Old-fashioned cherry crisp is made with sweet & tart cherries and topped with a delicious oatmeal crumb topping. It’s the perfect cherry dessert and our go-to holiday dessert.
This cherry crisp recipe uses simple ingredients and ready in less than an hour. One of the easiest dessert recipes, with incredible flavor and perfect for serving a crowd. Takes minutes to prepare and everyone will rave about it!
One of our favorite desserts for the holidays is cherry pie with homemade pie crust. And this cherry crisp has the same delicious filling, but topped with a quick and easy crumb topping. It’s a quick and easy dessert for a potluck, picnic or holiday gathering.
Takes simple ingredients, uses either homemade cherry pie filling, or canned cherry filling and an easy to make streusel topping. You likely already have the ingredients on hand.
We always keep frozen cherries in our freezer. For whenever the mood strikes for cherry cobbler, cherry hand pies, or cherry crumb pie.
Why this recipe works
- Ease – A quick & easy to make dessert that everyone will love.
- Flavor – Perfect way to showcase fresh cherries during summer.
- Uses simple ingredients – Fresh or frozen cherries are great. Most of the streusel topping ingredients are easily located at your local grocer.
What you’ll need
- Cherry pie filling – We show you how to make homemade cherry pie filling below using fresh or frozen, pre-pitted cherries. If you prefer, you can also use canned cherries.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the pie filling, using cornstarch and cold water, mixed into a slurry.
- Lemon juice – Adds a splash of citrus flavor and keep cherries fresh.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the filling, adjust to your personal preference.
- Brown sugar – Sweetens the crumb topping.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg– These two spices add a wonderful flavor to the streusel topping!
- Butter – Adds a depth of flavor and binds the crumb topping together.
How to make Cherry Crisp
- Prepare the filling – Make ahead and refrigerate overnight.
- Prepare baking pan – Brush baking pan with butter or vegetable shortening.
- Preheat the oven – Preheat to 400 degrees F.
- Make crisp topping – In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter using your hands or a large spoon.
- Assemble – Add the filling to prepared baking dish and top with crumb topping.
- Bake – Place on a half sheet pan (helps distribute heat more evenly and catches any juices that overflow)
- Serve & enjoy – This is one of those types of desserts that can be served immediately, cooled a bit or refrigerated and enjoyed later.
Recipe FAQs
Put them into a classic cherry pie, cherry cobbler, cherry hand pies or cherry crisp. All can be made ahead of time and frozen for later.
Cherries are frozen at the peak of ripeness. They’re also already pitted and sometimes sliced in half. Canned cherry filling is a timesaver, but homemade is so much better.
More Cobblers and Pie recipes
- Blackberry Cobbler
- Blackberry Hand Pies
- Cherry Pie
- Cherry Cobbler
- Cherry Hand Pies
- Peach Crisp
- Peach Crumb Pie
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Cherry Crisp
Ingredients
Cherry filling
- 4-5 pounds cherries (fresh or frozen) pitted
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
- 1 to 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
Instructions
Cherry filling
- Add the cherries into a enamelware Dutch oven or large pot and cook over medium heat. Add the butter, sugar and lemon juice. Cook until soft, stirring with a wooden spoon occasionally.
- Dissolve the cornstarch into cold water, stir with a tablespoon. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the cherry mixture. Cook over medium to high heat to thicken. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon.
- You want the pie filling to be bubbling up and slightly thickened. Too thick and it will have a paste like consistency when baking. Keep in mind, pie filling will thicken as it cools.
- Let cherry pie filling cool completely before putting into refrigerator. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days before assembling the crisp.
Cherry crisp
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter. Use either your hands or a large spoon to combine all of the ingredients well. Set aside.
- Use a pastry brush to lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or vegetable shortening.
- Spread the cherry filling into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle crumb topping over the filling.
- Place the baking dish on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper. This will help catch any juices that overflow.
- Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 45-60 minutes. You want the crisp topping to be lightly browned and the peach filling to be bubbling up around the edges.
- Cover with aluminum foil during the baking process if the crisp is getting too brown.
- Remove from the oven when cherry juices are bubbling up around the edges.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream
- Cover any leftovers and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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Seanna Borrows says
Wow this cherry crisp looks irresistibly delicious!! Love that it uses homemade cherry pie filling! The best!
Jessica Robinson says
Yes! And we love using frozen cherries for homemade pie filling. So much better than store-bought.