Cherry season is late this year, but it’s finally here. Thank goodness for that—otherwise, you might have to wait a year to make this Sweet Cherry Sugar Cookie Crumble. That would be a shame. I mean, who doesn’t need another quick & easy crowd-pleasing summer dessert in their repertoire?!Sweet Cherry Sugar Cookie Crumble is exactly what it sounds like: a layer of soft sweet cherry filling topped with a crispy sugar cookie crumb. Where crisps have oats and nuts to contrast with the fruit beneath, this crumble relies instead on a craggy layer of buttery topping. Some of the crumb mixture will sink into the fruit as it bakes and remain soft, too, so there are all sorts of great textural things happening.This is the sort of dessert that can be made in an hour start-to-finish and be served warm from the oven—no need for fussing over delicate pastry or waiting hours for molten filling to become cool enough to slice.To make this crumble, toss together a quick fresh cherry filling and tip it into a baking dish. Next up, stir together the sugar cookie crumble, which is just the crumb topping from my Double Funfetti Crumb Cake without the sprinkles.Scatter that over the top of the cherries and then bake the whole thing at 375F until the crumb is golden and the fruit is bubbling and tender. Let it cool about ten minutes before spooning the hot crumble into bowls and topping it with vanilla ice cream.Eat. Go for seconds. Repeat.

Sweet Cherry Sugar Cookie Crumble
makes 8-10 servings

Cherry Filling:
2 pounds fresh or frozen (thawed) sweet cherries, pitted
1/3-1/2 cup granulated sugar (depending on preference & sweetness of fruit)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of Kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Sugar Cookie Crumble:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

For serving (optional):
vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.

Make the cherry filling. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sweet cherries, sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice, and almond extract. Toss together until combined. Transfer to baking dish and create an even layer. Set aside.

Make the sugar cookie crumble. In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add vanilla and melted butter and stir until dry ingredients are saturated and clumps form.

Use your fingers to evenly distribute crumble over the top of the cherry filling. Bake crumble 25-30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling.

Let crumble cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Top with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Warm before serving.