Cherry Almond Crisp with Berries

Cherry Almond Crisp is filled with fresh and juicy cherries, strawberries and blueberries, and topped with a hearty oat crumble. It’s refined sugar-free, gluten-free and vegan, and comes together quickly, with minimal work and ingredients!

If you haven’t noticed yet, I love a good crisp recipe. They’re easy, customizable and forgiving, and with the abundance of fresh summer stone fruit and berries, there seem to be endless combinations to try.

Today’s fruit crisp is made with fresh cherries, strawberries and blueberries, which are flavoured with pure almond extract and sweetened with a little maple syrup. 

The topping is a riff on my usual crisp topping, with oats, almond flour and almond butter. It bakes up crispy, without any butter, refined sugar or white flour.

Why you’ll love this healthy cherry crisp recipe

• Refined sugar-free: It’s naturally sweetened with just fruit and maple syrup.

• Gluten-free: It’s made with certified gluten-free oats and almond flour.

• Dairy-free and vegan: Butter is replaced with almond butter and coconut oil.

• Easy: It takes about 15 minutes to prep this one, and most of that time is spent pitting the cherries. The rest of the recipe comes together quickly, with some simple ingredients.

• Adjustable: There are plenty of ways to make this recipe your own, with substitution tips outlined below. 

Ingredients to make this cherry almond crisp

• Cherries, blueberries and strawberries – Fresh are preferred, but if you only have frozen, just make sure they’re defrosted and patted dry first.

• Maple syrup –  For added sweetness to the fruit mixture and crisp topping.

• Tapioca flour – Helps thicken the fruit mixture.

• Almond extract – Adds a touch of sweet almond flavour and pairs well with the cherries.

• Rolled oats – They form the base of the crisp topping. 

• Almond flour – To help bind the crisp topping together.

• Sliced almonds – For some added crunchy texture. 

• Almond butter – Helps create the clusters in the crisp topping. 

• Coconut oil – Used in place of butter and helps create a crispy topping. 

• Salt – Just a bit for flavour. 

How to make cherry crisp with fresh cherries

• Prepare your fruit by pitting and slicing your cherries in half and slicing your strawberries in half.

• Add all the fruit to a large bowl, along with the maple syrup, tapioca flour and almond extract. Toss until the fruit is evenly coated.

• Add the fruit mixture to a greased skillet.

• Prepare the crisp topping by adding the oats, almond flour, sliced almonds and salt to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Then, add in the almond butter, maple syrup and coconut oil, and mix together until a wet and clumpy mixture forms.

• Scatter the crisp topping over the fruit and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. 

Frequently asked questions

Can you make cherry crisp with frozen cherries and berries? Yes, but be sure to defrost them first, drain them of any water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Using frozen fruit will make the fruit filling too watery.

Can you make this crisp with cherry pie filling or canned cherries? While I’ve seen recipes for cherry crisps that use pie filling or canned cherries, I’ve only tested this recipe using fresh cherries. 

Does cherry crisp need to be refrigerated? How do you reheat it? Yes, once the crisp has cooled to room temperature, cover and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. You can enjoy it cold or warmed in the microwave. To get the topping crispy again, just reheat it in the oven on low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Can you freeze cherry crisp? I haven’t frozen this cherry crisp in its entirety, so I’m not sure how the filling and topping would hold up once frozen and defrosted. I have, however, frozen leftovers in individual servings. Just place the cooled leftovers in individual freezer safe containers, and when ready to enjoy, let thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven.

Can you replace the almond flour with other flours? While I prefer to use almond flour in my gluten-free crisp topping, if you don’t have any, you can use gluten-free oat flour as a replacement. I haven’t tested this recipe with all-purpose flour, but it will likely work. Just note that the crisp will no longer be gluten-free.

Additional recipe tips and substitutions for this gluten-free cherry crisp

• If you don’t have tapioca flour, you can use cornstarch to thicken the berry mixture.

• To keep it gluten-free, make sure your oats are certified gluten-free, as well as the almond extract.

• For a grain-free version, you can replace the oats with buckwheat flakes.

• Feel free to replace the strawberries and blueberries with other berries such as raspberries or blackberries.

• To keep this recipe vegan, make sure you’re using a vegan almond extract.

• If your almond butter and coconut oil are a little firm, just microwave them for 30 seconds. This will help them mix into the crisp topping easily.

• Don’t skip the step of letting the crisp rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. This helps the fruit mixture firm up.

Other fruit crisp recipes you might enjoy

• Grain-Free Blueberry Crisp

• Healthy Peach Crisp Bars

• Apple Cranberry Crisp

If you make this Cherry Almond Crisp with Berries, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.

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