This Cherry Crisp recipe is simplicity at its finest! Just a handful of ingredients are all you need to create a warm and inviting dessert that’s perfect for any occasion. With its sweet cherry filling and crispy oat topping, each bite is a taste of pure comfort.
While cherries might not always be in season, you can still enjoy their delicious flavor with canned cherries in water. Just be sure to opt for cherries without any additives or sweeteners, as the pie filling varieties can alter the taste.
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The cherry crisp is a classic American dessert that everyone should try at least once. It’s very simple to make, and it tastes amazing when it comes out of the oven hot with vanilla ice cream on top! The cherry filling soaks into the crispy topping for an irresistibly sweet treat.
We’re giving you a simple recipe that will allow you to make it without having to break the bank on finding ingredients. Oh, and make sure you try this cherry crisp recipe when cherries are at the peak of their season. (usually mid-May through July) or in most grocery stores year-round.
We know you’re going to love this recipe and we promise that your friends and family will be asking for more!
Brief History of the Cherry Crisp
There have been references to this dish in cookbooks dating back to the early 1900s. Since then, hundreds of other recipes have been created and modified over time to create new versions of the classic dish.
The origin is still unknown. Some people think that it may have originated in Europe or America during times of famine when cooks were trying to make use of every fruit. The original crisp recipes called for sweetened baked apples instead of cherries, and sometimes included almonds!
Important Question: What’s The Difference Between Cherry Crisp and a Cobbler?
Cherry crisps are generally baked in individual ramekins or dishes, while cobblers can be made with either fruit on top of a biscuit crust (as an upside-down pie) or rolled into one large casserole.
The difference between the two is that cherry crisp recipes often call for adding some kind of streusel topping to it after baking, which gives it its crispy texture. A lot of people enjoy eating them warm out of the oven!
A cherry crisp will be crunchy and crispy because it has streusel toppings throughout it whereas cherry cobblers have an added dough component to them like biscuits or dumplings which make them soft when they come out warm from the oven!
If you want a cobbler recipe try our Strawberry Peach Cobbler.
What does cherry crisp taste like?
Cherry crisp tastes like a mix between cherry pie, apple crisp, and oatmeal cookies. It’s often served warm so the cherry filling gets all nice and juicy, and it’s crunchy because of all those streusel toppings. The crisp taste comes from a mixture of flour and sugar that goes on top before baking!
What Should I Serve this Dessert With?
The cherry crisp tastes great on its own but if you really want to take it over the top we highly recommend serving it with some vanilla ice cream (vanilla bean would be amazing too!) or whipped cream. You can also add pecans as another layer underneath the crumble dough after baking; that’s an American classic we couldn’t resist including!
Some other tasty choices are caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, or even some vanilla yogurt. Cherry crisp is also delicious with a side of almond milk!
More Common Questions
Absolutely! Just thaw and drain them before using them to prevent excess moisture. They’ll bring that summery cherry flavor any time of year.
To maintain that delicious crunch, bake until the topping is golden brown, and avoid covering it while it cools to prevent steam from making it soggy. Serving it fresh from the oven helps, too!
While you can technically prep this dish ahead of time, the topping may not stay crisp. We recommend making it just before baking.
Absolutely! Mix in berries, peaches, or apples with the cherries for a fun twist!
Good Luck Making This Delicious Cherry Crisp Recipe!
We hope that you’ll give this cherry crisp recipe a try and let us know what you think. If it’s your first time making cherry crisp we promise the directions are simple enough for anyone to follow so don’t be afraid to get in there and bake!
Don’t forget, if you have any questions or comments about cherry crisps or recipes just leave them down below — we love hearing from our readers. Happy baking!
Cherry Crisp
Ingredients
- 2 (15 ounce) cans pitted cherries drained (NOT pie filling!)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
Crisp Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 10 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In an 11×7 baking dish add drained cherries, sugar, and flour. Toss together until combined.2 (15 ounce) cans pitted cherries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Slice the butter into 1 tablespoon slices. In a bowl add flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and butter. Cut the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your hands. It will resemble coarse crumbs. You can also use a hand mixture to blend together.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 10 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is crisp and the cherries are bubbly.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We love a good fruit crisp with an oat toping. Some recipes don’t have the oats, we prefer them because it adds an extra crispy texture. Plus, oats are healthy, so why not!
It is not necessary to make this in an 11×7 oval baking dish. We liked a larger baking dish so that way it is a thinner layer of fruit with a thicker layer of topping.
I just love you girls! I’m Lebanese Australian from Australia and always follow you on Facebook. Love your simple beautiful yummy recipes.
Can you please send through only if you can an easy Rasberry Almond Bakewell tart/ or crumble or slice as looking for an easy recipe of this which is my favourite dessert.
Thank you, Manal! We’re so happy to have you here. 😊 We don’t currently have those recipes on the site but will keep them in mind for the future.
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
can you use frozen cherries and if yes, do I need to thaw first?
Yes! There’s no need to thaw. Just adjust the baking time as needed. We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I have not made it yet. Looking forward to it.
Let us know how it turns out!
I wanted to comment and thank you for listing the amount of each ingredient in the instructions BRILLIANT!!! And I really enjoy all your recipes HAPPY HOLIDAYS🌲🎅
Thank you so much, Lisa! We’re glad you find it helpful and hope you continue to enjoy our recipes.
Happy holidays to you as well!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
recipe in romanian,please?
Sorry, we don’t speak Romanian!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I made your recipe but the oatmeal crumble resembled more of a cookie dough than course crumbs. My kids are allergic to dairy do I had to use a dairy free spread instead of butter. It still looks delicious and I can’t wait to do a taste test 🤗
Do you use the Dark sweet cherries or Red tart cherries?
We typically use red tart cherries, but feel free to experiment with what you like best!
Can you use fresh cherries and if so how manypounds?
Yes, you can do 1.5 lbs, pitted!
Simple, easy, and so tasty!
Definitely keeping this recipe around! I might try it with thawed frozen cherries next time. Thanks for the recipe!