These Cherry Crumble Bars are so easy to make and taste like a pie in a bar! This recipe will definitely become one of your favorites for any occasion. Serve warm with ice cream or cold with coffee. Any way you eat them, they are delicious!
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Why I Love This Recipe
I love this recipe because it uses fresh cherries and has an almond flavor that pairs perfectly with this sweet, juicy fruit. I also love that it's easy to make and everyone seems to like these because they disappear as soon as I put them out.
If you're a cherry fan, be sure to check out my Fresh Cherry Tart, Homemade Luxardo Cherries, and Amarena Cherry recipes!
Key Ingredients For This Recipe
- Fresh Cherries: Sweet, juicy fruit that provides the tartness and flavor base for the crumble bars.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps create a crispy, flaky texture in the crumble topping.
- Quick Oats: Soft and finer than old-fashioned oats, giving the crumble topping a tender, chewy texture.
- Brown Sugar: Provides sweetness and moisture, adding a caramel-like richness to the bars.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice, enhancing the flavor of the cherries and almonds.
- Nutmeg (freshly grated or ground): Offers a subtle, aromatic spice that complements the cherries and cinnamon perfectly.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Ingredient Tip
Freshly grated nutmeg has a stronger flavor, so a little goes a long way. If unavailable, ground nutmeg works too.
Fruit Substitutes for These Oat Crumble Bars
The great thing about this recipe is you can use any fruit you want, not just cherries. It would be delicious with blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, etc.
How to Make Cherry Pie Bars
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the baking dish with non-stick spray and/or parchment paper. Combine all of the ingredients for the cherry filling in a bowl, stir together gently to combine, and refrigerate until ready to build the bars.
Step 2: In another bowl place the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine and add the melted butter a little at a time to combine completely with the flour mixture.
Step 3: Press ⅓ of the crumble mixture into the bottom of the pan to form an even crust. Bake for 12 minutes, then cool for at least 10 minutes. Once cooled, spread the cherry mixture evenly on top.
Step 4: Sprinkle the reserved crumble over the cherries and gently press down. Bake for 25 minutes until the topping is lightly browned. Cool the bars in the pan; they will firm up as they cool.
How to Serve These Fruit Bars
You can serve these bars right away after they have a chance to cool for 10-15 minutes. The bars will still be warm and soft and are delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
If you prefer a firmer bar, allow the bars to cool for 20 minutes on the counter and then place them in the fridge to continue to cool and firm. The firmer version is delicious on its own or served with a cup of coffee or tea the next day.
How to Store Oatmeal Cherry Bars
To store cherry crumble bars, start by allowing them to cool completely at room temperature. Once cooled, place the bars in an airtight container or tightly wrap them with plastic wrap, ensuring a tight seal.
It is best to store the bars in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and extend their shelf life. If storing multiple layers, separate each layer with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Don't forget to label the container with the date for reference. Enjoy the cherry crumble bars within 3-4 days for the best taste and texture.
Recipe FAQs
Other Delicious Fruit Recipes to Check Out
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Easy Cherry Crumble Bars
Equipment
- 8 x 10 baking dish (or a similar size)
- 2 mixing bowls
Ingredients
Cherry Filling
- 2½ cups fresh cherries, pitted and cut in half
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon lemon or lime juice
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Crumble
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups quick oats
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (2 sticks)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the baking dish with non-stick spray and/or parchment paper. Combine all of the ingredients for the cherry filling in a bowl and stir together gently to combine. Place in the refrigerator until ready to build the bars.
- In another bowl place the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine everything. Add the melted butter a little at a time to combine completely with the flour mixture.
- Take ⅓ of the crumble mixture and place it in the bottom of the prepared pan. Evenly spread out along the bottom and gently press with fingers to create an even crust. Bake bottom crust for 12 minutes, remove and cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Once the crust has cooled, take the cherry mixture out of the fridge and evenly distribute it on the baked bottom. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture over the top of the cherries and gently press down to pack in the crumble top.
- Bake again for 25 minutes. The topping will brown slightly, but not too much. Remove from oven and cool in the pan. The bars will be soft when warm and more firm when chilled. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
There really is nothing better than fresh cherries. So sweet and juicy! This is a deliciously wonderful way to use them up. I love the simplicity of it!
Emily says
I totally agree!! Thank you 😊
Gabriela says
Im so glad there if finally cherries in stores. This will be the first thing I will make. So delicious.
Emily says
Hooray to cherry season!!
Gina says
I love anything with cherries. This looks so good.
Emily says
Cherries are always a winner in my book too!😁
Julia says
I adore cherries and can't wait until they're back in season. Then I'm going to try these.. A perfect sweet treat to take on a picniic.
Emily says
Yay for cherries! 🙌🏻🍒
Sue says
I love a good dessert and these cherry crumble bars did not disappoint! Thank you for a terrific recipe!
Emily says
Thanks, Sue, I'm so glad you liked them!
Nora says
Those cherry crumble bars look amazing! And they seem to be pretty straight forward to make too! Thanks for sharing!
Emily says
They are ridiculously easy to make!