Easy Tasty Cherry Crumble Bars (Print version)

Buttery crumbly bars with juicy cherries and golden oat topping

# What you'll need:

→ Crust and Crumble Base

01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
03 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
04 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cherry Filling

09 - 3 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries, halved
10 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
13 - ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - Combine flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
03 - Pour melted butter and vanilla extract over dry ingredients. Stir until mixture becomes crumbly and evenly moistened throughout.
04 - Reserve 1 ½ cups of the crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust base.
05 - Toss cherries with granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and almond extract in a separate bowl until cherries are thoroughly coated.
06 - Spread the cherry mixture evenly over the pressed crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumble topping uniformly across the cherry layer.
07 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the topping turns golden brown and the cherry filling bubbles around the edges.
08 - Let bars cool completely in the pan. Use parchment overhang to lift the entire dessert out, then cut into individual bars.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • The crust and topping come from one simple mixture, saving you time and dishes
  • Fresh cherries bubble up through the crumble creating jammy pockets in every bite
  • These bars travel beautifully to potlucks and somehow taste even better the next day
02 -
  • Press the crust firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup to prevent it from crumbling apart when you cut the bars
  • The almond extract is optional but I've found it makes cherry taste more like cherry
03 -
  • Use room temperature butter if you're melting it yourself, it incorporates more evenly into the dry ingredients
  • Line your pan with parchment paper in both directions for foolproof removal every time

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