This easy homemade cherry crisp combines juicy, sweet cherries with a crisp and crumbly brown sugar oat topping. The filling comes together in minutes, and there’s no pie dough to roll, chill, or fuss with. For extra flavor, add a splash of bourbon. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a classic summer dessert.
I originally published this recipe in 2018 and have since added new photos and additional success tips.
While I love a good homemade cherry pie, sometimes I want all that sweet cherry flavor without making pie dough. Enter: cherry crisp. It has everything we love about fruit desserts—a bubbling, jammy fruit filling and a golden oat streusel topping—but with a fraction of the effort.
And unlike pie, you can serve it straight from the baking dish while it’s still warm. In fact, I highly encourage it! An excellent reason to love peach crisp, strawberry crisp, and apple crisp too.
If you’re looking for a simple, easy dessert that lets fresh cherries shine, this cherry crisp is it.
Why You’ll Love This Cherry Crisp
There are plenty of cherry crisp recipes out there, but this one stands out for its balance of texture and flavor. The cherry filling becomes thick and jammy as it bakes, while the oat topping stays crisp and crumbly thanks to one important ingredient: very cold butter.
A touch of vanilla enhances the cherries’ natural sweetness, and if you’d like an extra layer of flavor, add a little bourbon.
This cherry crisp is:
- Easy to make with just 2 mixing bowls
- Great with either fresh or frozen cherries
- Topped with a buttery oat crumble
- Delicious with or without bourbon
- Even better with vanilla ice cream
- Ready in about 1 hour—and unlike pie, there’s no need to wait for it to cool completely before serving.
Which Cherries Are Best for Cherry Crisp?
Use your favorite cherry variety. I typically use dark sweet cherries. You could also use Rainier cherries. If you opt for tart/sour cherries, increase the sugar slightly to balance their tart flavor. See the Notes below the recipe for amount.
Fresh cherries are ideal during cherry season, but frozen cherries work beautifully too. Simply thaw them first and blot away excess moisture.
Other Ingredients You Need
- Sugar: You need granulated sugar to sweeten the cherry filling, and brown sugar for the topping.
- Cornstarch: Necessary thickening agent for the filling.
- Vanilla & Almond Extracts: Key for fantastic flavor.
- Salt: To enhance and balance all the flavors.
- Flour: The structural base of the crumb topping.
- Cinnamon: The shining star of a good streusel.
- Butter: Cold butter is the secret to a crisp, crumbly topping. Just like with pie crust and biscuits, keeping the butter cold helps create irresistible texture as the crisp bakes. I like to take the butter out of the refrigerator in advance, cut it into cubes, and then place the cubed butter in the freezer until I’m ready to use it.
- Oats: Old-fashioned whole rolled oats create the best crisp topping texture. Skip quick oats here because they won’t provide the same hearty crumble.
Optional Ingredient for Extra Flavor: Bourbon
A splash of bourbon adds a subtle caramel-like depth that pairs beautifully with cherries. It’s a wonderful addition, but the recipe is also delicious without it.
Since the bourbon is being used in a baking recipe and you only need a couple Tablespoons, no need to purchase the really fancy stuff. Any middle-of-the-road bourbon is great.
But those couple Tablespoons will catapult your cherry crisp from “great” to “I’m not sharing.” 😉
Make the Crisp Topping First
Note: If you need a gluten-free alternative, use the topping from my gluten-free apple crisp.
You need the same ingredients we use for apple crisp: brown sugar, oats, butter, cinnamon, and flour. Feel free to add some sliced almonds for added crunch, or skip them for a nut-free dessert.
I went back and forth about adding cinnamon, but quickly came to my senses because oatmeal desserts are nothing without cinnamon and cinnamon makes everything taste like grandma’s baking. So cinnamon is a non-negotiable when it comes to streusel/crumble/crisp toppings.
The trick with this crumble topping—so that it doesn’t melt and lose a lot of texture—is to use very cold butter, just like with pie crust and homemade biscuits. Mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together and then cut in cubes of cold butter. Add the oats last because you don’t want them to break down when you cut the butter in.
Once your topping is made, place it in the freezer until you’re ready to use it. I know I sound like a broken record, but one more time for the seats in the back: cold crumbles are the key to crisp topping!
Easy Cherry Crisp Filling
For the filling, simply mix the ingredients together and then pour into the baking dish. No pre-cooking steps necessary.
What takes the most time is pitting those cherries. Pitting cherries is the pits. You’ll save yourself a lot of time by using a cherry pitter.
Whenever I clean out my Gizmos and Gadgets Drawer (the official name), I ask myself, do I really need this thing? And then I remember spending about 12 hours pitting cherries a few years ago for 1 pie and realized that cherry pitters, while seldom called into service, are necessary!
No cherry pitter? No problem. See my recipe Note about using frozen cherries (which are already pitted).
Spoon the cherry filling into a baking dish, then sprinkle the cold streusel on top and bake. When it’s done, the filling should be bubbling around the edges. This indicates the cornstarch has fully activated and the filling will have thickened properly.
While you can dig in pretty much right away, I recommend testing your patience and holding off for 10 minutes. A short cooling period helps the filling set slightly and makes serving easier. Use that time to get out the vanilla ice cream and make some fresh whipped cream.
That’s it—dessert’s ready to eat in under an hour.
Yes. Thaw and then blot away moisture with a paper towel before using.
A crisp has a crumbly oat streusel topping, while a cobbler is topped with biscuit-like dough or batter.
Absolutely. Bake the crisp, cool completely, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat before serving. Baked cherry crisp freezes well, too. See recipe Notes.
I don’t recommend canned cherries here. They’re much softer than fresh or frozen cherries and can make the filling mushy. For best results, stick with fresh cherries when they’re in season, or use thawed frozen cherries.
Description
This easy cherry crisp combines sweet, juicy cherries with a crispy, crumbly, buttery brown sugar oat topping. Made with simple ingredients and no pie dough, it’s a fuss-free summer dessert that’s delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream!
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch round or 9-inch square baking dish (or similar size). Set aside.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the cubes of cold butter using a pastry cutter or food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats and almonds (if using). Place the topping in the freezer while you make the filling.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, almond extract, salt, and bourbon (if using). Stir until thoroughly combined. Pour the filling into the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the top.
- Bake for 45–48 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit juices are bubbling around the edges. Remove from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and allow to cool for at least 5–10 minutes before serving warm. You can also serve the crisp at room temperature or cold.
- Cover leftover cherry crisp and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked crisp freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 20 minutes or until heated through. I do not suggest preparing the crisp and storing it unbaked in the refrigerator because the topping will get soggy. You can prepare and assemble the unbaked crisp through step 3 and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 4.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Cherry Pitter | 9-inch Round Pie Dish or 9-inch Square Baking Dish (or similar size) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Pastry Cutter | Cooling Rack
- Cherries: You need about 1.5 pounds (680g) fresh cherries before pitting. You can use any variety. I usually use dark sweet cherries. If using sour/tart cherries, increase sugar to 3/4 cup (150g). You can use frozen cherries. Thaw completely and then blot them with a paper towel before using.
- Can I Use Canned Cherries? I don’t recommend canned cherries here. They’re much softer than fresh or frozen cherries and can make the filling mushy. For best results, stick with fresh cherries when they’re in season, or use thawed frozen cherries.
- Bourbon: Since you’re only using a couple Tablespoons in this baking recipe, there’s no need to purchase anything fancy. I used Jim Beam.
- Update in 2026: We added a little almond extract for extra flavor! Feel free to skip it if desired.
