Fresh cherry crisp is what peak summer fruit baking is all about. Packed with juicy cherries and topped with a crunchy brown sugar almond oatmeal crumble that turns golden and bubbly, this simple recipe will have everyone asking for seconds.

Bowl filled with cherry crisp and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a table cloth next to a bowl of cherries.

🌿 Ingredients You Need & Why

Fresh or Frozen Cherries - Fresh cherries deliver the best flavor, but frozen cherries work when fresh aren't available or you want to skip the pitting. Thaw frozen cherries completely on paper towels to absorb excess moisture before using.
Granulated and Brown Sugar - Brown sugar brings nutty, molasses notes to the oat topping, creating that irresistible cookie texture. Granulated sugar sweetens the cherries while creating a delicious fruity syrup as they bake.
Old Fashioned Oats - These hearty oats transform this dessert from a simple crumble into a proper crisp, adding wonderful texture and that signature rustic appeal.
Cornstarch - Cherries release lots of juice when they bake with sugar. Cornstarch mixed with flour absorbs this excess liquid and works to thicken the filling.
Fresh Ginger - Grated fresh ginger pairs beautifully with sweet cherries, adding a subtle warming spice that elevates the entire dessert.
Citrus Zest - I really love the combo of oranges with cherries, but lemon zest is equally tasty in the recipe.

Types of Cherries for Baking

For a delicious cherry dessert, the type of cherry you choose depends on the flavors in the recipe, seasonal availability and your personal choice. Any type of fresh cherry will work, they just offer different flavors.

Sweet Cherries

Bing and Rainier Cherries are the most commonly found sweet cherries at farmer's markets and produce aisle in the United States.
Bing Cherries have dark red almost burgundy colored skin.
Rainier Cherries' skin is a shade mixture of bright reds and yellows.
Citrus is used to balance the sweetness in the recipe when using Bing and Ranier varieties.

Sour Cherries

Montmorency cherries are tart cherries you’ll see in supermarkets cultivated in Midwestern US states like Michigan and upper Wisconsin. The window for finding them at local farmer's markets is often short.
Sour cherries require additional sugar in the recipe to counteract the sour profile.

How to pick the right Cherries

Sweet cherries are very delicate and should be handled carefully to avoid bruising.
Avoid shriveled or soft cherries.
Taste a couple to see if they are sweet or bitter.
Don't place them in the sun or super warm location or they will quickly shrivel.
Refrigerate immediately after purchase to stay fresh for several days.

Overhead image of a cherry crisp with an oatmeal topping in an oval baking dish cooling on a wire rack.

How to Make Cherry Crisp

Here are step-by-step images showing how to make this cherry crisp. Please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions.

Glass bowl on a wooden table full of sliced fresh cherries.

Wash cherries, remove stems and pits. Either leave them whole, cut in half, or do a mixture a both.

Glass bowl filled with sliced cherries covered mixed with sugar.

Add sugar, cornstarch, flour, citrus zest, ginger, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir with a silicone spatula to evenly coat the cherries.

Overhead view of a glass bowl on a wooden table filled with oats, flour, and almonds.

Mix together the flour, oats, almonds, cinnamon and salt.

Overhead view of brown sugar oat crisp topping.

Stir in the brown sugar and melted butter to make an oatmeal topping paste.

Oval ceramic baking dish filled with fresh cherries mixed with sugar on a wooden table.

Transfer the cherry sugar filling to a ceramic or cast iron baking dish.

Oval baking dish filled with cherries and oatmeal crisp topping, on a wooden table.

Cover the cherry filling with the oatmeal crisp topping, then bake.

Recipe Tips

Weigh Your Ingredients:
My recipes are all tested by weighing ingredient in grams to be the most accurate. By using a kitchen scale, your recipe will turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. This is the kitchen scale I use everyday.

Don't skip the cornstarch and flour for thickening the fruit syrup.

Use your favorite nuts in the oat crumble topping. I love almonds and pistachios, but pecans, hazelnuts, and walnuts will also work.

Replace the nuts with more oats for those with a nut allergy.

Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. My recipes for Salted Honey Ice Cream and Peach Ice Cream would pair perfectly with the cherries.

Bowl of cherry crisp with oatmeal crisp topped with a melting scoop of ice cream.

Can I freeze Cherries?

Cherries that have the stem removed and pitted can be frozen for later use. In a large bowl add ⅓ cup of sugar for each pint of cherries. Toss or gently stir for an even coating. Place cherries in airtight container or freezer bag, remove any excess air. Store in freezer for up to 6 months.