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A close-up shot of three delicious cherry crumble bars stacked on parchment paper, with fresh cherries scattered around them.

Sweet Cherry Crumble Bars

These delightful Sweet Cherry Crumble Bars feature a buttery, tender shortbread crust, a luscious sweet cherry filling, and a perfectly crisp, oat-studded crumble topping. A perfect dessert or snack for any occasion.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Course: Bars, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Crumble Crust & Topping
  • 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup Light brown sugar packed
  • 1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter 3 sticks, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup Old-fashioned rolled oats not instant
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
For the Sweet Cherry Filling
  • 6 cups Fresh sweet cherries pitted and halved (approx. 2 lbs whole cherries)
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar adjust to taste based on cherry sweetness
  • 2 tbsp Cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp Almond extract optional, but recommended

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking pan
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Medium Mixing Bowl
  • Parchment Paper
  • Cherry pitter (optional, but recommended)
  • Whisk
  • Spatula

Method
 

Prepare the Crumble Base
  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift out the bars later. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, rolled oats, baking powder, and salt. Make sure there are no lumps of brown sugar.
  3. Add the very cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Be careful not to overmix.
  4. Press about two-thirds of the crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Use the back of a spoon or your hands to compact it firmly. Reserve the remaining one-third of the crumble mixture for the topping.
  5. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. While the crust is baking, prepare the cherry filling.
Prepare the Sweet Cherry Filling
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pitted and halved sweet cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, fresh lemon juice, and almond extract (if using). Gently toss to coat the cherries evenly.
Assemble and Bake the Bars
  1. Once the crust is par-baked, remove the pan from the oven. Evenly spread the cherry filling over the warm crust.
  2. Sprinkle the reserved one-third of the crumble mixture evenly over the cherry filling.
  3. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbly and thickened. If the topping browns too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil.
  4. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This is a crucial step; the bars need to cool for at least 2-3 hours (or longer, even overnight) for the filling to set properly, otherwise, they will be difficult to cut.
Serve
  1. Once completely cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab of bars out of the pan. Place it on a cutting board and cut into 16 squares or desired bar size. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

For best results and easy cutting, ensure the bars are completely cooled before slicing. If using frozen cherries, thaw them completely and drain any excess liquid before using. A touch of finely grated lemon zest can be added to the cherry filling for an extra bright flavor. Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.