If you’re a regular reader, you knew this was coming. We can’t wrap-up Michigan cuisine without a dessert, and this one again puts cherries center stage.
The recipe is a simple fruit crisp that my friend Beth sent me years ago. It is easily adapted for a variety of fruits. In fact, until today we had only ever made it with raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. So if it sounds like something you’ll enjoy – feel free to be inventive. As for us, we’re still sampling the tastes of Michigan, so we chose cherries, obviously, and apricots because we had some needing a home.
Quick side note here: We used up our cherries the other day, so I need to run out for a fresh batch. And I swear this has happened nearly every time I need a specific ingredient for a recipe we’re working on, the first store I went to (the one I can usually count on for everything) didn’t have any in stock. They did, however, have the two items that I couldn’t find the last time. Ugh. So it was a multiple store run again. At least this time it was only 2 stores…a few other times this same scenario has resulted in 3 or 4 stores. Am I the only one this happens to – or is this a common phenomenon?
Thank goodness this is an easy recipe! Again, we started with pitted cherries. 
Next we combined the cherries with the apricots in a greased baking dish. 
Mr. N took care of combining the topping: wheat flour, brown sugar, oats, wheat germ and butter. 
The mixture should be crumbly. 
Once it’s combined, the crumble is poured over the fruit and it’s baking time! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy, as Mr. N would say. 
The crisp bakes for 30 minutes at 375F. Remove and let cool. 
We served ours warm and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. It would also be great with vanilla ice cream – yum! 
This was a tasty and fast little dessert, and by using wheat I feel like I can pretend it’s healthy. The cherries and apricots were a nice change-up from our usual choice of fruits. They made for a tart rather than sweet combination, which is always ok in my book. Dad and I gave the cherry-apricot crisp 2-1/2 to 3 spoons. It’s good, and believe me we’ll eat it all, but it’s not cobbler good. Miss A also gave it 3 spoons, but Mr. N surprisingly turned in a 1 spoon. I’m not sure if he was just hamming it up so he could finish the cobbler, or if he really didn’t like it. We’ll find out tomorrow when it’s the only dessert left in the house. 😉
Print this recipe: Cherry-Apricot Crisp
Eat, Play, Love 
Beautiful pictures!!! Looks delicious!!!!
XO
Jen
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Thanks Jen! It was quite tasty! 🙂
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Just signed up to follow you!
Mary x
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Thanks Mary! 🙂
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Such lovely ingredients – so summery and delicious
Mary x
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Thanks Mary! I love that it’s so fast and easy too. 🙂
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Such a cute little helper! I love it when my girls help me, it makes me feel special! 😉 great recipe
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Thanks Isabelle! I love it when they’re around in the kitchen too. I can’t help but think that it’s creating great memories (if not for them, for me!). 🙂
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We use a lot of dried apricot at home (a breakfast favourite) but I really enjoy it here in its fresh form combined with the cherries – looks positively succulent. Mr. N. did a great job on the topping (!) and I love that you used wheat germ with whole wheat flour.
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Thanks Kelly! When we first started making this recipe we used all-purpose flour, then one day I decided to mix it up. It really didn’t hurt the flavor at all and is so much healthier! The wheat germ is a new addition. 🙂
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I was really looking forward to the dessert course post–my favorite! I love the simplicity of this recipe, it looks fantastic. I’d definitely eat this for breakfast too, or even a mid-day snack. 🙂
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LOL! I just left a spoon in the dish and everytime I walked past the kitchen I stopped for a bite. 😉
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Ha!! I’m sure I would do the same. 🙂
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Love it! I think the cherries paired with apricots is brilliant! I can almost taste the deliciousness. YUM!
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I tasted the deliciousness for breakfast this morning. 😉 Have a great weekend Kate!
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Oh yes, I find myself in that situation of not having exactly what I need on hand! But I usually just switch it up and rarely make another store run! In this case, the cherries were all about Michigan, so I’m glad you ran out for more! I would not have thought to combine cherries and apricots, but I like the color and flavor combination. A nice change up to a plain cherry cobbler!
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I’m glad the flavor combo worked. I wasn’t quite sure…but these apricots desperately needed a home. I’m glad I went out for more cherries too. And I stocked up on them for fear this store would run out too! Ha!
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this looks amazing. i love cherries 🙂
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Thank you! We’ve never been big cherry eaters before, but after this week we’re hooked! Thanks for visiting and commenting. Have a great weekend.
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Uh I can feel your pain with the multiple store run!
it happens to me almost everytime…and I go Grrrrr when I find an ingredient I had to run half way across town to look for last time..
I love crumbles..they are easy and loaded with flavor and healthier than usual desserts
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I know right! The store without the cherries had loads of rhubarb and passion fruit, both of which I was looking for a few weeks ago and went to many stores without success. So frustrating. I was tempted to stock up on all of it. Ha!
That’s exactly why we like this dessert and have made it on and off throughout the years – it’s easy and not terribly unhealthy. (Makes a good breakfast treat too…)
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Ok, I have a question… what on earth is that “tool” Mr. N is using in the mixing bowl? I’ve never seen anything like it before 😮 Yay for crumble! You know what would have topped this off perfectly? A big puddle of hot custard, but maybe that’s just the Brit in me 😀
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It’s a pastry blender. One of my favorite tools. We use it every week and it makes baking pie crusts so much easier. Oh hot custard would have been wonderful!!!! I still need to find a use for my fruit curd too. Hmm….Have a great weekend Charles!
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Pastry blender? Wow – need to investigate those. Not being too familiar with non-lemon fruit curds I couldn’t really advise, but if they’re anything like lemon curd you don’t need a use… all you need is sliced, toasted bread (good stuff), a liberal application of butter and then slather that bad-boy all over it and enjoy with a cup of tea! 😀
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Um…yum!!!! Here’s a link to a pastry blender. I use mine all of the time. 🙂 http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Dough-Blender/dp/B00004OCNK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308539587&sr=8-2
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Won’t let me reply to your most recent comment to me, but thanks for the link, I’ll check it out 🙂
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This is a very complex recipe for me because I don’t eat cherries or apricots. But looking at this recipe, I am definitely tempted. You recipes are so good for me girl.. I love it.
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No worries – you can put any kind of fruit you like in this recipe. Strawberries and rhubarb…blackberries, raspberries and blueberries…apples, etc. You can go wild! Have a great weekend!
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Don’t feel alone, I too have to run from store to store looking for things – normal day to day things too, like fresh milk! Hopefully that will all settle down once we return home at the end of the month. 🙂
I bet this cherry dessert would also go down a treat with some custard.
🙂 Mandy
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Sometimes it makes me crazy – but the cherries are worth it. And I stocked up. 🙂 LOL. I can’t imagine having to hunt around stores for fresh milk. That has to take some getting used to! I have to figure out where to get some custard because it does sound heavenly with the crisp. Have a great weekend Mandy!
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