On Valentine’s day, your desserts should be red or pink, whether it’s New York cheesecake with a strawberry topping, Lofthouse style sugar cookies, hand pies, or one of my very favorite desserts: warm cherry crunch with vanilla ice cream.

I found out long ago that the key to making an amazing cherry dessert is to make your filling from scratch.  In our yard of the home that we just sold, we had a tart Montmorency cherry tree.  Oh my goodness.  Baking with cherries that fresh was absolute heaven.

Unfortunately, most of us don’t have that luxury (including me, anymore- although I will tell you that when we purchase our new house it will be the first thing I go out and buy/plant) but do not despair, because almost all grocery stores sell tart cherries in a can and they are very delicious.  SO much better than store bought cherry pie filling out of a can.

A quick simmer on the stove with some sugar and cornstarch and wham bam, you have a delicious filling for your cherry crunch.

Top it with the crunchy topping.

Bake, top with some french vanilla ice cream, and serve to the one you love.

Of course you could make this any day, I’m not the boss of you, and if you want my advice, this is one of those things you should make several times a year  on random Wednesdays.  But also on Valentines.

Enjoy!

Filling:
1 – 14.5 oz can of pitted tart pie cherries (or 2 cups fresh cherries) with water/juice
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
3/4 cups granulated sugar

Crunch:
1/4 butter, slightly melted
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°.  Grease an 8×8 baking dish (you can double this recipe into a 9×13 inch pan.)

Combine your sugar and cornstarch together into a saucepan.  Make sure they are mixed smoothly.  Add the cherries, including the juice/water and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until syrup has the thick consistency of pie pilling.

In another bowl, combine the crunch ingredients with a fork.

Pour your pie filling into your prepared can.  Top with crunch.  Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown.  Best served warm with ice cream, but I eat it cold as well.  I do not discriminate when it comes to this kind of thing.  Also, I am a glutton. 😉