Impress your family and guests with an easy-to-make cherry frangipane tart, complete with a buttery crust and tender almond filling. Perfect for any occasion, try this French style fruit tart with cherries or other fruit for a delicious twist.

Every year around this time, I find myself working my way through piles of cherries. It really wouldn’t be summer without cherries or cherry tart for that matter. The season is so maddeningly short that I hoard them while I can, and when I’ve sufficiently gorged myself, I pull out the cherry pitter and get to work on that tart.
Now this is not your average cherry tart, it’s a frangipane tart to be exact and features a rich and tender almond filling studded with cherries. It’s a cherry frangipane tart, a classic French dessert and a favorite of mine because of how easy it is to make at home.

While it may sound fancy, this particular tart is actually quite simple to make. The pastry dough comes together easily in one bowl and is simply pressed and patted right into the pan, no rolling pin needed. The crust is sandy and light in texture with a rich buttery flavor. It’s chilled then par-baked while you make the filling.
The frangipane filling, a mixture of almond flour, honey, butter (or palm shortening for a dairy-free version) and eggs is quite easy as well. It whips up in a matter of minutes and is then spread across the bottom of the tart shell. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Flour – You’ll need a fine blanched almond flour and arrowroot powder to make the crust and the filling.
- Sweetener – You’ll need either maple syrup or honey to sweeten.
- Butter – Use either butter or a non-hydrogenated shortening like palm shortening for a dairy-free option.
- Eggs – You’ll need one large egg.
- Extract – You’ll need vanilla and almond extract.
- Cherries – You’ll need either fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved.

How to Make a Cherry Frangipane Tart:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Start by making the crust. In a large bowl combine the almond flour and arrowroot, then add the maple syrup palm shortening or butter and a little water and work the mixture with a fork until a soft dough forms.
- Place the dough into bottom of greased tart pan and press firmly across the bottom and up the sides with your fingers. Place tart pan into freezer or fridge to chill until needed.
- Preheat oven and bake the tart shell for 10 minutes.
- Now make the frangipane filling. In a large bowl combine the softened butter or palm shortening, maple syrup or honey, almond flour, egg and extract and beat until smooth and combined. Spread the frangipane filling across the bottom of the baked tart shell.
- Next come the cherries which are halved and pressed into the frangipane before heading to the oven to bake. The frangipane puffs up around the fruit as it bakes and creates a tender layer that’s soft and chewy with the richness of an almond cake studded with fruit.
Tips:
- You needn’t limit yourself to cherries, sliced plums or figs would be wonderful come late summer/early fall when cherries are sparse, poached pears are a classic for fall and winter and apricots lovely in the spring.
- Since it’s meant to be any easy, fuss-free kind of dish, you can make it all at once, or prepare the tart dough in the pan ahead of time and keep it chilled in your fridge until you are ready to bake.
- Frangipane tart is perfect served with a scoop of ice cream on the side for dessert or even a dollop of yogurt for breakfast the next morning, because we all deserve to eat dessert for breakfast every once in a while.
More Tart Recipes:

Cherry Frangipane Tart
This cherry almond tart also called a cherry frangipane tart is a French-style fruit tart with an almond filling studded with fresh cherries.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¼ cups/140g almond flour
- ¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon/40g arrowroot
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 2 ½ Tablespoons/35g palm shortening or butter softened and at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons/10ml of filtered water
- Pinch of sea salt
For the filling:
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons/ 90g palm shortening or butter, softened and at room temperature
- ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons/90g maple syrup or honey
- 1 cup/112g almond flour
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- or 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 10 oz/ cherries, pitted and halved (if using frozen thaw beforehand)
Instructions
- Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and set aside.
Make the crust:
- In a large bowl combine the almond flour and arrowroot, whisk together to combine. Add maple syrup palm shortening or butter and water and work into the flour with a fork until a soft dough forms.
- Place dough into bottom of greased tart pan and press firmly across the bottom and up the sides with your fingers. Place tart pan into freezer 10 minutes to chill or in fridge until needed.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake tart shell for 10 minutes. Meanwhile make the filling.
Make the filling:
- In a large bowl combine the softened butter or palm shortening, maple syrup or honey, almond flour, egg and extract and beat until smooth and combined.
- Remove tart shell from oven and carefully spread frangipane filling across the bottom with a spatula. Scatter cherries over the frangipane and lightly press into the batter.
- Return tart pan to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until golden around the edges and set in the center. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free Option (use palm shortening), Paleo
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 384Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 41mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 4gSugar: 12gProtein: 6g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
the moomin says
Hi Sylvie. This recipe is an amazing base recipe. I made it with fresh apricots. Cannot wait to try with other fruit. Thank you so much for sharing. You are awesome 🙂
Anna says
Probably too late to this party, but just in case, a question: is this recipe meant for sweet cherries or sour cherries? If you have a chance to answer, thanks so much!
Sylvie says
Either works here!
Dee says
I love this recipe, thank you so much! is it best to keep this refrigerated after baking?
Sylvie says
Glad to hear that! Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
Natalie says
Such a beautiful tart! I love cherry frangipane combination - so delicious and such a classic!