Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 35 mins | Total Time: 50 mins | Servings: 8

Ingredients:

Filling

5-6 cups sweet cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen thawed, see note)

2-4 tbsp granulated sugar, adjust based on the sweetness of your cherries

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

2 tbsp all-purpose flour, or 3 tbsp if using frozen cherries

Topping (see note)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions:

  1. Filling: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, gently stir together all the filling ingredients (make sure you read notes regarding fresh vs frozen cherries). Transfer to an 8″ square baking pan and spread into an even layer.
  2. Topping: In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract and melted butter and stir until fully combine. The mixture will resemble a cross between a crumb topping and a sugar cookie dough.
  3. Press pieces of the topping together to form flat, irregular-shaped pieces. Place the pieces of topping all over the top of the cherries. bake for 30-45 minutes, until the cherries are bubbling around the edges and topping is light golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes. The juices will thicken up a bit as it cools.

Notes:

Fresh Cherries: If using fresh cherries (my preference) I recommend using around 5 cups; just under 2 lbs. The fresh cherries will hold their shape better while baking.

Frozen Cherries: If using frozen cherries I recommend measuring them out while frozen and using around 6 cups. They will slump down quite a bit while baking. Thaw them in a large bowl in the refrigerator for several hours. IMPORTANT: After thawing, drain off the excess juice before proceeding with the recipe.

Topping: If you prefer your cobbler a little heavier on the topping, use the following measurements for the topping portion of the recipe. Preparation and bake time will be about the same.

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Serving and Storage: Serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note: the topping will soften over time.