Morello Cherry Crumble
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Cherry Crumble is a cherry lover's dream! It's filled with tart, sour cherries...then covered with a buttery, crisp topping. You'll flip over this easy dessert that's made without oats or nuts.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Of all the desserts I've made this year, Cherry Crumble is my favorite. There's nothing like the tartness of dark cherries surrounded by a topping that's crumbly, but not too doughy.
Some people might call this a cobbler, or maybe even a crisp. But, to me it's a crumble because the crust is so incredible you can hardly contain yourself!
There are no oats or nuts in this recipe, just in case you have a family like mine who doesn't like them. But, you can definitely add extras if you wish!
Cherry Crumble is freeform and rustic, which means it won't look perfect no matter how hard you try. That's another reason I love it so much.
It's not like the cobblers you make with a cake mix. The topping is thicker and crispier, which tastes more like a pie crust without doing all of the work.
It's also one of the easiest desserts to throw together in a jiffy, which comes in handy when you're craving something sweet like I am right now!
What Type of Cherries Should I Use?
For this recipe, I used Dark Morello Cherries that are pitted and stored in sweet syrup. This product, or a similar version, can be found at Aldi or in most grocery stores in the jarred fruit section. The 24 ounce jar makes the perfect amount of cherry crumble for 8 people.
If you can't find tart cherries, you could always use canned cherry pie filling, but the cherries won't have the same tart flavor. Oregon Cherries (ad) will work, but be sure to add sugar to the filling and use two (14 ounce) cans.
Can I Use Fresh or Frozen Cherries?
If you have an abundance of cherry trees in your yard, or find dark cherries on sale, by all means use fresh cherries if you like. Of course, you'll have to adjust the recipe if you make substitutions.
You can definitely use tart frozen cherries if you thaw them out first, then add ½ cup sugar, water and cornstarch to the filling.
How to Make The Cherry Filling
The cherry juice does all of the hard work for you, so the only ingredients to add are cinnamon, cornstarch and vanilla. Simply pour the cherries with juice in a saucepan over medium heat.
Mix a slurry of cornstarch and water together, then add to cherries and juice in the pan. Stir well, then add cinnamon and vanilla. Cook for about 5 minutes to thicken, then remove from heat and pour into a 9 inch pie plate.
How to Make The Crumble Topping
The crumble topping is so buttery and sweet, you'll almost forget there are cherries underneath!
Start by mixing flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Cut cold butter into cubes and work it into the dry mixture with your hands, or use a mixer or food processor. Keep mixing until the dough is coarse and crumbly.
To make Cherry Crumble, sprinkle the topping over the cherries and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and cherries are bubbling!
How Do I Store Leftovers?
If you're lucky enough to have any leftovers, Cherry Crumble can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
When reheating, make sure to do so in the oven so the crumbly topping will be crispy. I've also used my toaster oven to heat up this dessert and it works really well. You might have to broil the topping for a few minutes to crisp it up.
Serving Suggestions
Cherry Crumble is the type of dessert you eat straight from the oven with a big scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream. I like to sprinkle extra cinnamon on top and use a giant spoon so I can dig in like a boss!
More Fruit Desserts to Love
If you love fruity desserts, you're in luck! Try these recipes for a real treat...
- Chocolate Strawberry Tart
- Blackberry Cheese Danish
- Triple Berry Crostata
- Blueberry Peach Cobbler
- Strawberry Margarita Icebox Pie
Recipe Card
Cherry Crumble
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
CHERRY FILLING
- 1 24 oz jar tart pitted cherries in syrup
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp. water
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla
CRUMBLE TOPPING
- 1 stick butter chilled and cubed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- dusting of ground cinnamon
Instructions
CHERRY FILLING
- Pour the jar of cherries including syrup into a saucepan. Heat on medium until bubbly.
- Mix the cornstarch with water in a small bowl until creamy. Pour into cherries and stir over heat.
- Add cinnamon and vanilla. Stir frequently for 5 minutes until thickened, then turn off heat.
- Pour the cherry filling into a 9" pie plate.
CRUMBLE TOPPING
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut a stick of chilled butter into cubes.
- In a separate mixing bowl, stir the sugar, flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt together.
- Fold the butter into the dry ingredients and mix with a mixer or food processor until crumbly.
- Using your hands, mix together to form the crumble. Sprinkle it over the cherries in the pie plate. Make sure to use it all.
- Sprinkle the topping with a dusting of cinnamon.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until crust is golden brown and cherries are bubbling.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Place Cherry Crumble in the oven to reheat and broil topping for a few minutes to crisp it up.
- If using another type of cherries without syrup, you'll need to make a syrup with 1 cup of water and ½ cup of sugar to add to the filling. Mix in cornstarch as directed, and add cinnamon and vanilla.
- It's not necessary to add extra sugar to the filling if using the original recipe since the syrup (or juice) contains sugar.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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I just made this tonight. It was delicious. I made half using one can of Oregon sour cherries using the recipe on the can for the cherries and your crisp.
Hi Joan! So glad to hear you made my Cherry Crumble and loved it! Definitely one of my favorite recipes! 🙂
Love this cherry crumble recipe. My whole family begs me to make it. I highly recommend it if you're looking for a great dessert to serve with ice cream.