Perfect summer dessert.
Sweet cherries baked down into a jammy filling topped with a buttery oat and almond topping. This Cherry Crisp is easy enough for a weeknight dessert but is also great for summer gatherings, especially served warm with vanilla bean ice cream!
Nostalgic Cherry Crisp
When I think of a homemade crisp, I immediately think of my grandma’s apple crisp! It brings back great memories of the holidays. Cherry desserts are definitely in my top 10 and I feel cherries are very underutilized!
I get it…pitting cherries isn’t the most enticing task. I finally invested in an inexpensive cherry pitter & while we all probably don’t need another tool to stuff in the drawer, if you enjoy cherries, it’s worth it! And it comes in a beautiful cherry color!
This Cherry Crisp is perfect for both summer gatherings and even the transition season to fall.
Ingredients
Despite pitting and chopping cherries, this crisp actually comes together quite simply. Seriously, the cherries are the longest part. Let’s break it down:
Cherry Filling
- fresh cherries – pitted and halved
- white sugar
- light brown sugar
- all purpose flour
- vanilla extract
- lemon juice – use a fresh lemon or pure lemon juice in a bottle, not the concentrate
- kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal in all my recipes
Crisp Topping
- oats – rolled or old fashioned
- sliced almonds
- light brown sugar
- all purpose flour
- unsalted butter
- kosher salt
How to Make a Cherry Crisp with Fresh Cherries
- Prep: Grease your pie dish and preheat the oven.
- Make the Filling: Pit and halve your cherries and combine with the remaining ingredients and add to your greased dish.
- Make the Topping: Mix together your crisp ingredients and sprinkle over the cherry filling.
- Bake: Bake for about 50 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbly.
How to Make Cherry Crisp Ahead of Time
To make ahead, I recommend getting your cherries prepped and ready. This is the most tedious portion of the entire recipe. Combining the filling and topping ingredients takes less than 10 minutes and you can preheat your oven in the meantime.
You can stop at step 5, after you add the topping and before baking. Place in the fridge overnight and bake it off the next day. I bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes prior to baking. It may need a few extra minutes in the oven.
How to Store Leftover Cherry Crisp
Let the crisp come to room temperature. Tightly wrap the dish or place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Looking for more cherry desserts? These shortcut Cherry Cheese Danishes are super simple using cherry pie filling and are always a hit!
Equipment I Use to Make Cherry Crisp
- Cherry Pitter – so worth it!
- Pie Dish – a more presentable way to serve a crisp
- 8×8 Pyrex – if you don’t have a need for a pie pan
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use almonds in the crisp topping?
You can remove the nuts from the topping. Cherry and almond work well together.
Can I serve it room temperature?
Absolutely, it can be served warm or room temperature.
What can I use instead of a pie dish?
You can use a 9×9 baking dish.
Why add lemon juice to the filling?
The lemon juice helps to balance the sweetness of the cherries and also adds to the texture of the filling once combined with the cherry juices that are released.
Print
Cherry Crisp
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
The perfect transition to fall dessert!
Ingredients
Filling:
- 4½ cups pitted, halved cherries (680g)
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar (50g)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (27g)
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (15g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Topping:
- ½ cup rolled oats (50g)
- ½ cup sliced almonds (43g)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar (71g)
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour (40g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (57g)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For serving (optional):
- Vanilla bean ice cream
Instructions
- Grease a 9-inch pie dish or 8×8 baking dish. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 ½ cups pitted and halved cherries, ¼ cup granulated white sugar, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Spread the mixture evenly in your baking dish.
- In a separate large mixing bowl combine ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup light brown sugar, 1/3 cup all purpose flour, ¼ cup melted butter, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Evenly sprinkle the crisp topping mixture over the filling.
- Bake for about 40-55 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crisp topping is golden.
Notes
It takes about 50 minutes using a ceramic pie dish, but watch closely around the 40 minute mark.
Ensure all pits are removed from your cherries!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Sweet Tooth
- Method: Oven
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