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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Published: Jun 29, 2022 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliate links 59 Comments

    Cherry Crisp (with gluten-free option)

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    Close-up of silver spoon inside white individual dish with cherry crisp dessert; image with text
    An oval dish with a half-eaten cherry crumble, silver spoon; image with text
    Overview of white oval dish with cherry crumble, silver spoon, pink background; image with text

    Sweet, juicy, in-season cherries topped with a crunchy almond crumble. A very easy dessert that can be made ahead and frozen. It's very versatile so with this recipe you can make it traditional or gluten-free, and adjust the level of sweetness.  

    Individual oval dish with cherry crisp, silver spoon, pink kitchen towel and burlap surface

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Originally posted in 2013, this post has been updated with photos, text, and a variation of the recipe to serve you better.

    Me and cherries, we have an ongoing love affair and I'm eagerly awaiting them to appear and they do so for such a short time!

    But, I take immense advantage of those weeks and eat as many as I can fresh, directly from the refrigerator, as they are much better when they are very cold. 

    Then, I start making desserts. This cherry crumble is one of my top choices together with the fantastic and super popular Easy Cherry Tart. 

    Table of Contents Hide
    About crisps and crumbles
    Ingredients
    How to make a cherry crisp
    Gluten-free option
    Serving
    Related recipes you might like:
    Easy Cherry Crisp

    About crisps and crumbles

    Now, aren’t they one of the best desserts ever? A layer of juicy fruit and a crunchy, buttery topping. 

    They take little time to prepare, almost any fruit can be used, no need for baking or knife skills, rustic is what we should aim for, and are meant to be eaten directly from the pan. Perfection really.

    Though both names are many times used interchangeably, a crisp includes oats in the topping and a crumble doesn't. That extra ingredient makes for a crisper topping. My experience is that you can achieve a super crunchy topping without oats, by decreasing the amount of flour. But that's for another conversation. 

    Vintage Kitchen tip
    I always have pitted frozen cherries and crumble mixture in the freezer. That way I can put together this cherry crisp in 5 minutes and have it on the table in 45 minutes.

    Brown oval dish with baked crumble, burlap surface

    Ingredients

    • Cherries: can be fresh or frozen. Just make sure they are pitted. 
    • Unsalted butter: the butter flavor is very present in the crumble, so use a good brand you can afford.
    • Oats: I use old-fashioned or rolled oats, but instant oats also work. They're smaller and will be less noticeable.
    • Flour: almost any type works with this recipe. I normally use all-purpose but also cake flour if that's all I have. 
    • Sugar: I use brown sugar, but white, granulated sugar works just fine. Don't make a trip to the grocery store if you don't have brown.
    • Lemon juice: it adds acid and balances out the sugar and butter. Use fresh juice if possible.
    • Sliced almonds: they will add amazing texture to the crumble but they're optional. You can use chopped almonds if that's all you have. Don't refrain from making this dessert just because you don't have almonds. Omit them and substitute them with more oats.  
    Colorful bowls on white surface with ingredients for almond cherry crisp including lemon, butter, brown sugar, oats.

    How to make a cherry crisp

    Pitting cherries: fresh cherries are easy to work with if you have a cherry pitter. It's essential that the stones are removed, otherwise eating this dessert ends up being a pain as you have to spit out every cherry pit while being careful not to crack a tooth lol. 

    Whole or cut cherries: I like to cut them in half because they're easier to eat, but you can chop them in thirds or fourths. Or leave them whole. Be careful not to cut them too small as they will get lost with the crumble when you eat them. 

    Hand adding lemon juice to fresh cherries in oval dish on white surface.
    • Mixing the crumble: there's not much work here, and you only need a medium bowl. If you're planning on freezing the crumble, you might consider mixing it in the container that will go to the freezer and have one item less to wash.  
    • Cold butter or melted butter: both work for achieving a clumpy mixture that will make the crumble topping have texture. Melted butter is way easier to mix and less messy.
    • Sliced almonds: they are added last because we don't want to break them up too much. Lightly mix them into the rest of the ingredients (images 3, 4).
    Four image collage showing process for making crumble with oats and brown sugar and sliced almonds.

    Gluten-free option

    Like any type of diet or cooking technique, it’s not hard once you understand what works and what ingredients are available. It turns out that the amount of different gluten-free flours available is mind-blowing.

    My favorite flours: I like to substitute quinoa flour for the all-purpose and almond flour for the oats, or use gluten-free oats like Quaker's.

    Other alternatives: packaged gluten-free flour mixes, buckwheat flour, or amaranth flour. 

    Unbaked cherry oat crumble in red oval dish on white table
    Brownish oval baked crumble on burlap surface, bowl with cream and striped towel in background

    Serving

    • Favorite way: hands down, I think the best way is barely warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or use some lightly sweetened whipped cream. Either way, you'll love it! 
    • Plain, at room temperature is my second choice.
    • Cold: I don't recommend eating it cold from the refrigerator. It's not bad, but you'll miss the juicy flavor of the cherries with the crunchy topping. 
    Individual oval dish with eaten cherry crisp, silver spoon, pink kitchen towel and burlap surface

    Related recipes you might like:

    • Front view of cherry tart on white cake stand, grey background
      Easiest EVER Cherry Tart
    • White bowl with whole cherry sauce.
      Homemade Cherry Sauce (topping)
    • White background and plate with cherry pie slice, a fork, light pink napkin underneath
      Cherry Crumb Pie
    • Close up of chocolate cherry dump cake serving in a white bowl.
      Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
    And let's connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    Print
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    White individual dish with cherry crisp, silver spoon and melted ice cream, rustic background

    Easy Cherry Crisp

    ★★★★★

    4.8 from 10 reviews

    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    Sweet, juicy, in-season cherries topped with a crunchy almond crumble. A very easy dessert that can be frozen or made with frozen fruit, and is very versatile when it comes to how much sweetness you want and what fruit/topping ratio you prefer. Make it in individual servings or family-style. 

    • Total Time: 45 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    Units

    For the cherries:

    • 4 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
    • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

    For the crumble:

    See Notes below for gluten-free options and other variations

    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup regular oats
    • ½ cup (50g) light brown sugar
    • ½ cup sliced almonds
    • ½ cup (115g) butter, cold and in pieces
    • Ice cream or whipped cream, optional for serving

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF /180ºC.
    2. Butter four oval, shallow ramekins. Or an 8-inch baking dish if making a family-style dessert. 

    For the cherries:

    1. Cut pitted cherries in half and divide among ramekins.
    2. Drizzle with lemon juice and sugar, diving equally.

    For the crumble:

    1. In a bowl mix flour, oats, and sugar. Or gluten-free variation.
    2. Add butter in small pieces and with your hands or a fork, work it until the butter is mixed with the dry ingredients. It will be lumpy.
    3. Add the almonds and mix lightly. You don't want to break up the almonds too much.
    4. Divide equally over the cherries.
    5. You can do this crumble in a food processor with the steel blade, but the resulting mixture will be finer.
    6. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the filling is bubbly. If making it in one large dish it might take 10 more minutes. 
    7. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
    8. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for up to a month.

    Notes

    Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!

    Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 

    Gluten-free option:
    My favorite flours: I like to substitute quinoa flour for the all-purpose and almond flour for the oats, or use gluten-free oats like Quaker's. Other alternatives: packaged gluten-free flour mixes, buckwheat flour, or amaranth flour. 

    Variations: substitute some almond flour for the sliced almonds, use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose, or use some of the more rustic gluten-free flour above together with regular flour. It will make this a more earthy dessert. 

    Make-ahead: you can have the pitted, halved cherries and the crumble in the freezer, in separate containers for up to a month.

    Cherry pitter: this is a handy gadget and much needed if you bake with fresh cherries. You can buy them online OXO Good Grips Cherry Pitter

    Family-style: if you want to serve more people, double or triple this recipe and use ceramic dishes that can go directly to the table. I like this White rectangular Baking Dish, Staub rectangular Baking Dishes, or round Faberware Ceramic Pie Dish.

    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 25 minutes
    • Category: Desserts
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: International

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ¼
    • Calories: 603
    • Sugar: 47.4 g
    • Sodium: 12.6 mg
    • Fat: 33 g
    • Carbohydrates: 74.2 g
    • Fiber: 6.6 g
    • Protein: 8.5 g
    • Cholesterol: 61 mg

    Keywords: cherry crisp

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    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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    1. Ginger says

      April 14, 2021 at 10:12 pm

      I am waiting for my crisp to cool, but using frozen cherries and using the 2x function on the recipe, my crisp is very wet. I think using straight frozen does need something extra to absorb the extra moisture. It almost seems like it needs more of the crumble. I’m sure it tastes good, but appearance wise, not so good.

      ★★★

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        April 15, 2021 at 8:18 am

        Hi Ginger, let me know how it was after it cooled down. It usually thickens a lot.
        I use both fresh and frozen and it comes out fine. I don't use cornstarch in this filling because I feel it needs to have juice and not be very thick. The ratio of fruit and crumble I feel is good to let the cherry flavor come through and not get buried under too much sugar and butter.

        Reply
    2. Sharon Gordon says

      January 02, 2021 at 10:46 pm

      Do you defrost the cherries first?

      Reply
      • Paula Montenegro says

        January 03, 2021 at 5:18 pm

        No Sharon, there's no need to.

        Reply
    3. Heidy says

      June 29, 2020 at 4:49 pm

      I love that this Cherry Crisp Recipe is gluten-free and I can make it for my best friend. I made it for the kids and they went bonkers over it. I will be making this recipe again!!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. GUNJAN C Dudani says

      June 28, 2020 at 11:35 am

      What a wonderful recipe. I just got lots of cherries yesterday so I am king this today.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Mama Maggie's Kitchen says

      June 27, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      This Cherry Almond Crisp looks SO deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right now!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Leslie says

      June 27, 2020 at 1:54 pm

      I've never tried to make cherry crisp before. You have really outdone yourself with this. It's a gorgeous recipe that I'm eager to try!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Jacqueline Debono says

      June 27, 2020 at 3:35 am

      This cherry crumble looks fabulous. I made a similar one recently but without the oats and the almonds. Want to try this way whilst cherries are still in season where I live!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
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