Cherry Crisp with Fresh Cherries

Cherry crisp with fresh cherries should have a thick, jammy filling and a buttery oat topping, not a puddle of cherry juice hiding underneath. I cook the cherries down first so you can see exactly where the filling stands and adjust the sweetness before it ever goes into the oven. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream while it’s still warm, and this is exactly what fresh cherry season should taste like.

Fresh cherries can be a little unpredictable when it comes to sweetness, which is part of why I handle the filling differently. Some batches are incredibly sweet and barely need anything added to them. Others are much more tart. That’s why I give the sugar as a range instead of pretending every six cups of cherries need the exact same amount.

I also cook the filling on the stovetop before the topping goes on. I started doing it this way because I didn’t want to gamble on how much juice the cherries would release in the oven and end up with a watery crisp. Cooking them first lets you get the filling thick and jammy, taste it, and add more sugar if it needs it before the whole thing goes into the oven.

Once the cherries are where they should be, the oven only needs to brown the brown sugar oat topping. You end up with soft, saucy cherries underneath and a crisp topping on top. Ultimately, you have a lot more control over the finished dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Fresh Cherry Crisp

• The filling is thick before it goes into the oven. You’re not crossing your fingers and hoping the cherries cook down enough before the top is browned.
• You can adjust the sweetness to your cherries. Sweet summer cherries may only need 1/4 cup sugar, while a more tart batch may need a full 1/2 cup.
• The topping has a crispy texture. Old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, flour, and butter bake into a crisp topping that doesn’t sink down into the cherries.
• It still tastes like fresh cherries, not cherry pie filling. The filling is sweet enough for dessert without covering up what made the cherries worth buying in the first place.

Ingredients for Cherry Crisp with Fresh Cherries

Fresh cherries: This recipe is really for the good fresh cherries you find during cherry season. Their sweetness can vary quite a bit, which is why the sugar isn’t one fixed amount.

Sugar: Use this to sweeten the cherry filling based on the cherries you have. Very sweet cherries won’t need nearly as much as a tart batch.

Cornstarch: Helps the juice from the cherries turn into a thick sauce instead of staying watery.

Old-fashioned oats: These give the topping its crisp, crumbly texture. I would stick with old-fashioned oats here rather than quick oats.

All-purpose flour: Gives the topping enough structure to form crumbles instead of melting completely into the cherries.

Ground cinnamon: Just enough to warm up the brown sugar oat topping without making the whole dessert taste like cinnamon.

Brown sugar: Gives the topping that deeper caramel-like flavor.

Butter: Melted butter coats the entire oat mixture and helps it bake into golden crumbles.

Vanilla extract: Goes into the topping and gives the brown sugar and butter a little more of that classic crisp flavor.

How to Make Cherry Crisp with Fresh Cherries

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prep the cherries by removing the stems and pits.
3. Add the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch to a cast iron skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, stirring consistently.

4. Watch the texture. The cherries will begin to soften and release their juice, then that juice will start to thicken around them. You’re looking for a saucy, jammy filling rather than cherries sitting in thin liquid.

5. This is the time to taste the filling. If your cherries are already very sweet, ¼ cup sugar may be plenty. If they’re more tart, use up to the full ½ cup.
6. In a separate bowl, combine the old-fashioned oats, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla. Mixing it with your fingers works well because you can make sure all of the dry ingredients are evenly coated with butter.

7. Remove the cherry filling from the heat and sprinkle the oat mixture evenly over the top.

8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, just until the topping is golden brown.
9. Spoon it into bowls while it’s still warm and add vanilla ice cream.

How to Pit Cherries

A cherry pitter is the quickest and cleanest option if you have one, especially when you’re working through 6 cups of cherries.

If you don’t have a cherry pitter and need a pitting cherries hack, you can remove the pits with a sturdy straw, chopstick, or the narrow end of a piping tip by pushing it through the center of the cherry.

Pit the cherries over a cutting board or bowl you don’t mind staining. Fresh cherry juice gets everywhere fast.

Kara’s Tips for Old Fashioned Cherry Crisp Recipe

Use the cherries to decide how much sugar you need. Don’t automatically dump in the full ½ cup. Taste a cherry first. If they’re the sweet, juicy kind you keep grabbing from the bowl, start with less. You can always add more while the filling is cooking.

Don’t rush the stovetop filling. The whole reason for cooking it first is to know where you’re going to end up. If there’s still a lot of thin juice around the cherries, give it time to thicken before adding the topping.

Keep stirring while the cherries cook. Once the cornstarch begins thickening the juices, you don’t want the bottom of the skillet sitting untouched over medium-high heat.

Look at the topping more than the clock. The bake time is 25 to 30 minutes, but the cue that matters is a golden brown crisp topping.

What Kind of Cherries Are Best for Cherry Crisp?

Sweet fresh cherries work especially well here because the recipe lets you adjust the added sugar to match them.

The most important thing isn’t chasing one exact variety. It’s starting with cherries that taste good on their own. If your batch is especially sweet, you’ll stay closer to ¼ cup sugar. If they have more tartness, you’ll likely want more.

That’s also why I prefer tasting the cooked filling instead of trying to decide the exact sugar amount before the cherries ever hit the pan.

Do I Have to Cook the Cherries Before Baking?

For this recipe, yes, and I wouldn’t skip it.

Fresh cherries don’t release exactly the same amount of juice every time. Precooking the cherries means you can see whether the filling is actually thick enough before you cover it with the crisp topping.

It also gives you a chance to taste the cherries after they’ve cooked down and adjust the sugar if necessary. Once the topping is on and the whole thing is baking, you’ve lost that opportunity.

Serving Ideas

Fresh cherry crisp doesn’t need much. I like it best warm with vanilla ice cream, where the ice cream starts melting down into the cherry filling.

You could also serve it:

• With lightly sweetened whipped cream
• Warm on its own if the cherries are especially good
• After a summer cookout or backyard dinner
• As one of those desserts you set right in the middle of the table and let everyone scoop for themselves

How to Store Cherry Crisp

Refrigerator

Once the crisp has cooled, cover it or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

The oat topping will soften somewhat once it sits over the cherry filling, so this one has its best texture the day it’s baked.

How to Reheat Cherry Crisp

Oven

For the best texture, warm the crisp in a 350°F oven until heated through. The oven does a better job of bringing some crispness back to the oat topping.

Microwave

For a single serving, the microwave is fine. Heat it just until warm. The topping won’t be as crisp, but if there’s vanilla ice cream involved, I don’t think anybody is going to complain.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Fruit Desserts

• Apple Pie Bars
• Strawberry Pie
• Strawberry Bars

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