Xanthan Gum Free Cherry Crumble with Coconut & Cassava Topping

Total time1 hr 5 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time40 min

Xanthan Gum Free Cherry Crumble with Coconut & Cassava Topping

Bubbling cherry filling peeking through a golden, crackly topping is one of those desserts that makes everyone lean in for a closer look. The filling leans on arrowroot starch to thicken those jammy, cinnamon-kissed cherries, and the topping gets its structure from cassava flour and tapioca starch — no xanthan gum needed anywhere in the recipe. That matters because xanthan gum sneaks into a surprising number of gluten-free baking blends, making it genuinely tricky to find crumbles and cobblers that are free of it without sacrificing texture. Here, the combination of cassava flour, shredded coconut, and solid coconut oil creates crumbles with real body — coarse, clumpy, and satisfying in a way that holds up through the full bake. A drizzle of maple syrup sweetens both the filling and the topping naturally, so the whole thing tastes bright and a little caramel-edged rather than overly sugary. Let it rest for those ten minutes after it comes out of the oven and the filling tightens up beautifully, making every scoop clean and luscious. Serve it warm and you will not have a single complaint at the table.

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the cherry filling

5 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries (about 2 lb), thawed if frozen
Sweet Red Cherries O Organics Organic Cherries Sweet Clamshell Prepacked - 1 Lb Rainier Cherries Prepacked Bag - 2 Lb Red Cherries Kopke Sweetums Cherries
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3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp arrowroot starch
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon

For the crumble topping

¾ cup cassava flour
¼ cup tapioca starch
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3 tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup coconut oil, solid
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish with a small amount of coconut oil.
2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cherries, 3 tbsp maple syrup, arrowroot starch, lemon juice, and Ceylon cinnamon. Toss until the cherries are evenly coated and the starch is fully dissolved with no dry pockets visible. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.

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