Plump and sweet cherries are complimented by a buttery oatmeal, almond, and cinnamon crumble in this easy Cherry Crumble. Make sure to have the ice cream on hand for this one! There’s nothing better than a warm cherry crumble with a big scoop of ice cream on top.
Sweet Summertime Cherry Crumble
Table of Contents
I have a tendency to be a tad overzealous when it comes to in-season produce. The first time I see sweet cherries appear at the grocery store, I go temporarily insane and decide I need six bags.
Our family can easily polish off a single bag of cherries by eating them like popcorn during a movie. But we have a little trouble when it comes to the remaining “I obviously wasn’t thinking clearly” bags.
That’s when fresh Cherry Crumble becomes absolutely necessary. We’re not going to let those juicy sweet cherries go to waste, and with my undying affection for cobblers, crisps, and crumble recipes and anything that’s served with a giant scoop of ice cream, a big cherry crumble is the obvious choice.
I used our all time favorite Apple and Blueberry Crumble as inspiration, and we were not disappointed. You’ll definitely want to give this Cherry Crumble recipe a try before cherries disappear from the shelves again (sob!).
Why You’ll Love this Easy Cherry Crumble
- It’s easy to make. The hardest part is pitting the cherries. I do find a cherry pitter is helpful for this step.
- It’s got PLENTY of crumble. I do not play when it comes to a crumb topping-I need lots of buttery crisp on top of the fruit, and this recipe gets the ratio just right.
- No cutting in butter! I don’t know why I hate cutting butter into flour, but it is one of my most dreaded kitchen tasks. This recipe uses melted butter for the crumble, so it’s a breeze to put together!
You’ll love this Cherry Crumble with ice cream, yogurt, a drizzle of milk or cream, or on its own! Of course, we prefer our cherry crumble a la mode, but if you swap the ice cream for yogurt, you can call this breakfast!
Key Ingredients
- Cherries– Dark and sweet bing cherries are a classic, but any sweet cherry variety will work for this recipe.
- Pantry staples, including sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla.
- Oats– I use old fashioned rolled oats for crumbles and crisp recipes.
- Butter– I prefer to use unsalted butter for baking, so I can control the amount of salt.
- Almonds– I just love a nutty crumble, and sliced almonds pair so well with the sweet cherries. If you prefer, you can omit them.
How to Make Fresh Cherry Crumble
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square or 11 x 7 inch rectangular baking pan.
- Prepare the fruit filling. Halve and pit the cherries. Add them to the prepared pan, then toss with sugar, flour, and vanilla.
- Prepare the crumble. In another bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, oats, pecans, and salt. Pour the melted butter over top and stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
- Layer the crumble on top. Use your fingers to pinch together the crumble to form various sized crumbles. Sprinkle them evenly over the fruit filling.
- Bake. Place the crumble in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crumble is browned and bubbly. Check the crumble at 30 minutes. If the crumble is already well browned, loosely cover it with foil for the remaining bake time. Serve the crumble warm with ice cream, if desired.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
If you’d like to make the cherry crumble ahead of time, follow the instruction through step four, then cover and refrigerate the crumble. Bake as directed within 24 hours.
Leftover crumble should be covered and stored at room temperature or in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat large portions of the crumble in the oven for 15 minutes covered, then uncover for 5-10 minutes to re-crisp the top.
Smaller portions can be microwaved (though they won’t be quite as crisp).
Variations on Cherry Crumble + Substitutions
- Fresh cherries don’t break down and get super juicy like some other fruits. If you want a saucier cherry crumble, add ½ cup of cherry jam to the filling.
- Feel free to pair the cherries with other fruits if you prefer. We like this combination of Nectarine, Cherry, and Strawberry Crisp. Peaches would also pair nicely with cherries.
- You can substitute quick oats for rolled oats if you prefer.
- Feel free to use any kind of nut for the crumble or omit them completely.
FAQS
Can I use frozen cherries in crumble?
Yes! Just make sure to thaw and drain them, then proceed with the recipe as usual.
What is fruit crumble made of?
Fruit crumbles are made with a lightly sweetened fruit filling topped with a crumbly, crunchy mixture of butter, flour, sugar, and (sometimes) oats or nuts.
Is crumble supposed to be crispy?
It’s my personal philosophy that a crumble should always have a nice crunch. It shouldn’t be hard, but it should have a crisp exterior that gives way to a delightfully rich, buttery, slightly chewy interior.
We use melted butter in this crumble recipe to create craggly hunks of butter, sugar, and flour to top the fruit. These irregular shapes help create the crisp texture we LOVE in a crumble! We also have PLENTY of crumble so it doesn’t just melt into the filling.
What is the secret to good cherry crumble?
Getting the ratio of butter to flour right is the key to a good crispy crumble! This crumble recipe is our go-to. You can sub out different fruits and nuts, as long as you keep the ratios the same.
What’s the difference between cherry crisp and cherry cobbler and cherry crumble?
Cherry cobblers are typically made with a cake-like or biscuit-like batter on top of the fruit. Our favorite cobbler topping is this magical crackly-crusted Blackberry Peach Cobbler.
More Summer Fruit Desserts to Try
Here are more great recipes to make the most of summer fruits like peaches, cherries, and berries!
- Peach Crumble Pie
- Peach Cobbler Cheesecake Bars
- Skillet Peach Slump
- Bumbleberry Pie
- Peach Cherry Wine Slushies
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Cherry Crumble
Ingredients
For the cherry filling:
- 2 pounds sweet cherries (pitted)
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- Squeeze of fresh orange or lime juice (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the crumble:
- 1 cup flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup sliced almonds (chopped)
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch square or 11 x 7 inch rectangular baking pan.
- Place the cherries in the baking dish and toss with sugar, flour, vanilla, and citrus juice, if using.
- In another bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, oats, almonds, and salt. Pour the melted butter over top and stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened.
- Use your fingers to pinch together the crumble to form various sized crumbles. Sprinkle them evenly over the fruit filling.
- Place the crumble in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the crumble is browned and bubbly. Check the crumble at 35 minutes. If the crumble is already well browned, loosely cover it with foil for the remaining bake time. Serve the crumble warm with ice cream, if desired.
Notes
- For a saucier crumble, add 1/2 cup cherry jam to the filling.
- To make ahead, follow the instructions through step 4, then cover the crumble and refrigerate. Whenever you're ready, uncover and bake as usual.
- Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature or in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Equipment
Nutrition
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