A good cobbler or crisp is one of the most forgiving desserts you can make. The fruit doesn’t have to be perfect, the topping comes together in a single bowl, and it’s nearly impossible to get wrong. That’s exactly why these old-fashioned treats have been passed down through so many family kitchens, including mine!
I’ve pulled together our favorite crisps, crumbles, and cobblers so you can find the right one for whatever fruit is in season. From spring strawberries to fall pears, there’s a simple, crowd-pleasing recipe waiting for you.
Cobbler, Crisp, Crumble, or Buckle?
You’ll see a few different names below, and the differences are simple.
- Crisp: has a crumbly topping made with oats.
- Crumble: skips the oats for more of a buttery streusel.
- Buckle: folds the fruit right into a soft cake batter.
- Cobbler: wears a biscuit or cake-like top that bakes up in rustic, cobbled patches.
They all start with sweet, seasonal fruit, so you really can’t go wrong with any of them.
⭢ Fruit Crisps and Crumbles
If you love a dessert with a little crunch on top, start here. These crisps and crumbles all lean on a buttery, oat-studded topping that turns deep golden in the oven and gives way to soft, warm fruit underneath. They come together fast, and most are flexible enough to make with whatever’s ripe.
Pear Crisp
Sweet, warmly spiced pears tucked under a buttery oat and pecan topping. It comes together with pantry staples and makes the whole kitchen smell like fall.
Apple Crisp
Tender cinnamon apples baked beneath a golden, crumbly oat topping. This is the old-fashioned dessert we reach for first when the orchard sends us home with too many.
Apple Cranberry Crisp
Sweet apples and tart cranberries bubble together under an oat streusel top. That little bit of tang keeps every warm, buttery bite from tasting too sweet.
Plum Crisp
Juicy plums turn jammy and deep purple under a crunchy oat topping. A little tart, a little sweet, and impossible to resist with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Peach Crisp
All the comfort of peach cobbler, but with a crisp, buttery oat topping in place of biscuit. Fresh, frozen, or canned peaches all bake up beautifully here.
Strawberry Crisp
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Old Fashioned Blueberry Buckle
Somewhere between a cake and a crisp, this buckle folds blueberries into a tender crumb and finishes with cinnamon streusel. An old favorite worth reviving.
⭢ Old-Fashioned Cobblers
Cobblers are the biscuit-and-cake side of the family, with a tender topping that puffs up around the fruit as it bakes. Several of these lean on a hot cast iron skillet for crisp, golden edges, and a few use a shortcut mix so you can have dessert in the oven in about ten minutes. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is all but required.
Jiffy Mix Peach Cobbler
A true Southern classic, with sweet peaches under a golden cornmeal-biscuit crust. The Jiffy mix shortcut means you can have it in the oven in minutes.
Bisquick Peach Cobbler
Ten minutes of prep and a box of Bisquick stand between you and warm peach cobbler. The batter puffs up around the fruit for that classic cobbled top.
Easy Apple Cobbler
Warmly spiced apples under a buttery biscuit topping, straight from a Virginia orchard fall. A sprinkle of coarse sugar gives it a sweet, crackly finish.
Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler
Adapted from a beloved local farm recipe, this skillet blackberry cobbler bakes up with crisp golden edges and a soft, jammy center. Fresh or frozen berries work.
Easy Blueberry Cobbler
Pour a simple batter into a hot cast iron skillet, scatter the berries, and let the cake climb up around them. Crisp edges, a soft middle, pure comfort.
Blueberry Peach Cobbler
Two summer favorites in one dish, with juicy peaches and berries under a golden cobbled top. This is the cobbler to make when you cannot pick just one fruit.
Strawberry Cobbler
A cake-like batter puffs up around fresh strawberries for a rustic, old-fashioned treat. The simplest way to turn a basket of spring berries into dessert.
Blueberry Cobbler with Cake Mix
Just six ingredients and ten minutes of prep, thanks to a buttery cake-mix crumble over lemon-kissed blueberries. Proof that cozy does not have to mean complicated.
However you like your fruit dessert, there’s a cobbler or crisp here with your name on it. Save this page so it’s ready the next time you’ve got ripe fruit to use up, and let me know in the comments which one you tried first.
A Few Common Questions
Can I use frozen fruit instead of fresh?
Yes, and it’s a great way to enjoy these year-round. Thaw the fruit first and drain off any extra liquid so the filling doesn’t turn watery. Frozen berries in particular can release a lot of juice, so pat them dry before they go in the pan.
Can I make a cobbler or crisp ahead of time?
You can. Most are at their best the day they’re baked, but they’ll keep in the fridge for three to four days, and many freeze well for up to three months. Warm leftovers in a low oven to bring back that just-baked texture, since the microwave tends to soften the topping.
What fruit is best in the fall?
Pears, apples, and cranberries are all at their peak in autumn and hold up beautifully to baking. Plums and blackberries are lovely a little earlier, and you can always reach for frozen peaches or berries when you’re craving a taste of summer.
⭢ Related Collections
Looking for more ways to use up the season’s fruit? Try these next:
