Description
Cherry Crumble Bars Recipe bursting with sweet cherries and buttery crumble, a crowd-pleasing dessert that is quick and comforting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (600g) fresh cherries, pitted and halved (or 4 cups frozen cherries, thawed)
- ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional but recommended)
- 1 cup (90g) rolled oats
- ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Pan and Oven Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal. The parchment creates handles that will help you lift the entire slab of cherry crumble bars out cleanly after baking.
- Step 2: Make the Shortbread Base In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, then gradually add this to your butter mixture, stirring until it forms a soft dough. Press this mixture evenly into your prepared pan, creating a firm, flat layer. Prick the dough all over with a fork and bake for 15 minutes until just barely golden at the edges.
- Step 3: Prepare the Cherry Filling While the base bakes, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and almond extract in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. The cornstarch will activate when it boils, creating that perfect jammy consistency that makes these cherry crumble bars so delicious.
- Step 4: Make the Crumble Topping In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingertips to work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger clumps. The varying sizes create wonderful texture in your finished bars.
- Step 5: Assemble and Bake Once the crust has pre-baked, spread the hot cherry filling evenly over the warm shortbread base. Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the cherry layer, making sure to cover the entire surface. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
- Step 6: Cool Completely The most difficult part! Allow the cherry crumble bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out using the parchment paper handles. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate for 1-2 hours before slicing into bars. This patience will be rewarded with perfectly neat squares that showcase the beautiful layers.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Americaine
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 19g
- Sodium: 125mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Cherry Crumble Bars Recipe