Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray. A ceramic or glass dish works well so you can see the bubbling apricot filling as it bakes.

In a large bowl, combine the sliced apricots, 1/2–3/4 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and a pinch of salt. Gently stir until the fruit is evenly coated and glossy. Taste a slice and add a bit more sugar if the fruit is very tart.

Pour the apricot mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Scrape in all of the sugary cornstarch mixture; it will help thicken the juices into a jammy filling.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, fine sea salt, and ground cinnamon (if using) until well combined and no streaks remain.

Pour in the milk and whisk until you have a smooth, pourable batter. It should be thinner than cake batter but thicker than pancake batter.

Whisk the melted, slightly cooled butter into the batter until fully combined. The batter will look glossy and smell buttery.

Pour the cobbler batter evenly over the apricots in the baking dish. You don’t need to spread it perfectly; it will puff and spread as it bakes. Some apricots peeking through are fine.

Place the dish on the middle rack and bake for 40–50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and slightly crisp at the edges and the apricot filling is bubbling around the sides and through a few spots in the crust. If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

Let the apricot cobbler rest for 15–20 minutes before serving so the juices can thicken. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a dollop of yogurt.