This Cherry Crisp recipe is one of the easiest summer dessert you can make. Fresh cherries are baked with a little sugar and topped with a simple buttery oat crumble that gets perfectly golden and crispy in the oven.
It comes together in just a few minutes and no pie crust is needed. Serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream for a dessert that everyone will love! If you want another easy fruit dessert to try, make this mixed berry cobbler.
45 minutes
easy DESSERT
Quick Look: Cherry Crisp
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 30 minutes
- 🕖 Total Time: 45 minutes
- 🍒 Servings: 6 servings of 1 slice per serving
- ⚡️ Calories: 301 calories per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Bake in oven at 375F
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: cherries, sugar, rolled oats
- ⭐️ Difficulty: Easy! This is a great recipe for a foolproof summer dessert.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Ellen left this 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“The update you didn’t ask for: 2 years after my initial review, I am still OBSESSED with this recipe…I volunteered to bring a dessert to a summer BBQ yesterday just because I selfishly wanted cherry crisp. Vanilla ice cream makes this 11/10. Can’t wait to make it again!”
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Early summer sweets – Each year cherry season is short and sweet so while they are in season I like to cook with them as much as possible. This simple cherry crisp highlights the incredible flavor bursting from fresh cherries. Just slice cherries in half and top them with a simple crumble topping.
- Perfect for a backyard BBQ – I love bringing a fresh cherry crisp to a barbecue. It is always a crowd favorite.
- Easy baking – If you are not a confident baker, crisps are a great option! They use a crispy topping rather than a pie crust for easy preparation. Crisps are just about foolproof and totally delicious.
For another crisp that features fresh summer fruit, try this blueberry peach crisp.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients you need to make this cherry crisp. For a full list of ingredients and amounts please head to the full recipe.
- Fresh cherries – there is nothing better than in season, fresh cherries for this crisp
- Brown sugar – the brown sugar helps caramelize and sweeten the cherries
- Granulated sugar – the white sugar goes into the topping of your crisp
- Rolled oats – the oats are the base of your crumble topping. Quick oats also work
- All purpose flour – the flour brings the topping together
- Egg – the egg binds all of your crumble ingredients
- Vegetable oil – if you don’t want to use oil to make the crisp topping, feel free to use melted butter instead. Be sure to use unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract – the vanilla adds so much depth of flavor to your topping
I prefer to use fresh cherries for this cherry crisp while they are in season, but you can also use frozen cherries. If you use frozen, you do not have to thaw them. Feel free to add a little extra corn starch to thicken the filling.
To make another version of this crisp, use any fresh fruit mixture in place of the cherries.
You can add a little texture to the topping by adding some nuts. Feel free to add some chopped almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans to make the crisp crunchier.
To make this recipe gluten free, be sure to use gluten free rolled oats and a 1 to 1 gluten free flour substitute.
Serve this cherry crisp with with grilled watermelon salad and grilled chicken thighs for the perfect summer meal.
How to make a Cherry Crisp
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375F. Pit cherries and slice in half. Place in pie plate or oven safe skillet. Toss cherries with brown sugar and corn starch and set to the side.
Step 2: Prepare crumble topping by mixing together the egg, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Then, mix in the rolled oats, flour, cinnamon and salt.
Step 3: The topping should be wet and slightly crumbly. Spread crumble topping over top of the cherries. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes and then serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best Cherry Crisp 🍒
- Pit the cherries – Every single pit needs to come out before baking. A cherry pitter makes this very fast and easy. If you do not have one, a chopstick or straw works too.
- Bake until the topping is a deep golden brown – A light golden topping means the crumble is not fully cooked. You want it to be a deep golden brown for the best crunch.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving – The cherry filling is very hot right out of the oven. Let it cool for 10 minutes so it thickens up a little before you scoop it.
I also use cherries in these cherry chocolate chip cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use frozen cherries instead of fresh?
Yes! Add them straight from frozen without thawing. The filling may be a little more juicy so you can add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to help thicken it.
Do I need to pit the cherries?
Yes, all the cherry pits must be removed before baking. A cherry pitter is the easiest tool for this. You can also use a chopstick or straw to push the pit out.
Can I make cherry crisp gluten free?
Yes! Use gluten free rolled oats and swap the all purpose flour in the crumble for a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend.
How do I store leftover cherry crisp?
Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes to crisp up the topping again or warm in the microwave.
Other Summer Desserts
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Cherry Crisp
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
- 4 heaping cups fresh cherries
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Crumble Topping Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil I use avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Pit cherries and slice in half. Place in pie plate or oven safe skillet. Toss cherries with 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp corn starch and set to the side.
- Prepare crumble topping by mixing together the egg, oil, sugar, and vanilla. Then, mix in the rolled oats, flour, cinnamon and salt. It should be wet and slightly crumbly.
- Spread crumble topping over top of the cherries. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes and then serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Recipe Notes
- Pit the cherries using a cherry pitter or by pushing a chopstick or straw through the cherries.
- You can use frozen cherries. Add a little extra cornstarch then follow the same instructions.
- You can use melted butter instead of oil.
- To make this gluten free use gluten free flour and gluten free rolled oats.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Leave a Reply