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Cherry macadamia crumble is summer in a baking dish — tart cherries bubbling under a crumbly, nutty, cinnamon-scented topping. The dates hide in both layers, so no refined sugar is needed anywhere. It's the dessert we make the day after a cherry-picking trip.
Pro Tips
- Break up every clump of cherry and date when you mix the filling — sticky date pieces that stay together turn into chewy surprises instead of melting into the sauce.
- Don't skip the final drizzle: coconut oil mixed with cinnamon and nutmeg poured over the crumble is what fries the topping into actual crumble instead of cakey crumbs.
- Frozen tart cherries work perfectly and usually taste better than out-of-season fresh ones; if you use fresh, expect the bake to run past 45 minutes.
- Pit and freeze cherries in season so you can make this all year — a cheap cherry pitter does the job in minutes.
- Serve it warm, ideally with something creamy on top like honey-sweetened vanilla ice cream, to play against the tart cherries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the cherry crumble ahead of time?
You can assemble the filling and topping separately up to a day ahead and bake when ready. Baked and reheated it's still lovely, though the topping softens overnight.
Do frozen cherries work as well as fresh?
Yes — use them straight from the freezer without thawing so they don't water down the filling. Fresh cherries just need a slightly longer bake.
Can I swap the macadamia nuts?
Chopped pecans or walnuts are the easiest substitutes and toast up just as well under the spiced coconut oil drizzle.
Why are the dates divided between two bowls?
Half the dates sweeten and thicken the cherry filling while the other half gets creamed into the crumble topping — it's what makes both layers taste caramel-like.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1.
- Combine cherries, ½ cup dates, and maple syrup in mixing bowl—be sure to break up any date or cherry clumps.
- 2.
- Spread cherry mixture into greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- 3.
- Beat palm shortening, ¼ cup dates, and honey together.
- 4.
- Add eggs and whip until thoroughly combined.
- 5. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, macadamia nuts, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- 6. Slowly add mixed dry ingredients into wet until a crumbly mixture forms.
- 7.
- Sprinkle crumble over cherry mixture in the baking dish.
- 8.
- Mix coconut oil with remaining teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg; drizzle over top of crumble.
- 9.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45–60 minutes (fresh cherries may take longer than 45 minutes).
