This gluten-free Cherry Crumb Bars recipe uses fresh sweet cherries, a buttery shortbread crust, and a simple almond crumble. Part cherry pie, part coffee cake, all good! Vegan too.
With a sweet cherry filling and an almond crumble topping, this simple recipe is a great way to take advantage of cherry season. Serve these cherry bars with a scoop of ice cream for one truly delicious dessert!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy recipe
- Delicious crumble topping
- Minimal ingredients
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.
Fresh cherries - I like using sweet cherries like Bing, Rainier, or Lambert for these cherry crumble bars. You can also use a mix of sweet and tart cherries. You can also substitute 13 oz of cherry jam.
Almond flour - This gluten-free flour creates a delicious buttery crust. Plus, the almond flavor goes so well with the sweet cherry middle!
Organic cane sugar or coconut sugar - You can use either sweetener. If you use coconut sugar, the bars will taste less sweet.
Coconut oil - To avoid any hint of coconut, choose refined coconut oil. Vegan butter can be substituted for regular unsalted butter if dairy is not an issue.
Arrowroot starch - This helps coat our cherry mixture and soak up the excess cherry juices. Cornstarch can be substituted as well as tapioca starch.
Ground cinnamon and vanilla extract - Both of these gluten-free pantry staples add flavor and natural sweetness.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Put the dry ingredients (almond flour, organic cane sugar, salt, and cinnamon) in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add coconut oil. Use a fork to mix and mash the coconut oil into the dry mixture. Add vanilla extract. Drizzle cold water over dough one tablespoon at a time.
Step 2: Transfer dough to prepared pan and press into bottom.
Step 3: In the same mixing bowl combine the crumble ingredients. Mix and incorporate with your fingers to form small crumbles.
Step 4: Prepare your cherries and toss them with arrowroot starch and sugar in the bowl.
Step 6: Spread the fresh cherry filling in an even layer covering the dough. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the cherry layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crust and crumble top layer starts to light golden brown. Chill in the refrigerator for one hour after the bars have cooled to room temperature.
Recipe tips
- Don't have a cherry pitter? Try this hack.
- I like to crush the cherries slightly with a rubber spatula when making the filling so that they bake into the bars better.
- Allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack, then chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour before slicing.
- Have extra cherries on hand? Make cherry syrup or a spiked cherry limeade!
Storage
Store these cherry crumble bars covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
More gluten-free summer recipes
And if you're feeling like doing more baking to hold you over for the week, check out these simple gluten-free chocolate chip cookies from Meaningful Eats.
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Cherry Crumb Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 3 tablespoons almond flour
- 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar or coconut sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted and coole
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ice cold water
Filling
- 3 cups whole cherries, halved and pitted
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon organic cane sugar
Crumble
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 2 teaspoons organic cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon cold water
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put the almond flour, organic cane sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the melted coconut oil followed by vanilla extract. Stir with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of cold water over dough, then continue to mix until the dough becomes smooth. Give it a squeeze with your hands, it should hold together. If not, drizzle an additional teaspoon or two of cold water.
- Transfer dough to prepared pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan. Par bake the crust for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- In the same mixing bowl combine the crumble ingredients. Mix and incorporate with your fingers to form small crumbles.
- In a separate bowl, prepare your cherries. Add them to the bowl along with arrowroot starch and sugar and toss to coat the cherries. Use the rubber spatula to press down onto the cherries to break them down slightly.
- Spread the cherry mixture in an even layer on the crust. Sprinkle crumble over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The crumble should be starting to turn golden as well as the edges of the crust.
- Allow the bars to cool completely then place them in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour or until ready to serve. Remove them using the parchment and transfer to a cutting board. Slice into squares using a sharp knife.
Stephanie
First off these bars look amazing. My question is, Is there a substitute for white rice flour? I do not have any on hand.
Tessa
Thanks, Stephanie! I haven't tried it but would recommend swapping the white rice flour for a 1/4 cup arrowroot starch or cornstarch.
Tracey Parker
Can you use tinned black cherries for this recipe?
Tessa
Hi Tracey! I would suggest draining/straining them, but I would think that should work just fine.