Cherry Pie Bars
Cherry Bars! If you love cherry pie, then you'll love these cherry pie bars made in a fraction of the time. With a simple oat crust and a jammy fresh cherry filling, these cherry bars are a must during the summer!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour*
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons butter, melted**
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and chopped
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup water, if using fresh cherries
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon orange or lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh orange or lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pan with a parchment paper overhang to easily lift the bars: place one piece of parchment paper into the pan, then another on the opposite side. See the photos above for how this looks. This allows you to remove the bars and cut them easily. If you don't want to do this, grease your pan well to allow easy removal.
- Whisk together flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add the melted butter and almond extract and stir until well combined and the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press 2/3 of the mixture (about 2 cups) into the prepared baking dish and press down in an even layer. I use the flat edge of a measuring cup to pack the dough. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and slightly cool.
- While the layer is baking, make the jam. Add the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, water (you will likely not need water if using thawed from frozen cherries), and juice and zest to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick and jam-like.
- Place the filling over the prepared crust, then top with the remaining crust. You can do this as clumps to show some of the cherry pie filling or in an even layer. Make sure it's pressed down well so it doesn't crumble.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the filling is bubbly. Remove and let cool completely, then slice into 9-12 bars and serve.
Notes
*I like the wholesome taste of adding in some whole wheat flour, but more all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour will work.
**These were tested with both Earth Balance and Miyokos vegan butter, and both work. If using Earth Balance, then reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon as it's already salted.
These cherry pie bars will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge. I prefer to bring to room temperature before eating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1barCalories: 301kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 191mgPotassium: 181mgFiber: 4gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 372IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 2mg