Chocolate Cherry Crockpot Cobbler

Ingredients

• 2 cans cherry pie filling, 21 ounces each, preferably thick-style (1,190 g)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy (10 g)
• 1 teaspoon pure almond extract, optional but useful (4 g)
• 1 pinch fine salt (1 g)
• 1 box chocolate cake mix, 15.25 ounces, use dry (432 g)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled briefly (113 g)
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, regular or mini (85 g)
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, optional, for a crisp finish (38 g)

Instructions

1. Grease cooker. Lightly butter or spray a 5- to 6-quart slow-cooker insert, including lower sides. Set it on the counter before filling, and keep the lid ready. The recipe uses the insert as the baking vessel.
2. Make filling. Add cherry pie filling, cocoa, almond extract, and salt to insert. Stir slowly until cocoa disappears and sauce is evenly dark. Spread fruit level across bottom; avoid leaving a tall pile at center, which delays bubbling.
3. Form topping. Place dry cake mix in mixing bowl. Pour melted butter over mix, then stir until coarse, moist clumps form and broad dry streaks disappear. Fold in chips and almonds if desired. Do not beat it smooth; uneven crumbs create the topping texture.
4. Scatter and cook. Scatter topping across fruit in small clumps. Leave it loose rather than pressing it into sauce. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 2½ hours. At 2 hours, check for bubbling edges and a set-looking surface without powdery mix.
5. Rest and serve. Turn off cooker, remove lid, and let cobbler stand 20 minutes. This short rest thickens fruit sauce for easier scooping. Spoon through topping and fruit together into bowls. Add ice cream or whipped cream immediately before serving, if wanted.

Notes

• Use a 5- to 6-quart cooker for the listed thickness. Larger cookers make a thinner filling layer and may finish sooner, so begin checking at 90 minutes.
• Do not substitute canned tart cherries in juice for pie filling. This method relies on the filling’s thick syrup, and plain cherries produce a looser, wetter result.