There is nothing that says summer more than a fresh cherry crumble, period. Juicy sweet cherries with zesty and tart lime blanketed in a sweet and buttery crumble is pretty much the perfect ending to any summer evening. I love the combination of flavors and textures in this dessert and know that once you try it, it will be one of your favorites all summer long. Plus, with it being Paleo friendly and gluten free, you can serve it up knowing that this dessert is loaded with sweet summer flavors and is whole food based.

Summer is my favorite eating season with all the beautiful fresh fruits from beginning to end, and one of the few at the very top of my list is cherries, I LOVE them!  When I first moved to Virginia from Ohio in 1985, my parent’s bought this adorable little house that had tons of fruit plants in the backyard: peaches, apricots, grapevines, blueberry bushes, apples, strawberries, sugar plums, and cherries, two cherry trees actually.  I made it my mission as a 6-year-old to ensure every cherry was picked and eaten each summer and even remember getting my dad to get his ladder out to make sure that happened.  My love affair with cherries has never ended, and I’m sure it never will. 

Why Cherries are So Good For You!

Cherries are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates.  In one cup of fresh cherries you’ll find [1]:

• Calories: 95
• Protein: 1.5 grams
• Fat: <1 gram
• Carbohydrate: 24 grams
• Sugars: 19 grams
• Fiber: 3 grams: Cherries are an excellent source of both insoluble and soluble fiber to keep the digestive system optimized and microbiome balanced.
• Vitamin A( beta-carotene): A fat soluble vitamin that is a powerful antioxidant supporting healthy vision, immune function, cell growth, and brain function.
• Vitamin C: powerful antioxidant that plays a role in neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress.
• Calcium: The most abundant mineral in the body that is essential in the health of teeth, bones, and the heart.
• Iron: Necessary in the production of hemoglobin, non-heme iron is more readily absorbed when consumed with foods that contain vitamin C.
• Magnesium: Plays a role in digestive health, detoxification, and supports healthy blood sugar regulation.
• Potassium: Essential in regulating heartbeat, metabolic pathways, and supports health blood pressure.
• Zinc: Cofactor necessary in the digestive process as well as supports the immune system.
• Choline: An essential nutrient that many people are actually deficient in!  Choline is necessary in the production of phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin: phospholipids necessary for cell membrane health.  It is also essential in the production of acetylcholine, a vital neurotransmitter in brain and nervous system health [2].

Tart Cherries and Sleep [3]: Did you know that tart cherries have compounds in them that help to prepare your body for sleep.  Tart cherries contain enzymes that helps to maintain levels of tryptophan, which increases the production of melatonin, a hormone produced by the body in preparation for sleep.

So grab some cherries and let’s get cooking!

Paleo Cherry Crumble

Makes 8-12 Servings

For the Crumble

1.5 cups Almond Flour

¼ cup + 2 Tbsp Arrowroot Starch or Tapioca Starch

¼ cup + 2Tbsp Coconut Sugar

½ tsp Fine Sea Salt or Pink Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

¼ cup + 2 Tbsp Grass-Fed Ghee or Brown Butter Ghee, melted

For the Filling

5 cups fresh Cherries, pitted and sliced in half

2 Tbsp Arrowroot Starch or Tapioca Starch

1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Zest

¼ cup Fresh Lime Juice

Pinch of Fine Sea Salt or Pink Salt (opt)

Paleo Coconut Whipped Cream

How to Make Paleo Cherry Crumble

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot or tapioca starch, coconut sugar, salt, baking soda and powder and mix with a fork or whisk to evenly combine. 

3.  Add the melted ghee to the crumble ingredients and mix well with a fork until a crumbly texture is achieved, set aside.

4.  Rinse all the cherries and remove all the pits with a cherry pit remover, or slice the cherries in half and remove the pit that way.  If you use a cherry pit remover, slice the cherries in half and transfer to a large bowl.

5.  To the cherries, add the arrowroot or tapioca starch, the lime zest and lime juice and sea salt, mixing well to coat the cherries.

6.  Transfer the cherries to an 8×11 baking dish and evenly spread them out. 

7.  Top the cherries with the crumble mixture and bake for 40-45 minutes until the sides are bubbly and the crumble is lightly browned.

Enjoy with Paleo Coconut Whipped Cream!

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FAQs

Q: How do I know when the crumble mixture is perfect?

A: Once fully mixed, the crumble topping should have a sandy texture that should easily hold together when pressed with your fingers, if it is too dry, add a bit more ghee, if it is too wet, add a bit more almond flour.

Q: Can you use frozen cherries to make a cherry crumble?

A: Yes, you can! The texture may be a little softer, but it should still taste wonderful!

Q: My cherry crumble was very dry and the topping wasn’t clumpy, what went wrong?

A: Sounds like the cherry crumble topping needed more ghee, be sure to test it with the pinch test before adding it to the cherries.

Q: My cherry crumble isn’t very crisp, is there a way to fix this?

A: This recipe is meant to be a crumble, so not as crispy as a cherry crisp, however, you could always try and broil it for a few minutes and see if that helps, just keep a very close eye on it!

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