Can we really call it summer if we don’t eat some sort of fruit crisp? I love the taste of baked fruit under a crispy topping. This gluten free cherry crisp has all the flavors of summer baked to perfection in a little dish no one will know is gluten free.
I have to admit, I really love cherry pie filling from a can. I don’t know if it reminds me of childhood, or what it is. But make no mistake, pitting your own cherries and making your own filling is easy and tastes much better than anything you can buy from a can! So let’s dive in to how we can make this gluten free cherry crisp happen…
Cherry Pitting
Almond Flour and Rolled Oats
Cherry Pitting and Cutting for the Crisp
- A multi-cherry pitter makes quick work of getting rid of those pits while maintaining the whole cherry. I use this cherry pitter while pits 6 cherries at a time. Note: make sure every pit comes out…every once in a while I have one that likes to stay in. You can also use a single cherry pitter or cut the cherries in half and remove the pit.
- In this recipe, I’ve kept the cherries whole. I’ve also made this by cutting the cherries in half, which I slightly prefer. Feel free to quarter, half, or keep your cherries whole!
Gluten Free Almond Flour and Rolled Oats
- I really like using almond flour in my cherry crisp because it helps the crisp stay above the fruit after its baked. Because almond flour is more nutty and chewy, it lends a nice texture to the crisp. I’ve tried using regular gluten free flour blends in the past, but nothing crisps up as well as almond flour and oats!
- Make sure to use gluten free oats! They are heavily cross-contaminated in production and manufacturing, so its important to purchase an oat that is certified gluten free. I’ve been buying these rolled oats from GF Harvest (not compensated, just like ’em) and have loved them! Oh…and don’t forget to use rolled oats and not quick cooking oats which are more processed and smaller.
Can this be made dairy free?
Yes! In fact, I’ve substituted melted coconut oil for the butter and it came out just as delicious. Feel free to use a butter substitute as well…it should work well!
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Gluten Free Cherry Crisp
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. fresh cherries, pitted (keep whole or cut in half)
- ¼ cup corn starch
- pinch of salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 ½ cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a baking dish (around 10 in. x 8 in.) by lightly coating in cooking spray. (You can use a 9 inch pan, the dish I used was rectangle)
- In a large bowl, toss cherries with corn starch, salt, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla until coated. Scoop this mixture into your baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine all topping ingredients (almond flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, kosher salt, butter and brown sugar). Stir until combined. Crumble this mixture over the cherries until spread evenly across the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. Check half way through baking to make sure the top is not browning too quickly, if it is, loosely tent with aluminum foil.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
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https://www.pinterest.com/JustAsGoodGlutenFree/gluten-free-desserts/
K D W B
Amy, I want to try to make this however I need to change it up a bit for a few reasons: I have a nut allergy and I don’t use nut flour. Instead if Kosher salt I use sea salt, and in place of seasonal fresh cherries I use canned pie filling. Another thing that I do is I use granola in place of toasted oats, and break it up into small pieces. *My question to you would be since cornstarch is already added to the can pie fruit filling, would the cornstarch amount have to be adjusted ? as I typically use a few tablespoons of gluten free flour (rice and corn based) and it has been turning out slightly doughy and undercooked even though I bake it at 360-380 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. I also added peeled chopped apples (which I parboil first until half done in a small amount of water with a dash of cinnamon added to the pot, careful to strain as to not add extra water to the mixture.) When I was a kid growing up in the Midwest in the ‘60’s the ‘older’ ones always added sliced up chunks of cold butter “pats” on the top about 4-6 teaspoon size slices on the top of the topping crumble so to add moisture so that the topping would not be to hard & crunchy or over baked. I am also experimenting with a cobbler bottom base that is similar to bread pudding so as to have a ‘crisp/cobbler’ consistency. I don’t see a problem with the topping falling into the cherry mixture as that is the variety that makes it good!
I actually think it turns out better when the topping is “folded into” the filling. Sometimes it turns out right with the right amount of crunchiness and other times the oats get slightly cooked into spots of oatmeal mush. I am usually a consistent cook and baker but this particular dish is like a surprise as I have made so many versions of it over the years and still go back to the more old fashioned ones that the Mothers, Aunts and Granmas always made sooo good on the old days ! 😊 Your recipe is actually the closest that I’ve found so far !! ☺️
Amy Wilson
Thank you for the kind comments! I would not add cornstarch to the cherries if you’re using cherries from a can. You can definitely use sea salt in place of kosher salt for this recipe. Happy baking!
Susan
I covered the dish half way through like suggested. When I removed it from oven, the crisp had sunk into the cherries.
What a disaster! Don’t cover!
Amy Wilson
I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you! The recipe doesn’t state to cover the cherries while baking – only if it is browning too much on top and then to loosely tent with foil.
Tina
Can frozen cherries be used instead of fresh? Are any changes needed to the recipe if using frozen cherries?
Amy Wilson
You can definitely use frozen cherries in place of fresh ones. It may even be a huge time saver if they’re pitted! Frozen cherries won’t be as plump as fresh, but will work just fine.
Thaw the cherries and drain the juices before adding the remainder ingredients.
Barbara
Just a quick question why does it say vanilla and almond?
Amy Wilson
Good question! That is an error on my part. It should only say vanilla. I will fix it. Thanks for asking and happy baking!!