Gluten-Free Cherry Crisp

Our gluten-free cherry crisp recipe is a combination of buttery oat crumble and fresh cherry filling in every delicious bite. Plus, this easy recipe can be made with fresh cherries OR frozen cherries, so you can enjoy it any time!

This fresh cherry crisp turns juicy cherries into a delicious filling, topped with our signature oat crisp topping. Every bite is buttery, crispy, jammy, and PACKED with fresh cherry flavor.

It’s the perfect recipe for cherry season, but since you can use either fresh OR frozen cherries, this gorgeous cherry crisp can be made and enjoyed all year long.

No matter when you make it, one thing you’ll love about this gluten-free cherry crumble recipe is how simple the ingredients are. There’s no fussing with pie crust, and no special skills required! Here’s all you’ll need to get started…

Simple Ingredients To Get Started

If you’ve made any of our other fruit crisp recipes (like Blueberry Crisp or Caramel Apple Crisp!), you might notice some familiar ingredients! Let’s take a look:

• Cherries. For the cherry crisp filling, you’ll need either fresh cherries or frozen cherries. I recommend fresh cherries when possible for best results, but if you’re using frozen cherries, just check out the tip in the notes section of the recipe.
• Sugar. For sweetness, and to create the saucy, syrupy texture in the filling, you’ll need granulated sugar (white sugar).
• Cornstarch. Next, cornstarch helps thicken the filling as it cooks.
• Lemon Juice. Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity that complements the sweetness of the cherries and keeps this cherry crisp from tasting flat.
• Vanilla Extract & Almond Extract. My not-so-secret ingredients! I love the way vanilla and almond elevate the cherry flavor. Yum!
• Butter. Now, for the oat topping ingredients. First, you’ll need some cold butter, cut into small cubes. The smaller you dice the butter, the easier it blends in!
• Gluten-Free Oats. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats! I like a mixture of gluten-free quick oats and gluten-free rolled oats (sometimes labeled old-fashioned oats), but you can use all quick-cooking oats or all rolled oats if you prefer.
• Gluten-Free Flour. We recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour blend for the best taste and texture here. If you use another 1:1 brand, be sure it contains xanthan gum for the best results. We do NOT recommend almond flour or coconut flour for this recipe. (Almond flour can burn & stay soggy, while coconut flour will be dry and crumbly.)
• Brown Sugar. My favorite for oat crumble! I use light brown sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar if you want a stronger molasses flavor.
• Salt. For the perfect balance of flavors.

How To Make Fresh Cherry Crisp, Step By Step

As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×9 square baking dish and set aside. 
2. Make Filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine pitted cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Gently stir to combine. Transfer cherry mixture to prepared baking dish and smooth into an even layer. 
3. Make Crumble Topping. In the same large bowl (no need for a new one!), combine cubed butter, gluten-free oats, brown sugar, gluten-free flour, vanilla, and salt. Stir with a fork, a pastry blender, or clean hands until the topping is evenly blended and moist clusters have formed. (There shouldn’t be any dry patches of flour left!) Sprinkle crumble mixture over the cherry filling. 
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges and the crumble topping is golden brown. (It’s important the the filling comes to a boil, otherwise it won’t thicken. If the top starts to brown too much before the filling is bubbling, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.)
5. Cool & Enjoy. Let the warm cherry crisp cool at least 20-30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. (If you scoop it warm, the filling won’t be as thick!) Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Try A Cherry Pitter!

Speed up your cherry prep with a cherry pitter! This one can pit 7 cherries at once, which speeds up the process beautifully.

SHOP THE CHERRY PITTER

FAQ + Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Cherry Crisp

Tips For Using Frozen Cherries. Frozen cherries work GREAT in this homemade cherry crisp recipe, but you’ll want to keep in mind that the ice crystals on frozen cherries will melt, releasing extra water into the recipe. You can moderate this by thawing the cherries first OR adding 1 extra teaspoon of cornstarch. Either works!

Your Pan Matters! While I LOVE metal pans for baking gluten-free brownies & cookie bars, I prefer using a ceramic 9×9 pan for baking gluten-free cherry crisp and other fruit crisp recipes. I find ceramic cooks gently enough that my filling will thicken properly without scorching around the edges. If you use a metal pan, you may find your fruit crisp cooks faster than mine.

Make it Vegan! Another thing to love about this easy cherry crumble is that it’s easily vegan! Just use vegan butter (like Earth Balance) and vegan cane sugar. The rest is naturally vegan!

Try Adding Almonds! For more of a cherry-almond crisp vibe, you can add 1/3-1/2 cup sliced almonds to the crumble topping mixture. (It will likely brown faster, so make sure to tent the pan with foil as needed toward the end of the bake time!) 

Can I Just Use Cherry Pie Filling? Technically yes, but our homemade cherry filling will look and taste better!

More Gluten-Free Fruit Crisp Recipes To Try

Gluten-Free Strawberry Crisp

Gluten-Free Caramel Apple Crisp

Gluten-Free Blueberry Crisp

Recipe Card

Gluten-Free Cherry Crisp

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5 from 1 review

• Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Our easy gluten-free cherry crisp recipe is a delicious combination of buttery oat crumble & fresh cherry filling in every bite. It’s the perfect way to use fresh cherries OR frozen cherries! 

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Ingredients

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For The Cherry Filling:

• 6 cups pitted & halved fresh cherries* (about 2 pounds)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams)
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch (20 grams)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Oat Topping:

• 6 Tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
• 3/4 cup certified gluten-free oats (I like a mix of quick oats & rolled oats)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (150 grams)
• 1/2 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour (60 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×9 baking dish and set aside.
2. Make Filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Gently stir to combine. Transfer filling to prepared baking dish and smooth into an even layer.
3. Make Crumble Topping. In the same large bowl (no need for a new one!), combine cubed butter, gluten-free oats, brown sugar, gluten-free flour, vanilla, and salt. Stir with a fork, a pastry cutter, or clean hands until the topping is evenly blended and moist clusters have formed. (There shouldn’t be any dry patches of flour left!) Sprinkle topping over the cherry filling.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges and the crumble topping is golden brown. (It’s important the the filling comes to a boil, otherwise it won’t thicken. If the top starts to brown too much before the filling is bubbling, loosely tent the pan with foil.)
5. Cool & Enjoy. Let the warm cherry crisp cool at least 20-30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. (If you scoop it warm, the filling won’t be as thick!) Serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy! Cover leftover crisp with foil and refrigerate 2-3 days. Reheat in a 300 degree oven to 10-20 minutes, or warm in the microwave, as desired.

Notes

• Tips For Using Frozen Cherries. Frozen cherries work GREAT in this cherry crisp recipe, but you’ll want to keep in mind that the ice crystals will melt, releasing extra water into the recipe. You can moderate this by thawing the cherries first OR adding 1 extra teaspoon of cornstarch. Either works!
• Your Pan Matters! While I LOVE metal pans for baking gluten-free brownies & cookie bars, I prefer using a ceramic 9×9 pan for baking gluten-free cherry crisp and other fruit crisp recipes. I find ceramic cooks gently enough that my filling will thicken properly without scorching around the edges. If you use a metal pan, you may find your fruit crisp cooks faster than mine.
• Try Adding Almonds! For more of a cherry-almond crisp vibe, you can add 1/3-1/2 cup sliced almonds to the crumble topping mixture. (It will likely brown faster, so make sure to tent the pan with foil as needed toward the end of the bake time!) 

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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