Crumbles…Cobblers…Crisps? Aren’t they all the same thing? All I know is they are all delish. However, I haven’t made many in my life, they are one of those easy things that I always blow off and instead I go make some *new* or *trendy* thing…which never turns out as good as one of the classics. Stick with the classics people! They are still around for a reason!So the lovely Lulu found this amazing guide on The Kitchn and I just have to share the whole thing here. It really lends itself to “wingin it” and just going for it. We made a blackberry, blueberry, and nectarine crisp going off of this guide. It’s probably the best thing I have eaten all summer long.

The Guide
How to Make a Fruit Crumble, Cobbler, or Crisp
from The Kitchn
Makes one 8″x8″ square pan, 9″ pie pan, or use individual ramekins

Ingredients

For the filling:
6 – 7 cups fruit, enough to almost fill pan
1/2 – 1 cup sugar, to taste
1-3 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
1-3 tablespoons cornstarch, depending on juiciness of fruit
1 teaspoon spice, like cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg (optional)

For the crumble topping:
1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (4 ounces) brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

ICE CREAM FOR TOPPING!!!

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F.

1. Prepare the Fruit Filling: If necessary, dice the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Toss the fruit with sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and any spices. Use more sugar and less lemon juice when cooking with tart fruits like rhubarb and blackberries, and less sugar but more lemon juice for sweet fruits like peaches and plums. Best is to taste a piece of fruit and adjust to taste. Use more cornstarch with very juicy fruits like plums and less with firm fruits like apples. But don’t worry; no matter your ratio of these ingredients, your crumble will be delicious.

Pour the fruit filling into the baking dish.

2. Prepare the Crumble Topping: Thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt for the crumble topping. Break the butter into a few large pieces and toss these in the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, a fork, or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients until large heavy crumbs are formed.

3. Top the Fruit Filling: Pour the crumble topping evenly over the fruit.

4. Bake the Crumble: Bake the crumble for 30-35 minutes until the fruit juices are bubbling around the edges of the pan and the topping is firm to the touch.

5. Cool and Store the Crumble: Let the crumble cool for at least 15 minutes before eating. If transporting to a picnic or party, let the crumble cool completely to give the fruit filling time to set. Crumbles will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week. Serve cold, room temperature, or re-warmed in a low oven for 20 minutes.

Additional Notes:

• Using a 9″x13″ Pan: Increase the fruit to 10-11 cups, adjusting the other filling ingredients to match. Increase all the crumble topping ingredients by half (1 1/2 cups flour, etc.), except for the baking powder.

• To Make a Crisp: Add 1/2 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats or 1/2 cup chopped nuts (or both) to the topping.

• To Make a Cobbler: Press the crumbs into biscuit-sized patties and arrange them in a single layer over the fruit.

• Flour Substitutions: Try subbing another flour for all or some of the AP flour in this recipe. Almond flour, spelt flour, and barley flour would all make delicious crumbles and cobblers.

• Sugar Substitutions: Swap the brown sugar for white sugar for a lighter flavor, especially for cobblers. Feel free to experiment with other sugars in your cupboard as well.