Sunny Afternoon Delight: Just 3 ingredients. I make it when I want dessert handled hours ahead of time with zero effort.

This slow cooker early summer dessert is my little secret for those sunny afternoons when I want something sweet ready hours ahead with almost no effort. It’s inspired by the old-fashioned fruit cobblers I grew up with here in the Midwest, but pared down to just three pantry-friendly ingredients and a plug-in slow cooker. You toss everything in, walk away, and come back to a caramelized, bubbly brown, crumbly-topped dessert that pulls away from the sides of the crock and makes the whole house smell like a bakery.

Spoon this warm, caramelized cobbler-style dessert straight from the slow cooker into bowls and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of cold heavy cream. It’s lovely with iced coffee or sweet tea on the porch. For kids, I like to sprinkle a few fresh berries over each serving to brighten it up. If you’re hosting, set the slow cooker on warm and let guests serve themselves, adding toppings like chopped nuts, extra cinnamon, or chocolate chips at the table.

Servings: 6-8

2 cans (20 ounces each) sliced peaches in heavy syrup, undrained

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray or a thin swipe of butter to help the dessert release and to encourage that golden, caramelized edge.

Pour both cans of peaches with all their syrup into the bottom of the slow cooker. Spread them into an even layer so every bite gets some fruit.

Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the peaches, covering them completely. Do not stir; leaving it layered helps create that bubbly, brown, crumbly crust as it cooks.

Slowly drizzle the melted butter evenly over the dry cake mix, trying to moisten as much of the surface as you can. A few dry spots are okay; they’ll turn into extra crunchy bits on top.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for about 2 to 3 hours, or on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until the top looks golden brown, bubbly around the edges, and the crust has pulled slightly away from the sides of the crock.

Once done, turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the dessert sit, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. This rest helps the syrup thicken, the crust firm up, and makes scooping easier.

Serve the cobbler warm, scooping down through the caramelized, crumbly top to get plenty of peaches and syrup in each bowl. Keep the lid on between servings to hold in the moisture and warmth.

You can easily swap the peaches for other canned fruits in heavy syrup, like cherries, mixed fruit, or apple pie filling. Just keep the total amount close to 40 ounces so the texture stays right. For a little extra flavor without adding more ingredients, choose a butter or golden-style yellow cake mix. If your family likes spice, use a spice cake mix with apples for a cozy version that still feels right in early summer on cooler days. For picky eaters who don’t love fruit chunks, lightly mash the peaches with a fork before adding the cake mix so the texture is softer and more uniform. If you need to stretch the dessert for a crowd, serve smaller scoops over vanilla yogurt or ice cream. To make it slightly less sweet, drain one can of peaches and only use the syrup from the other can; you can also choose peaches in juice instead of heavy syrup, but the crust may be a bit less caramelized. Food safety tips: Keep the slow cooker covered while cooking so it maintains a safe temperature, and don’t lift the lid often, as that can extend cook time. Leftovers should be cooled to room temperature within 1 to 2 hours, then stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat portions in the microwave until steaming hot before serving. Avoid leaving the dessert on the warm setting for more than 3 hours after it finishes cooking, as quality and safety can decline over time.