Sweet Dark Cherry Cobbler

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a large saucepan; stir in water until mixture is smooth. Add cherries and butter to sugar mixture and bring to a boil; cook and stir until cherry mixture is thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour cherry filling into the prepared baking dish. Mix flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; cut in shortening using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir milk into flour mixture until topping is just moistened. Drop topping by spoonfuls over cherry filling; sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over topping. Bake in the preheated oven until topping is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.