This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
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.
Key Ingredients & Test Notes
- 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 the fruit 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 choose ripe 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.
Hot to Make Cherry Crisp
- Wash cherries, remove stems and pits. Either leave them whole, cut in half, or do a mixture a both.
- Add sugar, cornstarch, flour, citrus zest, ginger, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir with a silicone spatula to evenly coat the cherries.
- Mix together the flour, oats, almonds, cinnamon and salt.
- Stir in the brown sugar and melted butter to make an oatmeal topping paste.
- Transfer the cherry sugar filling to a ceramic or cast iron baking dish.
- Cover the cherry filling with the oatmeal crisp topping, then bake.
how to make thick cherry pie filling
Pre-Cook the Cherry Filling: Add the fruit and filling ingredients to a medium pot, fold with a silicone spatula to evenly coat the cherries. Cook on medium heat, carefully and continuously folding the cherries over themselves as the sugar melts and the cherries release their juices to prevent fruit from sticking to the bottom. The liquid will change from a cloudy pink to glossy burgundy in color as it thickens. This will take about 6-8 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and immediately transfer the filling to the baking dish for the crisp to cool completely before adding the crumble topping.
Helpful Tips
- Don’t skip the cornstarch 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.
Storage & Leftovers
Refrigerate: Place leftover cherry crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat to serve.
★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and review below if you make this recipe! THANK YOU!!
Fresh Cherry Crisp with Almond Oatmeal Crumble
Easy fresh cherry crisp recipe with juicy cherry filling and brown sugar almond oatmeal crumble that bakes to perfection in under an hour.
Click for Ingredient Details
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- 9-inch (23-cm) square or round ceramic baking dish
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Oatmeal Crisp Topping
- 80 grams (1 cup) old fashioned oats
- 125 grams (1 cup) flour
- 165 grams (¾ cup) dark or light brown sugar, well packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 57 grams (½ cup) sliced almonds or chopped pistachios
- 140 grams (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
Cherry Fruit Filling
- 700 grams (5 cups) fresh sweet or tart cherries, pits and stems removed, halved or whole
- 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 32 grams (1/4 cup) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon huice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Cherry Filling
- Don't Cook the Filling: Stir the cornstarch and sugar together in a small bowl. Place the cherries in a large bowl, add the sugar mixture and the remaining filling ingredients. Fold everything together with a spatula, making sure the cherries are well coated. Transfer the fruit filling to your casserole or baking dish.700 grams fresh sweet or tart cherries, 100 grams granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest, 32 grams cornstarch, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon huice
- Pre-Cook the Filling: In a large saucepan or pot, fold together the cherries and filling ingredients using a silicone spatula.
- Cook on medium heat, carefully and continuously folding the cherries over themselves as the sugar melts and the cherries release their juices to prevent fruit from sticking to the bottom. The liquid will change from a cloudy pink to glossy burgundy in color as it thickens. This will take about 5-6 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and immediately transfer the filling to your baking dish to cool to room temperature before adding the topping.
Oatmeal Crisp Topping and Bake
- Make the Crisp Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Then pour in the melted butter, stirring with a fork to make a moist oat topping.80 grams old fashioned oats, 125 grams flour, 165 grams dark or light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 57 grams sliced almonds or chopped pistachios, 140 grams unsalted butter
- Add the Topping: Cover the fruit filling with the chunky oatmeal topping.
- Bake: Place baking dish on the middle oven rack and bake for 40-50 minutes. The cherry crisp is ready when the fruit is bubbling around the sides of the dish and the topping is golden brown.
- Cool: Place the baking dish on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
Notes
To Store. Once your crisp has cooled completely, cover it tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To Reheat. Bake the leftovers in a 350°F oven until heated through and the topping gets crispy again. Or, if you’re in a hurry just use the microwave, though the topping won’t be as crispy.
To Freeze. Transfer to airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Tried this recipe?Mention @twocupsflour or tag #twocupsflour!
