Early Summer Delight: Just 5 ingredients. I make it when I want a sweet treat handled hours ahead, leaving me time to enjoy the warm weather.

This little slow cooker dessert reminds me of the warm, easy evenings of early summer on the farm, when we wanted something sweet but didn’t want to fuss with the oven. With just five pantry ingredients, it turns into a golden, sticky layer that melts down into a soft, steaming, crumbly base—almost like a self-saucing cobbler without the fruit. I like to stir it together late morning, flip on the slow cooker, and let it quietly turn into dessert while I’m out on the porch or working in the garden. It’s simple, practical, and feels like the kind of no-nonsense treat Midwestern grandmas have been making for generations, even if the slow cooker is a newer twist.

Spoon this warm, golden dessert straight from the slow cooker into small bowls. It’s lovely all by itself, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream melts into the sticky sauce and crumbly base in the nicest way. A few fresh berries on the side make it feel extra summery without much effort. Serve it while it’s still hot and steamy, with coffee after supper or iced tea on the porch if the weather’s warm.

Servings: 6

1 cup all-purpose flour

Lightly grease the bottom and about halfway up the sides of a medium slow cooker (about 4-quart size works well) with a little butter so the dessert releases easily.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, and the baking powder until well combined. This will form the dry, crumbly base.

Pour the melted butter over the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs and small clumps. It should be crumbly, not smooth like cake batter.

Scatter this crumbly mixture evenly over the bottom of the greased slow cooker. Gently pat it down just enough so it’s in an even layer, but don’t pack it too tightly—you want it to stay a bit loose so the steam can move through.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar evenly over the top of the crumbly layer. This sugar will help form the sticky, golden sauce as it cooks.

Carefully pour the very hot water over the top, doing your best to pour evenly. Do not stir. The water will look like it’s just sitting on top of the sugar and crumbs, but during cooking it sinks down and creates a golden, viscous layer under the surface.

Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or on LOW for about 4 hours, until the top looks mostly set and dry, the edges are golden-brown, and you can see a thick, sticky sauce bubbling up around the sides.

Once done, turn off the slow cooker and let the dessert sit, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes. This rest lets the crumbly base finish steaming and the golden sauce thicken up into that glossy, viscous layer you can spoon up.

To serve, scoop down through the top crumbly layer so you get both the steaming, soft base and plenty of the sticky golden sauce from underneath in each serving. Serve warm right from the slow cooker.

For a little extra flavor without adding more than five main ingredients, you can tuck in a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg with the dry ingredients if you don’t mind bending the 5-ingredient rule slightly. A light grating of lemon zest in the crumb mixture can give it a brighter, early-summer feel. If you’d like a richer sauce, replace 1/2 cup of the hot water with whole milk or half-and-half, making sure the total liquid still equals 1 3/4 cups. For a butterscotch-style twist, you can swap some or all of the granulated sugar for light brown sugar, which will deepen the color and flavor of the sticky layer. To make smaller batches, cut the recipe in half and use a 2- to 3-quart slow cooker, checking for doneness a bit earlier. Food safety tips: Always use very hot water from the tap or freshly boiled and slightly cooled water so the slow cooker comes up to temperature quickly. Keep the lid on during cooking to maintain a safe, steady heat. If any leftovers remain, let the dessert cool to room temperature no more than 1 to 2 hours, then transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat portions thoroughly in the microwave until steaming hot before serving. Discard if it has an off smell, visible mold, or has been left out at room temperature too long.