The BEST easy tart CHERRY CRISP -- packed with flavor and so easy to make! via chelseasmessyapron.com

This quick and easy Cherry Crisp Recipe starts with saucy sweet cherries that we top with a crisp buttery oat topping. Nothing beats a big bowl of warm Cherry Crisp with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Check out our other fruity crisp desserts — like this Blueberry Crisp or Apple Crumble.

Cherry crisp in a pan with a scoop removed, revealing its delectable contents.

Our Favorite Cherry Crisp Recipe

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 used for the dessert, featuring cherries, oats, sugar, and more.

Ingredients In This Cherry Crisp Recipe

  • Flour: Provides structure to the topping and helps hold other ingredients together, creating a crumbly texture.
  • Old-fashioned oats: Adds a chewy, rustic texture to the cherry crisp recipe topping. It also contributes to the crunchy finish once baked.
  • Brown sugar: Sweetens the crisp topping and provides a slightly moist, caramelized flavor when baked.
  • Cinnamon and nutmeg: These spices add warmth and aromatic flavor to the topping, complementing the cherries.
  • Baking soda: A leavening agent that helps the topping achieve a slightly airy, fluffy texture.
  • Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness.
  • Cold unsalted butter: Introduces fat, which makes the topping rich and crumbly. It also aids in the golden browning of the crisp.
  • Cherry pie filling or fresh cherries: The main filling of the dessert, providing a juicy, sweet, and slightly tart flavor that contrasts the crisp topping.

Quick Tip

 What differentiates a cherry crisp, cherry cobbler, and cherry crumble? It’s the toppings! A cherry crisp features an oat-flour-brown-sugar topping. A crumble is similar but lacks oats, resulting in a denser streusel topping. A cobbler is topped with a biscuit or cake-like batter, creating a light crust when baked. (The Peach Cobbler and Blueberry Cobbler are site favorites!)

Preparing the crumble topping used in the recipe for cherry crisp in a mixing bowl.

How To Make This Cherry Crisp With Canned Cherries

Here’s a straightforward breakdown of how to create this delectable Cherry Crisp recipe. It truly is as simple as it sounds!

  1. Prep: Line a sheet pan with silicone liner or parchment paper. Lightly grease a 9-x-9-inch or 2-quart baking pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Topping: In a bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Cube and add butter to the dry mix. Use a pastry cutter and fingers to work butter in until mixture resembles crumbs. Chill mixture for 20 minutes if it becomes too warm.
  3. Assembly: Add cherry pie filling to the greased pan and smooth evenly. Sprinkle the crumble topping over cherries without pressing down.
  4. Bake: Place the Cherry Crisp recipe in the center of the lined sheet pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until topping is golden and filling bubbles slightly. Cover with foil if topping browns too much.
  5. Serve: Cool for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm, ideally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Layering the cherry crisp: starting with cherries and topping with a delectable crumble mixture.

Tips For Success

  • Generously grease the pan with cooking spray before adding ingredients.
  • Sprinkle the crumble topping on top; do not press it down.
  • Place the crisp on a sheet pan to bake. If the cherry filling bubbles over, the pan will catch it, preventing a mess in your oven.
  • Use cold butter for the crisp topping to ensure proper baking and avoid a greasy texture.
  • Serve with quality vanilla ice cream. Butter pecan ice cream is also a favorite pairing with this crisp.

Quick Tip

Which fresh cherries should you use for this Cherry Crisp recipe? Any type is fine, though we often mix sweet and Rainier cherries. For tart varieties, increase the sugar to offset their sourness. Ensure fresh cherries are dry after washing. If using frozen, thaw and pat dry with paper towels before use. (Here is a quick breakdown of other varieties.)

A wooden spoon poised to scoop a portion of the delicious dessert.

Storage

Make Ahead Of Time

  • Make the crisp topping ahead and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Let it warm up for 20 minutes before using. Add your pie filling to the pan, top it with the crisp, and bake as directed. You may need to bake 5-10 minutes longer if the topping is cold.

Does Cherry Crisp Need To Be Refrigerated?

  • Yes. Tightly wrap leftovers of this cherry crisp recipe and refrigerate for up to 3 days. However, the crisp is best enjoyed the day it’s made as the topping becomes soggier over time. To revive it, warm (uncovered) in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes.

Can You Freeze This Cherry Crisp Recipe?

  • Unbaked Cherry Crisp: Assemble, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake directly from the freezer, adding extra time as needed.
  • Baked Cherry Crisp: Cool, wrap, and freeze. Thaw and reheat when ready. Note that the texture may change slightly upon reheating.

Bowl of fresh cherry crisp recipe crowned with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, a heavenly dessert.

More Recipes With Cherries

5 from 5 votes

Cherry Crisp

This quick and easy Cherry Crisp Recipe combines saucy sweet cherries with a buttery oat topping, serve it with vanilla ice cream for the perfect dessert!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Equipment

  • Sheet pan lined
  • Baking pan 9 x 9-inch

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 x 9-inch or 2-quart baking pan. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF.
  • 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 a 9 x 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 40โ€“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 15โ€“20 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: If you're using fresh or frozen cherries instead of pie filling, combine all of the ingredients below in a large bowl and mix gently.ย 
  • 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
Storage: Cover leftovers with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The crisp is best the same day; the topping softens over time. To refresh, warm leftovers in a 350ยฐF oven for 10โ€“15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 708kcal | Carbohydrates: 117g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 716mg | Potassium: 337mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 1147IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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12 Comments

  1. Elaine says:

    5 stars
    Fantastic and easy! Daughter requested cherry crisp for birthday dessert. This recipe did not disappoint. Adding it to my personal cookbook

    1. Chelsea says:

      I’m so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Elaine!

  2. Phyllo says:

    5 stars
    My family LOVED this cobbler. Have requested I fix again next week. Husbandvsaid best desert Iโ€™ve every made and heโ€™s not big on compliments!!

    1. Chelsea says:

      What a compliment!! I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Maria says:

    GORGEOUSNESS!!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thank you! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Shawnna Griffin says:

    5 stars
    hey girl This looks so yummy!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thanks Shawnna!

  5. Judy says:

    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.

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Awe so happy to make your day Judy!! ๐Ÿ™‚ I hope you love this crisp! And thank you so much for your sweet comment about my photos, that means a lot to me! ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Olivia says:

    5 stars
    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 ๐Ÿ˜‰

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thanks Olivia! ๐Ÿ™‚ That is so kind of you ๐Ÿ™‚ Appreciate your sweet comments!