Fresh Cherry Crisp

When I was a kid, my grandparents had a cherry tree in their backyard.  We would pick cherries until our hands were stained red and then run our haul to the kitchen.  Grandmother Mary would take requests and make whatever each of us wanted with our yield.  Some chose cherry jam, but my dad and I always chose cherry pie.  Of all the fruit pies, cherry is my favorite.  This Fresh Cherry Crisp is a variation on a cherry pie, but quicker.  The crust is much less labor intensive that a regular pie crust, and I like the rustic look.  Top it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream because seriously?  What's life if you aren't living a la mode???

Fresh Cherry Crisp...
Like Cherry Pie only easier!

Don't have a cherry pitter?
Don't worry.
Check my tutorial on how to pit cherries WITHOUT A PITTER:
HERE.

2 cups of fresh, pitted cherries...

I love the rustic look
(and ease) of making a crisp!
Even better, it looks gorgeous in my
Le Creuset baking dish...

Serve warm, A LA MODE of course!

Fresh Cherry Crisp

2 cups pitted, fresh cherries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

For the Crust:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter and set aside.  In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, stir together cherries and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar.  Continue stirring until cherries begin to soften and sugar begins to melt, approximately 5 minutes.  Whisk cornstarch into water until there are no lumps.  Add cornstarch mixture to sauce pan and continue cooking until cherry mixture begins to thicken.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

Combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.  Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture until you achieve gravel-sized pieces.  Spoon cherry mixture into prepared baking dish and sprinkle crust mixture over the cherries.  Bake approximately 15 minutes or until crust is golden-brown.  Serve warm topped with ice cream. 

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 15 minutes