Cobblers, Crumbles and Crisps, Oh My!

As late summer deepens, we savor the warm days and look forward to the falling leaves of autumn, replete with fall foods such as pumpkin desserts, hearty pot pies and stews filled with root vegetables. The question becomes what to eat for dessert in this in-between season — frozen, icy treats are better suited to late July, while it isn't quite time for the pies of cooler weather.

See also: Bake summer fruit pies.

Cobblers, crisps and crumbles can be the ideal answer. They make use of summer berries still in season, but also work well with the apples, cranberries and plums of autumn months. Their pastry toppings are often lighter than a traditional pie crust, and require less time in the oven.

These classic American desserts stem from the days when early American settlers improvised based on the ingredients that were readily available. Cobblers, crisps, crumbles, bird's nest puddings, buckles, slumps, grunts, pandowdies and Brown Bettys are all homemade, rustic and simple to make.

Crisps:

Crisps are an excellent last-minute dessert, circumventing the time it takes to prepare a pie crust from scratch. Each of these can be done in around an hour or less!

Strawberry-Hazelnut Crisp by Lori Longbotham

Peak-of-Summer Berry Crisps by Tom Douglas

Columbe's Wheat-Free Lavender Apricot Crisp by Sarah Magid

Delectable Apple-Cranberry Coconut Crisp by Judith Finlayson

Next: Don't miss recipes for cobblers and crumbles. >>