Easy Tasty Cherry Crumble Bars (Printable Version)

Buttery bars with juicy cherries and golden oat topping, ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust and Crumble

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 tsp baking powder
06 - ½ tsp salt
07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Cherry Filling

09 - 3 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries, halved
10 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
13 - ½ tsp almond extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
03 - Pour melted butter and vanilla extract into the dry mixture. Stir until evenly moistened and crumbly.
04 - Reserve 1 ½ cups of the crumble mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
05 - Toss cherries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and almond extract until evenly coated.
06 - Spread cherry mixture evenly over the crust. Sprinkle reserved crumble topping over the cherries.
07 - Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is golden brown and filling is bubbling.
08 - Cool completely in pan. Lift out using parchment overhang, cut into bars, and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crust and topping use the same crumbly mixture, so you're not washing extra bowls or dirtying measuring cups twice
  • They travel beautifully and actually taste better on day two when the flavors have had time to settle in
02 -
  • Press the crust firmly with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to create an even, compact layer that won't crumble when you slice the bars
  • If the cherry filling seems too thick, add a splash of water or more lemon juice—too little liquid and the cornstarch will make it gummy
03 -
  • If your cherries are particularly sweet, reduce the sugar in the filling to 2 tablespoons to let their natural flavor shine
  • Add ½ cup chopped pecans or almonds to the reserved topping mixture for extra crunch and a nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with cherries

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