Name: Fresh Cherry Crisp
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats; ½ cup unsalted butter (cubed); ½ cup all-purpose flour; ½ cup light brown sugar; ¼ cup granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 32 ounces cherries (fresh, pitted); ½ cup granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed); ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Fresh Cherry Crisp is an easy dessert made from fresh cherries and a crunchy oat topping. It’s a simple dessert that will be on the menu all Summer long!

Fresh fruit desserts are some our favorites! We love all the crisps, crumbles, tarts, and galettes made with fresh seasonal fruits, and this cherry crisp in no exception. Some of our other go-to fresh desserts are apple pie, warm cinnamon apples, apple crisp, and rhubarb crisp (technically a vegetable but still dessert!).

Close up view of cherry crisp on a plate.

How to Make Cherry Crisp:

Add the flour, oats, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon to a medium bowl.
Use a pastry cutter or your hands to combine the ingredients until butter is completely distributed and no dry, sandy patches remain. Then, set aside.
In a separate large bowl, combine the cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Increase the cornstarch slightly if you like a really thick filling.
Pour the cherry mixture into a prepared 2.5 quart baking dish, and sprinkle the oat topping in an even layer over the cherries.
Bake on 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes.
Let the cherry crisp sit for 10-15 minutes before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream.

Collage showing how to make a cherry crisp.

Fresh Cherry Crisp Tips

I used a 2-pound bag of sweet cherries for this recipe. After removing the pits, they weighed about 1.5 pounds. Use your favorite variety or a combination of cherries. Frozen cherries will work in place of fresh. Be sure to thaw them out first, and pat them dry before adding the other ingredients.
Our Crumble Topping with Oats makes the perfect crunchy topping for this crisp. Feel free to use light or dark brown sugar. Either one works great. Instead of using a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture, try using your hands to mix in the butter.
If you don’t like cinnamon or can’t eat it, leave it out. Nutmeg and ginger are other spices that taste great and it only takes a pinch to add a little warming flavor.
Add some finely chopped nuts to the topping. Walnuts, pecans, or almonds are great options.

Top down view of a baking dish filled with cherry crisp.

Storage Recommendations:

Room Temperature: We do not recommend storing the crisp at room temperature.

Refrigerator: Store the crisp in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Discard leftovers after 4 days.

Freezer: Freeze this crisp before or after baking! Here’s how:

Frozen before baking: Assemble the crisp as written in the directions. Wrap in a layer of plastic wrap, then in a layer of aluminum foil. It will stay good in the freezer for about 2 months. To unthaw, place the crisp in the refrigerator overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking. Bake as directed.
Freeze after baking: Follow the recipe as written, and allow the crisp to cool completely. Wrap the entire crisp in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It can also be divided into individual servings and wrapped. The crisp will stay good in the freezer for about 2 months. Unthaw by placing the crisp in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: Reheat by setting the crisp at room temperature for 30 minutes then baking on 250°F until the crisp is warm all the way through. It can also be microwaved for 30 to 45 seconds depending on the serving size. Reheating in the microwave can cause the topping to soften slightly and lose some of it’s crunchy texture.

Other recipes you may love:

Cherry Pie with Crumb Topping
Strawberries with Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Pineapple Popsicles
Lime Sherbet
Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers
Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Cherry crisp with oat topping on a plate.

Fresh Cherry Crisp

4.6 from 11 votes

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Servings: Servings

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Equipment

Ingredients

Crisp Topping

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup unsalted butter cubed
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling

32 ounces cherries fresh, pitted
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

For the Topping

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a 2.5 quart baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine oats, butter, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. The consistency should resemble damp sand, and there should be no dry patches. Set aside.
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Cherry Filling

In a separate large bowl, combine the pitted cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon.
32 ounces cherries
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Transfer the cherries to the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle the oat topping over the cherries in an even layer.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly around the edges.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. See post for storage recommendations.

Notes

*The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 cup of crisp. Actual calories will vary.

*For more information, tips, and answers to frequently asked questions, please refer to the post.

Nutrition