This quick Cherry Crisp Recipe starts with sweet, saucy cherries and a crisp, buttery oat topping. Serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Check out other fruity crisp desserts like this Blueberry Crisp or Apple Crumble.
author’s note
Sweet & Simple Classic Cherry Crisp!
My husband’s favorite dessert is homemade apple pie, followed closely by cherry pie. Every year, I bake a few cherry pies for him. I’ll confess, I make them mostly because I adore him. Pitting countless cherries is perhaps one of the tasks I enjoy the least!
This Classic Cherry Crisp recipe comes in handy for those moments when I want to earn all the “brownie points” without the hassle of pitting cherries. The point of this crisp is to offer a quick and easy preparation while remaining a top-tier dessert. It boasts intense flavor, a perfect crunchy topping, and just the right amount of sweetness.
Served warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream – it’s hard to find anything that compares!
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps & Tips |
|---|---|
| Flour | Gluten-free flour blend works in this cherry crisp recipe. |
| Old-fashioned oats | Quick oats make it softer, avoid instant oats. |
| Brown sugar | Swap with coconut sugar for a lighter sweetness. |
| Cinnamon + nutmeg | Skip nutmeg if you prefer milder flavor. |
| Butter (cold) | Use vegan butter for dairy-free. |
| Cherries (fresh, canned, or frozen) | Fresh = best flavor, frozen = easy, canned pie filling = fastest. |
How To Make This Cherry Crisp With Canned Cherries
- Prep: Grease a square baking dish and preheat oven.
- Filling: Spread cherries (fresh, canned, or frozen) in the dish. Add a little sugar and cornstarch if using fresh or frozen.
- Topping: Mix flour, oats, sugar, and spices. Cut in cold butter until crumbly.
- Bake: Sprinkle topping over cherries. Bake until bubbly and golden brown.
- Serve: Cool slightly, then scoop with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Tips For Success
- Always use cold butter in the topping for best texture.
- Don’t press the crumble into the filling; just sprinkle on top.
- Bake on a sheet pan in case the filling bubbles over.
- Serve warm with ice cream for the ultimate contrast.
Storage
Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered at 350°F for 10-15 minutes to revive crispness.
Freeze (Unbaked): Assemble, wrap tightly, freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 10-15 minutes to bake time.
Freeze (Baked): Cool, wrap, and freeze. Thaw in fridge overnight, then warm in oven.
More Recipes With Cherries:
Cherry Crisp Recipe
Equipment
- Sheet pan (15" x 10") lined
- 9 x 9-inch baking pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cubed
- 2 (21-ounce) cans cherry pie filling or fresh cherries, see note 1
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and lightly grease a 9×9-inch or 2-quart baking pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Add cubed butter and coat it with the dry mix. Use a pastry cutter and your fingertips to blend the butter until it resembles crumbs. If the mixture warms up, chill it for 20 minutes.
- Scoop cherry pie filling into the 9×9-inch pan and smooth it. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the cherries without pressing it down. Place the dish in the center of the lined pan.
- Bake for 40–50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling bubbles slightly at the edges. If the topping browns too much, cover with foil.
- Cool the Cherry Crisp on a rack for 15–20 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream.
Video
Recipe Notes
- 4-1/2 cups pitted cherries, halved. For tart cherries, increase sugar. Ensure fresh cherries are fully dried after washing. Thaw frozen cherries and press out excess liquid with paper towels.
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract, optional
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cherry Crisp Recipe FAQs
Yes! It’s the fastest option. Just spread it in your pan and top with the crisp mixture.
Any will work, but I like mixing sweet dark cherries with tart Rainier cherries. Frozen works great too, just thaw and pat dry.
Yes, use a gluten-free flour blend and certified GF oats.
Fantastic and easy! Daughter requested cherry crisp for birthday dessert. This recipe did not disappoint. Adding it to my personal cookbook
I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Elaine!
My family LOVED this cobbler. Have requested I fix again next week. Husbandvsaid best desert I’ve every made and he’s not big on compliments!!
What a compliment!! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
GORGEOUSNESS!!
Thank you! 🙂
hey girl This looks so yummy!
Thanks Shawnna!
I was so thrilled to see this recipe in my e-mails. I have 2 jars of the Montmorency cherries from Aldi’s. Can’t wait to use them in this crisp. Thanks, you made my day! Also, your pictures of the crisp are stunning.
Awe so happy to make your day Judy!! 🙂 I hope you love this crisp! And thank you so much for your sweet comment about my photos, that means a lot to me! 🙂
Can you leave the topping a few hours before baking? Thank you
I’d make the topping and store it separately in an airtight bag then add it right before baking so it doesn’t get soggy!
I need to say that this cherry crisp looks absolutely fantastic and your photography is stunning! My mouth is watering just looking at these photos!
Keep up the beautiful work, friend 😉
Thanks Olivia! 🙂 That is so kind of you 🙂 Appreciate your sweet comments!