There's not a lot about the words "buckle" and "slump" that make you want to break out the homemade whipped cream and sit down to dessert. Their name gives them a bad rap when, in reality, these rustic desserts are modest charmers and we can't let Casserole Week at the Kitchn slip by without a mention of our very favorites.

So what exactly is the difference between a buckle and slump? Last year Emma wrote a fabulous post on the Difference between Buckles, Grunts, Cobblers, and Crisps. Essentially, both are fruit desserts that are baked with some sort of a crumble or dumpling topping. A slump is a fruit dessert similar to a cobbler in many ways but it's baked on the stove top. A buckle, on the other hand, is baked in the oven with a light cake on the bottom and fruit piled on top. As you can imagine, it buckles while it bakes &mdash thus, the name.

So in these final weeks of January, we think there's no better time to gather up apples, pears, or frozen berries and bake up a comforting dessert that celebrates simpler times (and tastes mighty fine to boot). While some of the recipes below rely on fruits you can't get in season right now, feel free to swap out the berries for whatever fruit looks fresh in your farmer's markets or grocery stores. As you might imagine, slumps and buckles are forgiving in the best possible way.

Try a Buckle:
• Autumn Apple Buckle - Food and Wine
• Almond Plum Buckle - Epicurious
• Crock-Pot Pear Buckle - Chickens in the Road
• Blueberry Buckle - Martha Stewart

Try a Slump:
• Individual Blackberry and Bourbon Slumps - The Kitchn Archives
• Nectarine and Blueberry Slump - Chow.com
• Dried Fig, Apricot and Cherry Slump - Bon Appetit

Related:
• Raspberry Buckle from Martha Stewart
• Is This the Easiest Cake Ever?

(Photos: Megan Gordon)