Gluten-Free Cherry Crumble Bars that use fresh cherries, wholesome almond flour, and unrefined coconut sugar. Part cherry pie, part coffee cake, all good! Vegan too.
There really isn't anything better than summer fruit desserts. And even though I've been back to school (work) and coaching again, I'm definitely not ready to let summer be quite over.
So, while summer fun might be a thing of the past—for now—seasonal summer food is still having a moment in my kitchen.
Cherries have been popping up at the grocery stores everywhere here. And I love it. There has been a continuous bag of cherries in our fridge (honestly, about the only thing in our fridge recently) and these cherry crumble bars are the result.
Part cherry pie bar, part coffee cake, these bars are slighty gooey in all the best ways. Using a one-bowl recipe, you make your bottom layer and reserve some crumble topping from the very same mixture.
I've made this recipe with coconut sugar for a refined sugar-free treat, which makes it sweet but not overly sweet.
If you don't have coconut sugar on hand, you can easily sub in organic cane sugar in the same amount. The gluten-free cherry crumble bars will be a bit sweeter than with coconut sugar, but not too much.
So, grab some cherries this weekend. You'll be happy you did!
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.
Other Cherry Recipes:
Chocolate Cherry Almond Energy Balls
Cherry Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten-Free Cherry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour 263 g
- ⅓ cup white rice flour 60 g
- ½ cup coconut sugar (or organic cane sugar) 100 g
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 10 tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons ice cold water
Filling
- 3 cups cherries, halved and pitted
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
Instructions
- Lightly spray an 8x8 square baking pan with cooking spray. Line with two pieces of parchment paper, leaving "handles." Put the almond flour, white rice flour, coconut sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large 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 until dough starts to come together. Then, using your hands, mix until dough comes together. Reserve ½ cup of the dough and set aside.
- Transfer dough to prepared pan and press into bottom. Prick the bottom with fork tines and place in freezer for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the dough chills, the wipe the bowl you used clean. Prepare your cherries and toss them in the bowl. Add arrowroot starch and stir to coat cherries.
- When dough is ready, spread cherries in an even layer covering dough. Sprinkle the reserved dough mixture over cherries. I like to press some pieces togeher with my fingers to create wider pieces.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until topping has started to turn a golden brown. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- When ready to serve, remove bars from pan using parchment handles. 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.