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NEXT MAIN MENU PREVIOUS Summer Cherry Crisp Cherries are my absolute favorite stone fruit and once I started seeing them popping up in grocery stores again, I knew I wanted to create a recipe with them. Just eating fresh cherries is one of life’s greatest simple pleasures but cherries in baked desserts are also a juicy joy. This cherry crisp is fairly wholesome for a dessert but has just the right amount of decadence, with a rich, buttery crumble layered around the sweet cherries. It is perfect for any summer celebration. I used coconut sugar for a lower glycemic sweetener but brown sugar would work just as well. I also only bake gluten-free due to a wheat intolerance so feel free to use whatever flour you prefer (though all-purpose would be best), understanding that if you substitute, it may not work exactly the same so you may have to fiddle with the consistency.    Summer Cherry Crisp 5 cups stemmed and pitted cherries ¼ cup coconut sugar 2 tablespoons organic cornstarch 1 ½ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I am loving this one right now) 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats ½ cup coconut sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup cold coconut oil ½ cup plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-inch-square baking pan. In a large bowl, gently mix together the cherries, sugar and cornstarch. In another large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Cut in chunks of the coconut oil and squish it into the flour mixture with your hands. Pour in the milk and vanilla. Mix together with your hands; it will be dry and crumbly but it should hold together if you squeeze it between your thumb and forefinger. If it’s too dry, add a bit more milk until it can hold together. Firmly press about half the flour mixture to the bottom of the prepared pan, packing it down as you go. Layer all the cherries on top of this. Sprinkle the remaining flour mixture over the top and lightly pat. Bake for 15 minutes, turn 180 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes. Let cool at least five minutes. This is great served warm with ice cream on top. © 2013-2017, Vegan Street