Ingredients:

  • 6 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries (approx. 900g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch (12g)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15ml)
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (2.5ml)
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (90g)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (150g)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (2.6g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (3g)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (113g)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Place 6 cups pitted cherries in a large bowl.
  3. Toss cherries with 1/2 cup sugar, 1.5 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp almond extract until every cherry is coated and glossy.
  4. Pour the fruit mixture into your ungreased 9x9 baking dish.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup oats, 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp salt.
  6. Add 1/2 cup cold, cubed butter to the dry mix.
  7. Use a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles clumpy, damp sand.
  8. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the cherries. Do not press it down, or you'll lose the airy crunch.
  9. Place in the oven for 35 minutes. Aroma Check: At 20 minutes, you should smell toasted oats; at 35 minutes, the scent should be sweet, jammy, and slightly caramelized.
  10. Remove when the fruit juices are thickly bubbling and the top is deep golden brown.