Cobblers, Crisps + Crumbles: When Fruit Meets Flour

Do you know what differentiates these silly named dishes? Some are topped with oats, others with biscuits; some celebrate summer berries, others are overflowing with apples. But they all have one thing in common (other than the liberal use of butter and sugar): They're the sweetest fruit desserts around.

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Mango-Strawberry Crumble

Sometimes sweet flavors are best balanced by tangy ones in summer fruit desserts, and sometimes sweet is meant to be doubled, as is the case with this vibrant strawberry-and-mango crumble. The fruits' contrasting colors and textures make for a dish that tastes as cheerfully indulgent as it appears.

Get the Recipe: Mango-Strawberry Crumble

Sour Mash Blackberry Cobbler

Eight cups of fresh blackberries are reduced down to a syrupy, similar-to-preserves texture with the help of some sugar and a plentiful pour of bourbon.

Get the Recipe: Sour Mash Blackberry Cobbler

Pineapple Crisp

It is widely known that rum and pineapple have delicious cocktail chemistry. Well, they're back in this crunchy, almond-topped crisp (and it may just be the dynamic duo's best collaboration yet).

Get the Recipe: Pineapple Crisp

Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Sunny Anderson offers a different take on cobbler, using a store-bought pie crust in lieu of biscuit dollops, which cuts the prep time down to 20 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Blueberry Peach Cobbler

Blueberry Grumble

Laura Calder's sweet and buttery grumble topping couldn't be easier to make, but you might want to double the recipe if you’re entertaining — your guests are sure to grumble if they're denied seconds.

Get the Recipe: Blueberry Grumble

Peach Almond Crumble

The almond and peach combo in this dessert is a real winner, but you could easily substitute apples (or any fruit of your choice) in this flour-free crumble recipe — just make sure to adjust the baking time accordingly.

Get the Recipe: Peach Almond Crumble

Nectarine Blueberry Cobbler

There is nothing more comforting than a cobbler, and nectarines and blueberries combine to add bright flavors to this recipe.

Get the Recipe: Nectarine Blueberry Cobbler

Apple Crisp

Granny Smith apples? Check. Cinnamon? Check. Butter? Double check. While this apple crisp possesses all the classic flavors you'd expect, you might be surprised to find that it also features molasses and ground ginger for over-the-top stickiness and warming spice.

Get the Recipe: Apple Crisp

Chuck's Berry Crumble

Lightly sweetened berries pair perfectly with Chuck's unique crumble topping. Cornflakes and granola provide crunch, while brown sugar brings sweet caramel notes.

Get the Recipe: Chuck's Berry Crumble

Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Tyler Florence amps up the flavor in this classic cobbler by adding bourbon to his cinnamon-spiced peach filling. The alcohol gets baked off, but it's so good, you just might get a little lightheaded.

Get the Recipe: Bourbon Peach Cobbler

Pear-Cranberry Crumble

Instead of serving a traditional pumpkin or pecan pie, try this easy, subtly sweet crumble that pairs in-season Bartlett pears with cranberries.

Get the Recipe: Pear-Cranberry Crumble

Louie and Pete's Peach Crisp

For an extra punch of peach flavor in your buttery oat crisp, toss the fruit in a splash of peach schnapps.

Get the Recipe: Louie and Pete's Peach Crisp

Cast-Iron Blueberry Cobbler

Cooking this blueberry cobbler in a cast-iron pan gives the dessert crispy, caramelized edges and a chewy, berry-filled center.

Get the Recipe: Cast-Iron Blueberry Cobbler

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Zoe Francois' strawberry-rhubarb crisp, brightened with hints of lemon zest and fresh ginger, is adorned with a surprisingly nutty crispy oat topping.

Get the Recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Rafter TS Peach Cobbler

This recipe hails from Rafter TS, a chuck-wagon catering company that celebrates cooking methods employed in the American Old West. And much like the daring men who pioneered westward, this dessert has some sass (in the form of cayenne and a splash of rye whiskey) and is topped off with a shortening crust.

Get the Recipe: Rafter TS Peach Cobbler

Strawberry Rhubarb Slump

This slump — or stewed fruit topped with dumpling dough — is made with seasonal strawberries and rhubarb for a sweet celebration of early summer.

Get the Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Slump

Mixed Berry Cobbler

Ellie Krieger uses a minimal amount of sugar in her cobbler filling, allowing the berries' natural sweet-tart flavor to shine (and making for a lighter take on the classic dessert).

Get the Recipe: Mixed Berry Cobbler

Pear Ginger Crumble

There's no need to banish crumble from the dessert course. Try making some smart substitutions like using whole-wheat flour in the spiced topping and binding it together with canola oil instead of butter.

Get the Recipe: Pear Ginger Crumble

Apple, Lychee and Raspberry Crumble

Sweet lychee is a welcome addition to Ching's raspberry crumble recipe. Whip out your wok to prepare the hot strawberry topping. If you don't have one, no worries: A saute pan on the grill would work just as well.

Get the Recipe: Apple, Lychee and Raspberry Crumble

Apple Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream

It's no surprise that a grilling guru like Bobby Flay prefers to start his crumble with grilled Granny Smith apples. The cinnamon-granola topping acts as a crunchy counterpart to the tender, caramelized fruit and creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Get the Recipe: Apple Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream

peach cobbler

In her take on this classic Southern dessert, Nealey Dozier opts for pure honey over sugar and uses barely sweetened whipping cream biscuits to contrast the sunny fruit's natural sweetness. Serve warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

Get the Recipe: Peach Cobbler

Pear Cobbler with Cranberry Streusel

Tyler's pear cobbler is actually like a deconstructed crumble: He sprinkles pear halves with vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, then tops them with a simple streusel and fresh cranberries for a tart touch.

Get the Recipe: Pear Cobbler with Cranberry Streusel

Berry Crisp with Plums

Celebrate the season with a mixture of berries and plums topped with a nutty pecan-oat mixture. Bake Kelsey's crisp in individual ramekins for party-perfect presentation.

Get the Recipe: Berry Crisp with Plums

Skillet Blueberry-Peach Cobbler

To produce a flaky, biscuit-like cobbler topping, Kelsey mixes chilled butter into her dry ingredients, then stirs in buttermilk just until combined. She adds a double dose of lemon zest and juice to balance the sweetness of summer blueberries and peaches.

Get the Recipe: Skillet Blueberry-Peach Cobbler

Apple Crisp

Kelsey's apple crisp is our pick for the classic undone dessert. Her topping of oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts is perfectly sweet, crumbly and crunchy, especially when paired with vanilla ice cream.

Get the Recipe: Apple Crisp

Double-Layer Peach Cobbler

Two layers of pie crust and cinnamon-dusted peaches make for an extra-decadent cobbler.

Get the Recipe: Double-Layer Peach Cobbler

Ruby-Red Plum and Amaretti Crumble

Add an Italian spin to a crumble by using crushed-up amaretti cookies for the crunchy topping. The red plums in this dish are barely sweetened to result in a tangy dessert, but if you want to keep sourness in check, add more sugar to taste.

Get the Recipe: Ruby-Red Plum and Amaretti Crumble

McIntosh Maple Crumble with Candied Bacon

Nadia G. gives traditional crumble a salty-sweet update with the addition of crisp candied bacon.

Get the Recipe: McIntosh Maple Crumble with Candied Bacon

Apple-Oat Crisp

Baking apples is a great way to incorporate fresh fruit in a healthful dessert that doesn’t need a lot of added sugar. The crisp Granny Smith apples become tender and aromatic when baked under a cinnamon-and-oat topping.

Get the Recipe: Apple-Oat Crisp

Pear Crumble with Pomegranate Sauce

Crumbles are generally humble, no-fuss desserts, but Kelsey adds extra flavor and festivity with her pomegranate sauce, which looks beautiful drizzled over vanilla ice cream.

Get the Recipe: Pear Crumble with Pomegranate Sauce

Spiced Rhubarb and Blackberry Crumble with Pistachio and Orange

Ginger and cardamom add an extra layer of warmth, transforming a traditional crumble into an exotic treat.

Get the Recipe: Spiced Rhubarb and Blackberry Crumble with Pistachio and Orange

Grilled Fruit Cobbler

Grill an assortment of summer fruits before baking them into a cobbler to release their juices and enhance their sweet flavors.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Fruit Cobbler

Dave Whitney's Mango, Blueberry and Coconut Cobbler

When Mo Rocca surprises Dave with a basket of mystery ingredients, the adventurous grandpa steps up to the challenge, fashioning a fruity cobbler from coconut macaroons, a mango, blueberries and cream cheese.

Get the Recipe: Dave Whitney's Mango, Blueberry and Coconut Cobbler

Cherry-Pineapple Cobbler

While the deep-red hue of the Bing cherries definitely dominates this cobbler in terms of color, chunks of sweet pineapple provide their sweet-tart flavor to the mix.

Get the Recipe: Cherry-Pineapple Cobbler

Passover Cobbler

Sweet, cinnamon-speckled fruit is topped with a sugary crust and served fresh out of the oven in this Passover-friendly cobbler. Optional, but encouraged: pairing it with a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream.

Get the Recipe: Passover Cobbler