This peach-cherry cobbler is stealthily healthful. But let’s make that our little secret. Photo for The Washington Post by Tom McCorkle

Please, don’t tell anyone this dessert is better for them until after they have tasted it. If you explain beforehand, people will approach it warily, with all the biases they have against healthier food options.

Just let them fully enjoy the experience of it, and watch as they devour the gently sweet, baked peaches and cherries, their quintessential fruit flavor shining through beneath the golden, tender biscuit crust.

No one needs to know that the crust’s drop biscuit batter is made with whole-grain flour – the variety used is so tender you can’t even tell – or that it contains healthy oil to cut some of the usual butter. You don’t have to advertise that this cobbler is made with minimal added sugar, mostly in the form of honey, just enough to amplify the natural sweetness of the fruit, and tip the biscuit topping away from savory.

The finishing sprinkle of coarse brown sugar on top will alert them in the most alluring way that something sweet is coming. You will hardly hear a sound besides forks clinking against plates and a chorus of “Mmm” as everyone savors this delightful summer dessert.

Once your guests have polished off their portion and have effusively thanked you, feel free to tell them it happens to be a more healthful choice. Or, don’t bother revealing that at all.

Peach-Cherry Cobbler with Biscuit Topping

Active time: 25 mins; Total time: 1 hour

6 servings

This dessert of gently sweet baked peaches and cherries bubbling beneath a golden, tender biscuit crust is so luscious and satisfying, you’d never guess it’s better-for-you too, made with whole-grain flour and minimal added sugar.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until warmed through.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium ripe peaches or 1 pound (3 1/2 cups) frozen sliced peaches, defrosted and drained

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved; or frozen cherries, defrosted, drained and halved

3 tablespoons honey, divided

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3/4 cup (90 grams) whole-wheat pastry or white whole-wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinches fine salt

3 tablespoons (42 grams) very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup (120 milliliters) well-shaken buttermilk, low-fat or whole

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado or canola

1 1/2 teaspoons demerara sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.

If using fresh peaches, bring a 4-quart pot of water to a boil over high heat, and have ready a large bowl filled with ice water nearby. Using a paring knife, score the skin of each peach from end to end, but leave the peach intact. Place the peaches in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water for 30 seconds. Use the paring knife to remove the skin from the peaches, then halve and pit the peaches, and quarter each peach half.

In an 8-inch square baking dish, toss together the peach wedges, cherries, 2 tablespoons of the honey, the lemon zest and juice, and the cornstarch until well combined.

To make the topping, in a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and pulse a few times to blend. Add the butter and pulse until pebble-size pieces form, about 10 pulses.

In a small bowl or pitcher, whisk together the buttermilk, oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon of honey. Add to the food processor, then pulse again just until the mixture is moistened. Drop the batter in six mounds on top of the fruit and sprinkle with the demerara sugar, if using.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the biscuits are cooked through and golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition | Per serving (3/4 cup): 257 calories, 37g carbohydrates, 17mg cholesterol, 11g fat, 4g fiber, 4g protein, 4g saturated fat, 166mg sodium, 23g sugar