Sweet, juicy cherries topped with a crunchy GF almond crumble. Use fresh cherries when in season or frozen ones for an effortless dessert that can be made ahead and frozen. It's versatile and you can adjust the level of sweetness.
It's cherry season!
Cherries and I have an ongoing love affair and I eagerly await their appearance—and they do so for such a short time!
Though fresh Summer fruit is amazing on its own, cherries (and peaches) are fantastic in baked recipes, especially when they are not in their prime to eat or lack some flavor. The flavor intensifies and they become even more amazing.
Lately, I'm cutting down on refined flour, so this cherry crumble has been one of my top choices, with its golden brown crisp topping and a syrupy cherry mixture.
Now, aren’t crisps and crumbles one of the best desserts ever? They have a layer of fruit with juicy syrup that you want to eat with a spoon and a crunchy, buttery topping.
Top Tip
I always have pitted frozen cherries and crumble mixture in the freezer. That way, I can quickly assemble this cherry crisp and have it on the table in 45 minutes.
Ingredient Notes
- Cherries: can be fresh or frozen. Just make sure they are pitted.
- Oats: make sure you use gluten-free rolled oats.
- Gluten-free flours: such as almond or hazelnut flour, quinoa or amaranth flour, or a GF cake mix.
- Sugar: I use brown sugar, but white, granulated sugar works fine. Don't go to the grocery store if you don't have brown.
- Sliced almonds: will add fantastic texture to the crumble, but they're optional. You can use chopped almonds if that's all you have. Don't refrain from making this dessert just because you don't have almonds. Omit them and substitute them with more oats.
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Gluten-free flours
Like any type of diet or cooking technique, it’s not hard once you understand what works and what ingredients are available. The number of different GF flours available is mind-blowing.
- My favorite flours: I like substituting quinoa flour for the all-purpose and almond flour for the oats or using gluten-free oats like Quaker's.
- Other alternatives: packaged gluten-free flour mixes, buckwheat flour, or amaranth flour.
How to make a cherry crisp
- Cold or melted butter: both work to achieve a clumpy mixture that will give texture to the crumble topping. But melted butter is way easier to mix and less messy.
Cherry filling
Pitting cherries: this is easy to do if you have a cherry pitter.
Halved cherries: if you want smaller pieces, don't overdo it or they will get lost in the crumble when you eat them.
Adding some lemon juice enhances their flavor and balances the sweet, buttery topping.
Crumble topping
Versatile: this is the part where you can use different combinations of gluten-free flours.
Cold or melted butter: both work to achieve a clumpy mixture that will give texture to the crumble topping. But melted butter is way easier to mix and less messy.
If you plan on freezing the crumble, you might consider mixing it in the container that will go to the freezer and have one item less to wash.
Almonds
Sliced almonds add a fantastic crunch and I recommend them, but this dessert works just fine with coarsely chopped almonds.
They are added last so as not to break them up too much. Lightly mix them into the rest of the ingredients.
Serving
- My favorite way: hands down, the best way is barely warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Plain, at room temperature, is my second choice.
- Cold: I don't recommend eating it cold from the refrigerator. It's not bad, but you'll miss the juicy flavor of the cherries with the crunchy topping.
Related recipes you might like:
One last thing
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Almond Cherry Crisp (gluten-free)
Ingredients
For the cherries:
- 4 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon almond or vanilla extract, optional
For the crumble:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup gluten-free oats
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and in pieces
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ice cream or whipped cream, optional for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter four oval, shallow ramekins. Or an 8-inch baking dish if making a family-style dessert.
For the cherries:
- Cut 4 cups pitted cherries in half and divide them among ramekins.
- Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons light brown sugar and drizzle with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon almond or vanilla extract if using, diving equally. Set aside while making the crumble topping.
For the crumble:
- In a bowl mix ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup gluten-free oats, ½ cup light brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon if using.
- Add ½ cup unsalted butter in small pieces and with your hands or a fork, work it until the butter is mixed with the dry ingredients. It will be lumpy.
- Add ½ cup sliced almonds and mix lightly. You don't want to break up the almonds too much. You can make the crumble in a food processor with the steel blade, but the resulting mixture will be finer.
- Divide the oat mixture equally over the cherries.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the filling is bubbly. If baking it in a large dish might take 10 more minutes.
- Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
- Store, covered, in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for up to a month.
Notes
I like using quinoa flour or almond flour and gluten-free oats like Quaker's. Other alternatives: packaged gluten-free flour mixes, buckwheat flour, or amaranth flour. Make-ahead: you can have the pitted, halved cherries and the crumble in the freezer, in separate containers for up to a month. Cherry pitter: this is a handy gadget and much needed if you bake with fresh cherries. You can buy them online. Family-style: if you want to serve more people, double or triple this recipe and use ceramic dishes that can go directly to the table.
Ginger says
I am waiting for my crisp to cool, but using frozen cherries and using the 2x function on the recipe, my crisp is very wet. I think using straight frozen does need something extra to absorb the extra moisture. It almost seems like it needs more of the crumble. I’m sure it tastes good, but appearance wise, not so good.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Ginger, let me know how it was after it cooled down. It usually thickens a lot.
I use both fresh and frozen and it comes out fine. I don't use cornstarch in this filling because I feel it needs to have juice and not be very thick. The ratio of fruit and crumble I feel is good to let the cherry flavor come through and not get buried under too much sugar and butter.
Sharon Gordon says
Do you defrost the cherries first?
Paula Montenegro says
No Sharon, there's no need to.
Heidy says
I love that this Cherry Crisp Recipe is gluten-free and I can make it for my best friend. I made it for the kids and they went bonkers over it. I will be making this recipe again!!!
GUNJAN C Dudani says
What a wonderful recipe. I just got lots of cherries yesterday so I am king this today.
Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
This Cherry Almond Crisp looks SO deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right now!
Leslie says
I've never tried to make cherry crisp before. You have really outdone yourself with this. It's a gorgeous recipe that I'm eager to try!
Jacqueline Debono says
This cherry crumble looks fabulous. I made a similar one recently but without the oats and the almonds. Want to try this way whilst cherries are still in season where I live!
Jen says
So good. Can't wait to try on local cherries later this summer. Thanks for including GF options.
Marta says
Guess who just bought a bunch of cherries?!? This girl! I can't wait to make this for dessert tomorrow night!
Colleen says
This is one yummy cherry dessert. I made it with all almond flour because we are a gluten-free house. So delish!
Ben says
Hoo boy, does that look good! I've never had a crumble with almonds like that. I can't wait to make it.
bakingmakeshappy says
I´m drooling! haha should have seen this post around our cherry harvest- looks amazing!
Melissa AuClair says
Beautiful photography Paula! I love crumbles too. I didn't make a cherry one this summer - next year!
Cocoa and Lavender says
I love cherries and almonds together - it is the perfect combo! I have never frozen them - and it is too late for this season, but I will remember for next summer. I love crumbles in the summer - they are the epitome of summer goodness! ~ David
Susan Lester says
Paula, I made this with a few changes - just delicious!
Thanks for the inspiration!
http://www.createamazingmeals.com/2013/08/vintage-kitchen-notes-cherry-almond.html