The Best Cherry Crisp You’ll Ever Eat

It’s the summer of cherries and WOW do I have an extra special cherry recipe for you. After seeing all of you fall in love with my peach crisp and strawberry crisp over the years, I knew it was time to add this beauty to the lineup.

This incredible, fresh cherry crisp has a perfectly sweet almond oatmeal crumble and hints of almond extract and amaretto to really make that cherry flavor sing. There are plenty of ways to make this crisp your own (yes, it can be made gluten-free and vegan!) and I always suggest serving it with scoops of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Gather up all of the sweet or tart cherries you can find (even frozen) and bake up the crisp of your dreams to share with family and friends this summer.

Everything you’ll need to make the best cherry crisp

This gorgeous cherry crisp uses simple ingredients, plus a few delicious flavor boosters, to give it the perfect sweet and tart flavor. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Flour: I used regular all-purpose flour in the crumble topping, but see below for an easy way to keep the crisp gluten-free!
• Sweetener: we’re sweetening the crumble topping with light brown sugar, and the cherry filling with a little pure maple syrup.
• Sliced almonds: these are optional, but I LOVE adding sliced almonds to the crumble topping for a little crunch and to bring out the cherry flavor.
• Rolled oats: you’ll also need old-fashioned rolled oats in the topping to get those nice clumps.
• Butter: feel free to use regular salted butter or vegan butter in the crumble topping to help it come together.
• Cherries: the star of the show! You can use fresh or frozen cherries in this cherry crisp recipe. I like to use tart cherries but use whatever you have available.
• Cornstarch: a little cornstarch or arrowroot starch helps to thicken up the cherry filling.
• Flavor boosters: we’re adding vanilla extract and almond extract to the filling, plus a little amaretto (if you’d like) for an even bigger flavor boost.

An easy gluten-free swap

Yes, you can make a gluten-free cherry crisp! Simply swap the all purpose flour for 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour. So easy.

What is amaretto?

Amaretto is a sweet Italian liqueur that has an almond flavor to it. I like to add a splash to the filling in this cherry crisp because almonds and cherries really bring out each other’s flavors. It’s optional, but SO GOOD.

Try a chocolate-cherry combo

I mean, who doesn’t love chocolate and cherries together?! Melt 2 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips with 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil, then drizzle the melted chocolate all over the crisp for an extra special treat.

Make-ahead cherry crisp

You can easily prep this cherry crisp ahead of time if you’re serving guests the following day. Prepare the whole crisp as directed but before baking it, cover it with aluminum foil, and place it in the refrigerator. Bake the cherry crisp as directed whenever you’re ready to serve it.

How to store & freeze homemade cherry crisp

• In the fridge: store any leftover cherry crisp in an airtight container in the fridge. Simply warm it up a bit in the microwave or enjoy cold straight from the fridge.
• In the freezer: assemble the crisp but do not bake it. Cover it well with aluminum foil and transfer it to the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake the frozen cherry crisp at 350 degrees for about an hour or until it’s golden and bubbly.

More crisps, bars & fresh fruit desserts

Get all of my fresh fruit dessert recipes here!

I hope you love this fresh cherry crisp recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats