I love blackberry-picking time at my sister’s house, mainly because I’m not there. If I were there, I’d have to help keep an eye on the kids and say things like, “Hey, use a napkin,” and “Where’d the baby go?” instead of getting top-notch texts from my sister, like, “The kids got berry juice all over my bedsheets. It looks like a crime scene up in here!”‘

Laughing at this stuff (instead of doing their laundry) is one of the best things about being an aunt. A close runner-up? Being entrusted with top-secret missions, like acquiring Fart Spray. Oh, and showing the baby how to operate a Keurig. If she’s going to steal my coffee every time I blink, she might as well be able to make herself a cup.

Kidding! She needs to get me a refill. 

Anyway, my sister had a banner blackberry crop, so she squirreled away enough from the kids for me to make these Blackberry-Peach Cobbler Bars – big, fruit-stuffed bar cookies studded with glazed pecans. On their own, they’d make a great picnic or potluck dessert, but add a scoop of ice cream (like vanilla, peach or pecan praline), and you’ve really got something.

Just don’t wipe your hands on the sheets.

Blackberry-Peach Cobbler Bars

Taste your blackberries before using, and be sure to sweeten them with a little sugar if they need it.

Slightly adapted from “Southern Living” (June 2013)

Makes 10 to 12 servings

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 3 (6-oz.) packages fresh blackberries (about 4 cups)
• 4 to 5 cups peeled and sliced fresh firm, ripe peaches
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 cup roasted glazed pecan pieces (recommended: Diamond of California Glazed Pecans)
• Garnish: vanilla, peach or pecan praline ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13- x 9-inch pan, and set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and 1 cup granulated sugar at medium speed until creamy.
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
4. Stir in vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, stir together 3 cups flour, baking powder, salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating just until blended.
6. Transfer three-fourths of the batter into your prepared pan, and spread evenly with a spatula.
7. Sprinkle your blackberries evenly over the dough.
8. In a large bowl, stir together your remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Add peaches and bourbon, stirring to coat. Spoon the peach mixture over blackberries.
9. Stir pecans into remaining batter; dollop over peach mixture.
10. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until golden and bubbly along the edges. Cool completely on a wire rack (so the fruit juices have time to seep into that bottom layer). Cut into bars. Top with ice cream, if you’d like.

[ad name=”space”]