***This giveaway is now closed. Thank you for entering!***
If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I’m fairly uncomplicated. My Mom even proclaimed me “least high-maintenance” out of the entire family at our last Sunday lunch. YES! I was so proud.
To me, life’s simple (ok, when it’s not.) Try to do the right thing, be kind, tolerant, and out-serve others.
Now, before you think I’m making myself out to be some sort of saint, I procrastinate way too much, am incredibly impatient, care too much about what others think of me, and sweat profusely when nervous.
There. Happy? 
Anyways, I guess it’s due to my tendency to have a “black or white” outlook on a lot of things. Good, or bad. Happy, or sad. Right, or wrong. It just seems like so much time is wasted in “grey” areas. (Which is a total Type A thing to say, and why I can’t work in corporate America anymore. Hello hour long meetings over issues that could be resolved in one email!)
What does this have to do with Cherry Almond Crisp again?
Oh, right. If you’ve been reading IGE for any length of time, than you know my cooking style is very reflective of my personality. Uncomplicated. If I had room for a second tagline next to “Eat Well. Run Often. Travel Far.” it’d be – good tasting food doesn’t have to cost a lot, and can be easy to make too.
Which is exactly how I would describe Cherry Almond Crisp.
Sweet, in-season cherries are spiced with cinnamon and vanilla, then buried under a mountain of almond-spiked crisp and baked until golden brown. Just fresh fruit and pantry staples tossed together then baked. Uncomplicated and easy, yet foot-stompingly delicious. (You know, so good it makes you want to stomp your feet?)
See, cherries and almonds were made to meet in this crisp. While the sweet fruit softens to create a thick, syrupy sauce in the bottom of the baking dish, roughly chopped almonds in the crisp brown and toast from the heat of the oven on top. It is the perfect flavor combo.
Snag some fresh, in-season (read: inexpensive) cherries at the grocery store, then raid your pantry for the rest of your ingredients and make this ASAP!
Start the Cherry Almond Crisp with 1-1/2 pounds sweet cherries. I’ve been finding them for $1.99-$2.99/lb at Whole Foods recently!
Pit the cherries by hand (slice and pop like a peach) or with a cherry pitter, like this one that I stole from my Mom gave me. (Psst – it’s the same one I’ve giving away at the end of this post!)
Once all the cherries have been pitted, slice what’s left in half. I say “what’s left” because you would not believe how easy it is to plow throw pitted cherries before you even know what’s happening…
To the halved cherries, add 1 Tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon then toss to combine.
Spoon the spiced cherries into a non-stick sprayed baking dish, then set it aside while you work on the crisp.
The best part of this crisp is that it adds roughly chopped almonds to the mixture of oats, sugar, flour, and butter for fantastic crunch. First combine 1/2 cup each old fashioned oats and brown sugar with 1/4 cup flour in a small bowl.
Add 1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds followed by 1/4 cup cold butter cut into cubes.
Finally, add the secret ingredient: 1/4 teaspoon almond extract. A little almond extract goes a long way, so you only need to add a tiny bit to get it’s sweet, totally unique flavor. (BTW I usually add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon almond extract to my sugar cookie dough. Try it sometime – you’ll have everyone asking you what’s in there!)
Incorporate the butter into the ingredients with your fingers until it’s pretty smooth, then spread the crisp on top of the cherries.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the crisp is golden brown. Then open a mason jar to capture the scent coming out of your kitchen to sniff at a later date. Unbelievable!
Cherry Almond Crisp
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs cherries, pitted and halved
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
For the crisp:
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cherries, sugar, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Spray a 10.5×7″ or 8×8″ baking dish with non-stick spray then pour in the cherry mixture. In a separate bowl combine all the ingredients for the crisp. Smush with fingers until butter is well incorporated, then pour over cherry mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until crisp is deeply golden brown.
I mean, fruit, oats, sugar, butter, and almonds. So uncomplicated, yet so, so mouthwatering. Be sure to make this while cherries are in season, as the cherry/almond combo really is cah-razy good. Otherwise, frozen/thawed/drained berries, or apples will work with the crisp too.
Ok, ok, if you want to complicate things a wee bit, plant a scoop Tahitian Vanilla Gelato on top to melt over the warm crisp. Oh HECK yes!
Now – in order to make this crisp come together even faster for ya’, I’m giving away a free Cherry Pitter! Just place a cherry into the cradle, then press down and the pit will pop right out. Easy!
Enter to win this free cherry pitter by tomorrow, Wednesday, August 22 @ 5pm central, by telling me what your favorite fruit crisp is in the comments section of this post (not by email.)
Ready, set, go – good luck! 
I’m a sucker for peach cobbler!
I love Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp!
I’ve never had a crisp! I’ve been completely deprived my whole life.
Peach but Cherry-Almond sounds delish!!!
Strawberry rhubarb crisp is my favorite!
I need this pitter because I don’t even know what you mean by ‘slice and pop like a peach’. I suck and getting rid of the peach pit, too! Anyway…cherry is definitely my favorite. I’m not a pie fan, but I’ll down a cobbler or crisp.
Oh no! I just meant slice around the pit, like you would cut a peach in half, then pop the cherry pit out like you would a peach pit. Terrible explanation, but I hope that helps!
Oh good, that’s what I do! I thought I was missing out on an easier way. Ha!
My favorite changes seasonally…peach in the summer, apple in the winter. Or yes to both year-round. I’m easy to please.
I am a sucker for an apple crisp, so old fashioned but nothing beats a classic
cranberry is my fave!
Peach crisp!
My current favorite crisp is the classic APPLE. It probably would be cherry if I had this handy pitter!
Peach crisp is the best! Just made one last week. Now I’m dying to try your recipe!
LOVE cherry anything but also love raspberry crisps- however, I would prefer a cobbler or pie to a crisp lately since I have been having issues with oatmeal getting stuck in my teeth like popcorn does… thanks for the giveaway
I love the peach/cherry crisp I have been making the last few weeks!
my fave would be blueberry crisp!
Peach crisp!
My favorite crisp, would be rhubarb! Yummmmm
Peach and Blueberry!! Yum. But cherries are right up there and I’d love to have the pitter
It’s hard to beat peach crisp, but after seeing this, I’m thinking I could be persuaded to join the cherry crisp team!
I love apple crisp! But this cherry almond crisp could be my new fav…it looks delicious!
Apple, apple, apple! Oh, how I love apple crisp.
apple crisp!
Oh genius! I am still using the old fashioned way of cutting around the cherries and it takes forever! My favorite crisp will always be blueberry. mmmm and always with a side of vanilla ice cream!
Peach, all the way!! But this looks super tasty!
Any type of berry crisp is my favorite, but I’m a sucker for a classic apple too! And I’ve been dying for a cherry pitter since the first time you showed it on your blog! I’d love to win!
Strawberry Rhubarb!
My favorite fruit crisp is peach!!
This is tough but I’ll have to go with the classic, apple!
I like to make my fruit crisps depending on the season… so right now- loving raspberries & blueberries!
Peach! We have a peach tree in our yard and it is just the best when made with your own produce!
Any berry / stone fruit combo. My mouth is watering at the thought. I have far too many cherry recipes saved that I can’t bring myself to conquer given the pitting – this would open a whole new bag of beans!
what the heck that looks SO GOOD! Loving fresh cherries lately!! I would LOVE to make this … and of course win the pitter so it would go faster
I also love apple crisp
I’ve made the blueberry crisp from Blue-Eyed Bakers a couple times and it is so good! I can’t wait to try the cherry almond crisp…could be a new favorite!
grew up on apple crisp, was one of the first recipes I learned to bake myself, so hands down it’s apple crisp
Strawberry Rhubarb!
Peach crisp!
Definitely peach crisp!
Brandied Berry Toffee Crisp! I got this recipe several years ago that I made for a family reunion and have kept it in my go to summer dessert pile! Really yummy!
Ingredients
Brandied Berry Toffee Crisp
2 cups berries such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or whatever you like!
3 cups chopped fruit, such as pears, nectarines, apricots or apples
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup sugar
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Crisp topping (see recipe below)
Crisp Topping
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 cup flour
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup crumbled toffee
Preheat oven to 400º F.
Mix together the fruits, brandy, sugar and lemon juice. Pour into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Top with the Crisp Topping and bake about 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
Crisp Topping
Stir ingredients together in a bowl. You may add chopped pecans, dried fruit, or cinnamon and clove for variety.
apple!
A-P-P-L-E crip!!!! It is getting close to apple season in MN
Peach is usually my favorite. I would love to try cherry and have been wanting a cherry pitter.
Oh, definitely apple!!
Strawberry rhubarb!
Sooooo, I don’t eat cooked fruit, so I don’t have a favorite crisp! But I totally eat fresh cherries – do I still have a chance?
Love a classic apple crisp!
I LOVE peach crisp but the hubs’ favorite is Black Raspberry crisp
I really like apple crisp, but mainly I LOVE the crisp. I could eat that stuff by itself! I’m going to try this recipe tonight!
Cherry!!
gotta be peach, or a nice mixed berry one, with whipped cream and served sprinkled with a little suger. YUM!
Blueberries, cherry, raspberry, strawberry…I’d have to say just a BERRY Crisp would be my favorite!