Cherry Rhubarb Crisp

Everyone loves a simple, homey dessert like this one. A cherry rhubarb crisp can be baked any time of the year, but it’s especially welcome when fresh rhubarb and cherries are in season. Serve bowls of this warm cherry rhubarb crisp with big scoops of vanilla ice cream after enjoying other summer cookout recipes.

What is the difference between crisps and crumbles?

What crisps, crumbles, cobblers and buckles have in common is that they’re made with fruit. From there, the differences lie in the layers of flour and oat-based mixtures baked with the fruit.

A crisp features fruit baked under a layer of oats blended with butter, sugar and sometimes nuts; in contrast, a crumble has a streusel topping made with flour, sugar and butter. A cobbler has a soft, tender topping baked over the fruit that’s more biscuit-like. Buckles are made with a cake-y mixture, and rather than being topped, the fruit is folded into the cake mixture before baking.

This cherry rhubarb recipe is a twist on a regular fruit crisp and is called a fruit crunch. That’s because there are two layers of the sweetened oat mixture in the pan, with the fruit nestled in between. The topping also includes chopped walnuts to give it a literal crunch.

Ingredients for Cherry Rhubarb Crisp

• Rolled oats: These are the same as old-fashioned oats. If necessary, you can substitute quick-cooking or instant oats here.
• Rhubarb: Use freshly picked stalks, or learn how to freeze rhubarb to have it all year long. Fresh or frozen rhubarb can be used in this cherry  rhubarb crunch recipe.
• Cherry pie filling: Canned pie filling is a convenient addition to this crisp. Another option is to use homemade cherry pie filling. (See below.)
• Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar sweetens the crispy oat mixture and adds flavors of molasses and caramel.
• Flour: Use the always-on-hand all-purpose flour. It’s blended with the other oat crisp ingredients.
• Butter: The butter should be cold; it’s cut into the dry oat mixture ingredients to create a crumbly texture.
• Granulated sugar: The extremely tart rhubarb needs taming before it can be enjoyed in this dessert, and granulated sugar in the filling does the trick.
• Walnuts: Chop the nuts finely; they’re part of the oat mixture sprinkled over the top of the rhubarb cherry crisp.
• Cornstarch: There are many options for pie thickeners, and in this recipe, we blend cornstarch with the cherry pie filling.
• Almond extract: An ideal flavor to pair with cherries, our Test Kitchen found the best almond extract brands.
• Salt: The crisp mixture has just a pinch of salt to give the flavors an extra boost.

Directions

Step 1: Make the oat crisp mixture

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour and salt. Cut the cold butter into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture is crumbly.

Step 2: Layer the crisp mixture and rhubarb

Press half the oat mixture evenly into the bottom of a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Cover this layer with the diced rhubarb.

Step 3: Prepare the cherry filling

Combine the granulated sugar and cornstarch with a cup of water in a large saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat until it’s thickened and clear. Stir in the almond extract and canned cherry pie filling.

Pour the filling over the rhubarb in the baking dish.

Step 4: Add the topping and bake

Stir the chopped walnuts into the rest of the oat mixture, then sprinkle the mixture over the cherry filling. Place the dish in the oven and bake the crisp until the filling is bubbly and the topping is browned, 40 to 45 minutes.

Serve portions of the cherry rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Cherry Rhubarb Crisp Variations

• Try other nuts in the topping: Fold chopped pecans, almonds or hazelnuts, or a combination of nuts, into the crisp topping.
• Add spice: Blend a little cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom into the oat and brown sugar mixture to add warm flavor to the crisp.
• Make two smaller crisps: Divide the oat mixture and fruit filling between two greased 8-inch square pans: Bake one rhubarb cherry crisp to keep and one to give away.

How to Store Cherry Rhubarb Crisp

Allow the pan of cherry rhubarb crisp to cool completely. Cover it with food wrap or transfer the crisp to an airtight container. Because the crisp is made with fruit, it should be stored in the refrigerator.

How long does cherry rhubarb crisp last?

When the cherry rhubarb crunch is kept tightly covered and chilled in the fridge, it will last for up to five days.

Can you freeze cherry rhubarb crisp?

Yes, the baked pan of cherry crisp with cherry pie filling can be frozen to make it last even longer. Let the crisp cool completely, then cover it tightly with food wrap. Store the fruit crisp in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, uncover the pan and place it in a 350° oven. Bake the rhubarb cherry crisp for 20 to 30 minutes until it’s warmed through and crisp on top.

Cherry Rhubarb Crisp Tips

Can you use homemade cherry pie filling for cherry rhubarb crisp?

Yes, for an even more delicious cherry rhubarb crisp, you can make cherry filling from scratch. Our recipe for homemade cherry pie filling is ready in only 15 minutes. A cherry filling made with tart cherries will give you a crisp that’s a little more tart; however, the recipe calls for enough brown and granulated sugar that the dessert will be very sweet overall.

What can you serve with cherry rhubarb crisp?

We recommend serving warm cherry rhubarb crisp with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream (here’s a three-ingredient vanilla ice cream recipe you can make without an ice cream maker). Other ice cream flavors that are quite tasty with this crisp are butter pecan ice cream, coffee ice cream or cinnamon ice cream. The cherry crisp with cherry pie filling is also delicious with just a simple dollop of sweetened vanilla whipped cream or hazelnut whipped cream.