There is a very specific kind of comfort in pulling a bubbling fruit crumble from the oven. With ripe nectarines and dark cherries tucked beneath a deeply golden oat topping, this crumble is the perfect transition into fall; the last of summer’s fruit baked into the kind of warm dessert you begin craving as the evenings cool.
The nectarines lead here. They soften into the cherries as they bake, while a small splash of almond extract brings out the flavour of both fruits without overpowering itself. The filling becomes glossy and jammy beneath a buttery topping with crisp edges and soft, fruit-soaked pockets underneath.
A late-summer crumble
Nectarines are often treated like a quieter peach, but they deserve to lead. Their skin softens beautifully in the oven, so there is no peeling involved, and their gentle acidity keeps this crumble from becoming overly sweet.
Frozen cherries make this especially easy. They can go straight into the baking dish, no thawing required. They release enough juice to create that deep ruby filling. Keeping the fruit at a two-to-one ratio makes the crumble distinctly nectarine-forward, with cherry running through it rather than taking over.
What you’ll need
- Fresh nectarines: Leave the skins on and slice them into even wedges.
- Frozen cherries: Add them directly from the freezer so their juices release slowly as the crumble bakes. Slice in half if they are whole.
- Almond extract: Just enough to deepen the stone-fruit flavour.
- Rolled oats: They give the topping its craggy, crisp texture.
- Brown sugar: For a deeper caramel flavour in the crumble.
- Melted butter: It makes the topping quick to mix and encourages large, buttery clusters.
How to make nectarine and cherry crumble
1. Prepare the fruit
Slice the nectarines and add them to a 9x6-inch baking dish with the frozen cherries. Toss with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, almond extract and salt until no dry streaks of cornstarch remain.
The cornstarch may look generous before baking, but the frozen cherries release plenty of liquid. It thickens those juices into a glossy filling that holds around the fruit rather than running across the plate.
2. Make the crumble topping
Stir together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened and begin to gather into clumps.
3. Assemble and bake
Scatter the crumble over the fruit, leaving the topping loose rather than pressing it down. Place the baking dish on a parchment-lined sheet pan to catch any bubbling juices, then bake until the topping is deeply golden and the filling bubbles through.
Let it rest
This is the difficult part, but it matters. Give the crumble at least 30 minutes out of the oven so the fruit filling can thicken as it cools. Scoop it too soon, and it will still taste lovely, but the juices will be much looser.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, softly whipped cream or simply as it is. Leftovers are also very good the next morning, warmed just enough to bring the fruit back to life.
Nectarine and Cherry Crumble
Equipment
- 1 9x6 Baking Dish
Ingredients
Nectarine and cherry filling
- 4 cups fresh nectarines pitted and sliced
- 2 cups frozen pitted cherries not thawed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar ⅓ cu
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch of fine salt
Oat crumble topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Set a 9x6-inch baking dish on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Add the sliced nectarines and frozen cherries to the baking dish. Sprinkle over the granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt, then add the almond extract. Toss until the fruit is evenly coated and no dry cornstarch remains.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
- Pour in the melted butter and stir until the mixture is evenly moistened and forms large, irregular clumps.
- Scatter the crumble evenly over the fruit without pressing it down.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the topping is deeply golden and the fruit is bubbling vigorously around the edges and through the centre. If the topping browns too quickly, loosely cover the dish with foil for the remaining bake time.
- Cool for 30–45 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Notes
- Keep the cherries frozen until you add them to the filling; thawing them first adds unnecessary liquid.
- You can leave the nectarine skins on. They soften as the crumble bakes and add colour to the filling.
- Bubbling at the centre is the best sign that the cornstarch has fully activated.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions or warm the baking dish at 325°F until heated through.
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