Before you start baking pumpkin everything, honor the remaining days of Summer by baking and enjoying a Homemade Cherry Crisp. You will not be disappointed.
Crisp > pie. Fight me.
I've talked about it before (see my Strawberry Crisp post) but a crisp/crumble really is pie's less fussy cousin. It still delivers the same sweet, juicy flavor that you get from a pie. But there's no chilling and rolling of dough involved. Just mix up a crumbly topping, sprinkle it on your fruit, bake, and you're done!
Late summer/early fall is a weird food time
September is a weird month for me, food-wise. You're just as likely to find me making a summer fruit-filled crisp or whipping up a hearty mushroom risotto or turkey pumpkin chili. <shrug emoji>
I'm doing my best to not rush into Autumn (even though I love it) and to savor the last bits of summer. Starting with this Cherry Crisp. While still warm (or reheated), top it with some vanilla ice cream. It's the right thing to do.
Looking for related recipes?
Strawberry Crisp is a good place to start. Nectarine and Blueberry Crisp is a good place to go after that.
If you have leftover cherries (and love cocktails), you should DEFINITELY try making my Homemade Luxardo Cherries.
Where did this recipe come from?
The topping for this Cherry Crisp is based on the one from my Strawberry Crisp.
✨ Recipe
Homemade Cherry Crisp
Ingredients
For the filling
- 5 cups fresh cherries pitted and halved (see notes)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbs cornstarch
- 3 tbs bourbon optional but recommended
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ lemon juiced
For the topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the filling
- Add all of the filling ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- In an even layer, spread the filling into a 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.
To make the topping
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients for the topping. Mix until crumbly and everything is incorporated.
- Sprinkle the topping over the cherries in an even layer.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cherries and juices are bubbling around the edges.
Notes
- 2 lbs of cherries will yield approximately 5 cups after pitting
- I'd recommend investing (~$10) in a cherry pitter to make your job easier
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
Pin this recipe for later!
Felicia Busch
We have a cherry tree in our yard in Minnesota. I just picked only the lowest fruit and have 8 pounds. Probably 70 pounds left.
Will this crisp recipe freeze? And yes, a cherry pitter is a must have kitchen utensil.
laurenpacek
You know, I have never tried to freeze it, so I can't say one way or the other. We just ended up devouring it!
Laurie Wisecup
We have a cherry tree and we just picked and pitted almost 2 pounds of cherries. I found your recipe and would love to try it! I have a question though... after pitting the cherries, we have so much juice. I was unsure if I should get rid of the juice or not (the total weight with the juice is 1 pound, 13 ounces) When we cook them, should we cook them in their juice, or discard the juice? Thanks for your help!
laurenpacek
First of all, so envious that you have a cherry tree! My cherries weren't super juicy, so I think that you can get away without cooking them in the juice. Or maybe just add a splash or so. BUT I wouldn't get rid of the juice! I bet there are all kinds of delicious things that you can do with it. I hope you enjoy the crisp!
Melissa
I love fruit crisps! But, I've never tried cherry. I need to fix that ASAP! We've been swinging back and forth between pumpkin/apple everything and grabbing up all the last peaches, plums, and other summer fruit we can find! Good call savoring the last of summer!
Melissa
I love fruit crisps! But, I've never tried cherry. I need to fix that ASAP! We've been swinging back and forth between pumpkin/apple everything and grabbing up all the last peaches, plums, and other summer fruit we can find! Good call savoring the last of summer!
laurenpacek
Def give cherry a try! I feel a little hypocritical because I also made apple cider donuts and am gearing up to make a pumpkin cheesecake.