Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 8 cups fresh cherries pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until mixture becomes crumbly. Use your fingers to squeeze the mixture into larger clumps until all flour is absorbed by butter. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish, 9x9-inch pan, or 10-inch oven-safe skillet.
- In a large bowl, combine cherries with granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using. Mix thoroughly and let stand for 10 minutes to allow cherries to release their juices.
- Stir cherry mixture once more, then transfer cherries and all juices to the prepared baking dish. Distribute chilled crisp topping evenly over the fruit.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, covering with foil during the last 10 minutes if topping browns too quickly. Crisp is done when topping is golden brown and filling bubbles around all edges. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
There’s something truly special about the arrival of cherry season that makes my heart skip a beat. Every year, I find myself eagerly anticipating those first ruby-red beauties to appear at the farmers market, their glossy skins promising the perfect balance of sweet and tart that only fresh cherries can deliver. When I spotted the most gorgeous Bing cherries last weekend, I knew exactly what I wanted to make – this incredible fresh cherry crisp that has become my go-to summer dessert.
I’ve been making this cherry crisp for the past five years, and it never fails to impress. What started as an experiment to use up an abundance of cherries from our neighbor’s tree has evolved into a family tradition that signals the true beginning of summer in our household. My kids now request it for every backyard barbecue, and I’ve lost count of how many times friends have asked me to share the recipe after taking their first bite.
The beauty of this dessert lies in its perfect simplicity. Unlike cherry pie, which requires rolling out pastry and worrying about soggy bottoms, this crisp comes together in about twenty minutes of actual work. The most time-consuming part is pitting the cherries, but I’ve found that turning on my favorite podcast and settling in with a good cherry pitter makes the task almost meditative. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about preparing fresh fruit with your own hands.
What makes this crisp truly exceptional is the way the cherries transform in the oven. As they bake, they release their natural juices, which combine with the sugar and cornstarch to create a glossy, syrupy sauce that’s neither too thick nor too thin. The addition of fresh lemon juice brightens the entire dish and prevents it from becoming overly sweet, while a hint of almond extract enhances the cherry flavor in the most elegant way.
The oat topping deserves special mention. I’ve experimented with countless crisp toppings over the years, but this combination of flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, and cinnamon creates the perfect contrast to the juicy fruit below. The secret is in chilling the mixture before baking – this ensures that the butter doesn’t melt too quickly, allowing the topping to maintain its structure and develop that coveted golden-brown crunch.
I love serving this warm from the oven with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The contrast between the hot, bubbling fruit and the cold, creamy ice cream is absolutely divine. On particularly indulgent evenings, I’ve been known to add a drizzle of heavy cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream sweetened with just a touch of vanilla.
One of the things I appreciate most about this recipe is its flexibility. When fresh cherries aren’t available, I’ve successfully made it with frozen cherries (just add an extra couple teaspoons of cornstarch to account for the additional moisture). I’ve also experimented with mixing in other fruits – a handful of blueberries or sliced peaches creates delicious variations that keep the dessert interesting throughout the summer months.
The aroma that fills the kitchen as this crisp bakes is absolutely intoxicating. That combination of caramelizing fruit, toasted oats, and warm cinnamon never fails to draw everyone into the kitchen, asking when it will be ready. I’ve learned to time the baking so it comes out of the oven just as we’re finishing dinner – the fifteen-minute cooling period gives us just enough time to clear the table and make coffee.
From a practical standpoint, this dessert is incredibly forgiving. If your cherries are particularly tart, add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar to the filling. If they’re very sweet, you can reduce the sugar slightly or add a bit more lemon juice. The cornstarch ensures that the filling will thicken properly regardless of how juicy your particular batch of cherries happens to be.
I’ve served this crisp at everything from casual family dinners to more formal dinner parties, and it always receives rave reviews. There’s something about a homemade fruit crisp that feels both rustic and sophisticated – it’s the kind of dessert that makes people feel cared for and appreciated. Last month, I brought it to a potluck dinner, and three different people asked for the recipe before the evening was over.
The leftovers, if there are any, are almost as good as the fresh-baked version. I like to reheat individual portions in the oven for a few minutes to re-crisp the topping, though I must admit that cold cherry crisp eaten straight from the refrigerator for breakfast isn’t entirely unreasonable during cherry season.
As summer progresses and cherry season winds down, I find myself making this crisp more frequently, trying to capture every last bit of the season’s bounty. There’s something poignant about those final cherries of the year – they carry with them the knowledge that we’ll have to wait almost a full year before experiencing their fresh perfection again.
This cherry crisp represents everything I love about seasonal cooking: taking advantage of peak-season produce, creating something beautiful and delicious with simple techniques, and bringing people together around the table. It’s a reminder that some of life’s greatest pleasures are also the simplest ones – fresh fruit, a buttery topping, and the satisfaction of creating something wonderful with your own hands.
