The Best Tart Cherry Crisp Recipe (with fresh cherries)

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This tart cherry crisp recipe is made with fresh tart cherries and has a sweet buttery oat crisp on top, making it the perfect summertime dessert! 

To me, nothing says summer like a fresh fruit crisp with a scoop of ice cream on top. It’s one of the best ways to use fresh summer fruit! When I make a crisp, I like to have a nice thick topping so you get some in every bite, so that’s exactly what you get with this recipe! The tart flavors of the cherries pair so well with the sweet topping of this Sour Cherry Crisp. This recipe was inspired by the fresh sour cherries that we get from our own yard! Our harvest is always abundant and they make the perfect summer dessert. 

My yard is filled with fruit trees and bushes that were planted by the previous owners. When we first moved in it was a little overwhelming because we didn’t even know what to do with it all! The first time I tried fruit on our cherry trees, I was so confused! They were tart and did not taste good when eaten off the tree. I actually didn’t even do anything with the cherries the first couple of years I lived here because I didn’t know what to do with them! Over the years I have slowly learned more about the fruits on our property and how to bake with them. So, I finally decided to do some googling and I learned what pie cherries were and fell in love with sour cherry recipes!

What is the difference between tart cherries and sweet cherries?

The difference between tart, or sour cherries and sweet cherries is just that, one is sour and the other is sweet! Fresh sour cherries are very tart, so they are not great eaten raw like sweet cherries are. However, they are the kind of cherries that make the perfect addition to desserts such as pies, tarts, or crisps. That is exactly why they are also known as pie cherries! The tartness of the cherries is balanced with the sweetness of the added sugars and gives you a delicious dessert!

Where to get tart cherries

Fresh tart cherries may be hard to find at regular grocery stores. If you want to use fresh cherries, check farmer’s markets or find a local farm or fruit stand that sells them. In Oregon where I live tart cherries are pretty common (or grow them in your own backyard!). You may be able to find frozen sour cherries, which will still work great! (See below!) Or, you may find canned sour cherries. I have not tested this recipe with canned tart cherries, but as long as the only ingredient is sour cherries, they should work! (Such as a brand like this one.)

How to pit tart cherries

I have found that the best way to pit tart cherries is by hand. I have a cherry pitter, but the tart cherries are so soft and full of juice, that it feels like the pitter just squishes the cherries and is just not worth the trouble. Instead, I use a toothpick to poke into the cherry skin and pop the pit out. I have one bowl for the pits and then a large bowl for the pitted cherries. Once you get a rhythm it goes by pretty quickly! 

If there is any juice in the bottom of the bowl, make sure to save that! Tart cherry juice is full of antioxidants and can help with muscle soreness and aid in sleep. I love to save the juice and then sip on it before bedtime. 

Cherry season is around mid-June here in Oregon and once they are ripe, we have a HUGE abundance of cherries! I get busy making pies and crisps and then freeze the rest for later use.

Can you use frozen cherries in a cherry crisp?

Yes! You can definitely use frozen cherries. However, they will release more liquid than fresh cherries. If you are baking with frozen cherries I would recommend one of two options. 

1. Add a little more thickener so the crisp is not really runny. Add an extra tablespoon of corn starch to this recipe.

2. Defrost the cherries and strain out the liquid before baking. 

Or, if you don’t mind the cherry filling to be thinner and runny, you can make the recipe exactly how it is! 

Ingredients for Tart Cherry Crisp

Cherry Filling

• Tart cherries- I used fresh tart cherries. See note if using frozen cherries. 
• Sugar- I use cane sugar rather than white granulated sugar because it is less processed. 
• Corn starch- Used to thicken the cherry filling

Crisp topping

• Oats- Quick cooking oats works the best. If you only have old-fashioned oats, they will work as well but they will be a little more chewy. 
• Butter- I used unsalted butter in this recipe, but you can use salted or unsalted butter. If you use salted butter just reduce the amount of salt you add. 
• Sugar- I use a combination of cane sugar and brown sugar
• Flour- Unbleached all-purpose flour
• Salt- I use Redmond Real Salt for all my recipes
• Cinnamon- Just a pinch, but it pairs so well with the oats and brown sugar. 

Instructions on how to make Tart Cherry Crisp recipe

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

First, make the cherry filling. To do this, combine cherries, sugar, and corn starch in a 9×13 baking pan. Add the ingredients in and toss to coat evenly. 

Next, make the crisp topping. Either use room temperature butter or melt it slightly in the microwave. In a medium bowl add the softened butter, oats, flour, sugars, salt and cinnamon. Using your hands or a fork, combine everything together until it is crumbly and the butter is evenly spread throughout the mixture. 

Add the crisp topping on top of the cherry mixture and evenly coat. 

Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown. 

Let it cool for about 15 minutes and then spoon into a bowl and top with vanilla ice cream if you’d like and enjoy! The filling will thicken up the more it cools.

How to store Cherry Crisp

Store the crisp in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap. I love this 9×13 pan because it has a lid that fits tightly so all you need to do is pop the lid on and put it in the fridge. Keep the crisp in the fridge for about one week. To eat again, you can heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until warm. If the oats have lost their crispness, you can also add it to an oven-safe container and bake at 350F until warmed through and the top crust is crispy, about 10 minutes.