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Cherry Crumb Bars

Sweet and buttery dessert bars layered with juicy cherries and a golden oat crumb topping — a perfect treat for any season.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 bars
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Autumn
Calories: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust and Topping
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 lemon zest optional
Cherry Filling
  • 3 cups pitted cherries fresh or frozen
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp almond extract optional

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Baking pan 9x13
  • Saucepan
  • Parchment paper

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Stir in melted butter until crumbly.
  3. Press two-thirds of the crumb mixture into the prepared pan to form the crust.
  4. In a saucepan, cook cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract.
  5. Spread cherry mixture evenly over crust. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top.
  6. Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely before slicing.

Notes

You can use frozen cherries straight from the freezer — just add a few extra minutes of cooking time for the filling.