2 hours, until the blueberry filling is bubbling around the edges and the biscuits are puffed and cooked through in the center. Avoid lifting the lid during the first 90 minutes so the biscuits can steam properly.
Once done, turn off the slow cooker and let the grunt stand, covered, for about 10 minutes to allow the juices to settle and thicken slightly.
Spoon the warm blueberry filling and biscuit topping into bowls and serve immediately, with your choice of ice cream, whipped cream, or yogurt if you like.
Variations & Tips
For a little more dimension, you can stir 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a pinch of ground cinnamon into the blueberry pie filling before adding the biscuit dough, although this technically adds ingredients beyond the core three. If you’d like a slightly crisper top, transfer cooked biscuit pieces to a baking sheet and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly browned, then return them to the slow cooker. Swap in cherry or apple pie filling for a different fruit grunt while keeping the same method. If you prefer a less sweet dessert, use a low-sugar pie filling or mix 1 can of pie filling with 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries. For a richer biscuit layer, brush the dough with a bit of cream instead of butter before cooking. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave; add a splash of water or milk to keep the biscuits moist.