Louisa May Alcott’s Fruit Slump
This easy fruit slump recipe yields a cozy dessert that makes excellent use of late-summer fruit.
By Yankee Magazine|Aug 25 2025|
Louisa May Alcott’s Fruit Slump
Photo Credit: Clare Barboza and styling by Gretchen RudeInspired by Alcott’s signature apple slump, a recipe she loved so much that she supposedly named her house after it, this easy fruit slump from Yankee’s August 1991 issue yields a cozy cobbler-style dessert that makes excellent use of end-of-summer nectarines and raspberries.
Yield:
8 servings
For the filling
Ingredients
5 cups raspberries
5 large ripe nectarines, pitted and sliced
½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F and set a rack to the middle position.
First, make the filling: In a 12-inch skillet, combine the raspberries and nectarine slices with the sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
For the topping
Ingredients
1½ cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup milk
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
Instructions
Now, make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ⅓ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, butter, and egg. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine.
Drop the batter by the large spoonful over the fruit, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake in the skillet until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.
