When feeding friends and co-workers this summer at home—or at an office party—look no further than fruit-based cobblers and crisps to wow them with your culinary prowess. These desserts are quick and nearly effortless to make, leaving you with time to cook and savor a glass of wine between work and the time guests arrive. What’s more, they’re tasty and just “healthy” enough that you can excuse eating the leftovers for breakfast the next morning!

Mixed Berry Crisp
The secret ingredient in this luscious dessert is golden graham crackers. If you can find them, a buttery, homemade graham works best.

6 cups berries (blackberries, raspberries, and marionberries work best)
1 cup crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill a 9-by-9 baking dish with the berries, making certain they don’t spill over the dish lip.
In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients and cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly. Spoon the topping over the apples and cook for 50 to 60 minutes or until brown on top.
Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce if desired.

Blueberry Peach Cobbler
Think of this cobbler as your favorite shortcake served upside down, with the berries on the bottom and crumbly cake on top. Of course, it’s still appropriate to top it with fresh whipped cream.

For the filling:
5 large peaches
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For biscuit topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice and toss the peaches and blueberries with sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
While the fruit cooks, mix together the dry ingredients in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Stir in water until just combined.
When peaches are finished baking, remove them from the oven and drop six equal-size spoonfuls of the batter on top of them. Bake until golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Gladys’ Apricot Cobbler

For the crust:
1 1/3 cups unbleached-all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons milk

For the filling:
4 cups sliced pitted apricots
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. To make the crust, sift together the flour and salt into a bowl. Measure the oil in a measuring cup and add the milk to it. Pour the liquids into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until a soft dough forms. Using your hands, shape the dough into a flat disk and place between two sheets of waxed paper, each 9 by 13 inches. Roll out the dough to the size of the waxed paper.
To make the filling, arrange the apricot slices evenly in a 9-by-13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar and flour evenly over the fruit. Scatter the butter pieces over the top.
Carefully peel away the top sheet of waxed paper from the dough. Place the dough sheet, waxed paper side up, on top of the apricots. Peel off the remaining sheet of waxed paper.
Bake until the crust is golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 or 15 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature.

—Recipes from The San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market Cookbook, by Christopher Hirsheimer and Peggy Knickerbocker