Sweet Cherry Cobbler

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups   all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus additional for sprinkling over top
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. For the filling, add the whole pitted cherries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt to a large mixing bowl, then stir until the fruit is evenly coated. Transfer the cherries to a 9x13 inch baking dish and leave it nearby.
2. If you are working with frozen cherries, set the baking dish in the oven as it heats so the fruit can thaw slightly while you prepare the topping. For the topping, place the flour, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a medium mixing bowl and mix them with a fork. Add the butter and blend it into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture looks evenly sandy and crumbly.
3. In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk and vanilla. Pour that into the dry mixture, then stir with a fork until a thick batter forms; it should land somewhere between biscuit dough and pancake batter.
4. Scoop the topping over the cherries with a levered ice cream scoop or a large spoon. Aim for about 9 generous mounds across the fruit; they do not need to cover every bit of cherry, since the topping will rise and spread as it bakes. Scatter about 2 tablespoons of sugar over the batter. Bake in the heated oven for about 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cherry juices are bubbling all over. If you used frozen fruit, plan on an additional 15 minutes in the oven.
5. Serve the cobbler warm with vanilla ice cream. This cobbler is at its best the day it is baked, but leftovers can be warmed in the microwave for about 1 minute. Store any remaining cobbler in the pan covered with plastic, or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.