Of all summer holidays, the Fourth of July is by far my favorite.
American independence is a beautiful thing and there is such a sense of nostalgia in this holiday- memories of flags waving proudly from wrap-around front porches; Dreamland ribs so smothered in sauce I had to reach for white bread to sop up the leftovers; my sister and I whizzing through a plastic sprinkler in the mind-numbing sunshine and heat of July.
In the South the Fourth is a proud holiday- pride in our traditions, pride in the people (aka “company”) attending our Fourth of July parties; and an even more stalwart pride in the power of barbecue and coleslaw to bring people together.
But the piece de resistance to any Fourth of July extravaganza is a dessert carrying the theme-red, white, and blue deliciousness. This mixed berry crumble is a warm, golden treat aside a blast of cold vanilla ice cream; a welcome addition any post-barbecue cool-down.
And I couldn’t be prouder of where my recipe inspiration came from- Courtney Bryant of Kinora Films in Birmingham, Alabama. She is a true Nothern/Westerner turned Southern Belle (but, I believe, was always meant to be a Steel Magnolia). Her grace under pressure, faith, love, and strength of character qualify her for the hospitality pineapple at any Southern soiree.
Friends, I hope y’all have the best, freedom-filled holiday and join me in celebrating our wonderful, inspiring country- and, of course, the American treat that is berries and a crumble.
Gluten Free Mixed Berry Crumble
What You Need
- 2 12-oz. bags frozen mixed berries
- 1 cup gluten-free flour (1/2 brown rice, 1/4 sweet white sorghum, 1/4 tapioca or Bob’s Red Mill )
- 1/2 cup gluten-free oats
- 1 cup natural almonds
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 tablespoons cold butter, cubed into 1/4 inch pieces, and divided into 8 tablespoons and 4 tablespoons
What You Will Do
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter or spray with cooking spray a 9X13 inch casserole dish.
2. In a food processor, pulse nuts, flour and oats together until the almonds are in small pieces. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and mix well.
3. Add 8 tablespoons cold cubed butter and pulse until just combined. The butter should be roughly the size of small peas.
4. Place the frozen berries in buttered casserole dish. Cover all of the berries with your topping, and distribute the rest of your cubed butter evenly on top.
5. Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until golden brown on top.
6. Relax and enjoy hot out of the oven! Also, this would be delicious served with cold vanilla (or chocolate) ice cream.