This Vegan Cherry Jam Crumble Tart breaks all the rules and is perfect for breakfast, dessert or a sweet snack.
First, let me start by clarifying that this is not a vegan blog. So why post a recipe for a vegan dessert? For me it’s about balance – I talk about this in my bio page. I find that I live my most honest life when I’m not denying myself of the things that bring me joy. And yes, fruity, buttery dessert brings me joy.
But you’ll notice I used the word “balance”. In terms of my diet, that means finding that point of equilibrium, where I give in to a few little indulgences every day, and then eat nourishing food the majority of the time (which for me happens to be mostly plant-based food). When I’m in that state of dietary equilibrium I feel content.
The beauty of this Vegan Cherry Jam Crumble is that by using vegan butter and whole grain flours, I can indulge in an extra slice without feeling like I’ve compromised my need for balance. If any of this speaks to you, or if you really just want a truly delicious sweet treat regardless of whether it’s “healthy-ish”, then you’ve come to the right place.
A word about tart pans.
Before we proceed, let’s talk about rectangular tart pans with removable bottoms. How beautiful is this? I’m not saying you need one but, you NEED one. Ok, a round or square pan would work equally well, but when I was perusing the aisles of my local kitchen store, my eyes immediately fell on this fun rectangular version.
Inspiration is the mother of invention.
This Vegan Cherry Jam Crumble Tart was inspired by this post by MaryAnn at The Beach House Kitchen blog. I saw a photo her version slide into my Instagram feed and had an immediate Pavlov’s dog response (happy to report no one was around to witness it). Driven by food as I am, I quickly set out to bake up a batch. Needless to say, I fell head over heels in love. Can you blame me?
A lightened up dessert that keeps all the flavor.
Since I’m always thinking of ways to lighten up my favorite desserts, I came up with a version of this tart that uses vegan butter to reduce the amount of saturated fat. I took it a couple of steps further and upped the nutritional content by replacing white flour with whole wheat, almond, and coarsely ground oat flours.
And since I typically find desserts to be overly sweet for my taste buds, I lowered the amount of sugar and jam. For a bit of extra crunch and some contrasting flavor, I also added chopped pistachios. You could use almonds, pecans, walnuts, or simply leave the nuts out altogether.
Now I’m not saying it’s “healthy” dessert (so don’t leave me nasty comments), but I’ve done my best to make it “healthier”. The verdict? My husband – the sugar and butter fan and my ultimate test for lightened up desserts – LOVED this version.
My jam is not your jam? Switch it out.
Cherry jam, especially the really tart kind, is pretty much my favorite, but you could use any kind you like. In my opinion, the acidity of the cherries contrasts nicely with the sweetness of this tart, but if my jam is not your jam, just switch it out.
PrintVegan Cherry Jam Crumble Tart
A vegan treat that’s perfect with your morning coffee, afternoon snack or as dessert. Sweet, tart, earthy and crunchy, this Vegan Cherry Jam Crumble Tart will no doubt make it onto your list of favorite easy desserts.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven baked
- Cuisine: Baked Goods
Ingredients
Cherry Jam Crumble Tart
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 coarsely ground oat flour (may use rolled oats pulsed in blender)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 tablespoons vegan butter such as Earth Balance, melted
1/2-3/4 cup cherry jam (or jam of your choice)
Pistachio Topping (optional)
1/4 cup chopped unsalted pistachios (almonds, pecans, or walnuts would also work well here)
dash of olive oil
dash of maple syrup
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a removable bottom tart pan.
In a large bowl, place all dry ingredients and mix with a fork until combined. Mix in the melted butter. Gently squeeze the mixture between your fingers – it should resemble coarse sand and form crumbles. If the mixture is too dry, add one tablespoon of melted vegan butter at a time until crumbles form. Place half of the crumble mixture into the prepared tart pan and gently pat down so it covers the bottom of the pan completely (add more crumble if necessary). Take half of the jam and add dollops on top of the crumble mixture in a random fashion. Add the rest of the crumble mixture to the pan and pat down, and then finish off adding the rest of the jam in the same way as before.
Place the tart pan in the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes. While the tart cools, heat a dash of olive oil in a small skillet set over medium-low heat. Once the oil is heated through (but not burning), add the chopped pistachios and toast, tossing them gently to keep them from burning for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add a dash of maple syrup to the pistachios and toss to coat. Allow the nuts to cool and then scatter them over the top of the crumble, pushing them down gently. Allow the tart to cool completely before removing it from the tart pan and cutting into wedges for serving.
The tart is best served at room temperature, but it will keep refrigerated for about a week.
Notes
You’ll need an 11″ rectangular or 11″ round removable bottom tart pan for this recipe.
For the oat flour, I use rolled oats and pulse them in the blender for a few seconds until it forms a coarse flour. You can use regular oat flour if you prefer.
Keywords: tart, cherry jam, vegan, dessert, breakfast, pistachios, oat flour, whole wheat flour, almond flour
I invite you to be creative and try out your own version of this tart using ingredients that inspire you. I hope you enjoy this recipe, and please leave me a message here or tag #jackelinslack on Instagram if you make this Vegan Cherry Jam Crumble Tart or your own version of it!
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