Cherry Crumb Bars – The Almond Eater

June 12, 2023

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These Cherry Crumb Bars could be one of the best ways to make use of contemporary cherries! Made with a buttery crust and crumb topping, then crammed with a candy cherry center, these bars are simple to make and so scrumptious!

a stack of 3 dessert bars filled with cherries

Hey contemporary cherry season, and hey to those cherry crumb bars!

Actually, crumb bars are one in all my favourite desserts, and although I like mango bars and this candy potato variation, these cherry ones are essentially the most much like basic crumb bars.

If I had to make use of one phrase to explain these bars, it might be “addicting”. Or, maybe fruity. Both means, you are going to need to make them, particularly in case you’re a fan of cherries.

Recipe options

Scrumptious bars that style like cherry pie!
Can simply be made vegan and gluten free.
They’re extremely versatile: if it isn’t cherry season, use a special form of fruit, like blueberries or strawberries.
A lot simpler to deliver to a celebration or cookout than precise pie.

Elements

Flour – I used all objective flour, however if you wish to make these gluten free, merely use gluten free 1:1 baking flour. I do not suggest utilizing some other gluten free flour, for the reason that solely flour I examined these with is all objective.

Sugar – Cane sugar is greatest, however in order for you these bars to be much less candy tasting, use coconut sugar as a substitute.

Butter – Unsalted butter is most well-liked; in case you’re utilizing salted butter, omit the ¼ teaspoon of salt from the dry components.

Egg – The egg goes bind the dry components collectively; in order for you these to be egg-free, strive utilizing a flax egg. To take action, stir 1 tablespoon of floor flaxseed and a pair of.5 tablespoons of water collectively, then let the combination sit for 5-10 minutes.

Milk – Any sort. The milk goes to make sure the crumb combination is not too dry or crumb-y.

Cherries – Contemporary cherries are greatest and make sure the center filling is not too moist. Nevertheless, you can use frozen cherries (see “FAQ” part under).

Cornstarch – Cornstarch goes to assist take in a few of the moisture from the filling. A great substitution is all objective flour.

Instructions

Step 1: Make the crust. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a big mixing bowl. Then, grate the butter immediately into the bowl and use your arms to combine collectively till the butter resembles small pebbles. Stir within the egg and milk till the combination simply holds collectively once you pinch it.

Step 2: Make the cherry pie filling. Place the pitted cherries in a medium bowl, then use a potato masher to mash the cherries and place them right into a tremendous mesh strainer to empty any extra liquid. Place them again within the bowl, then stir within the sugar and cornstarch.

fresh cherries in a glass bowl mashed with a potato masher

Step 3: Kind into bars. Press ⅔ of the dry combination into the underside of a sq. baking dish along with your arms. Spoon the cherries on prime, then sprinkle the remaining crumb combination overtop.

Step 4: Bake. Place the baking pan within the oven and bake the bars at 375° for 32-36 minutes, or till the perimeters and prime are barely golden brown.

2 images: bars in a baking dish topped with fresh mashed cherries on the left and topped with a crumb topping on the right

Suggestions and FAQs

The primary time I made these cherry crumble bars, I did not embody milk within the crumb crust; nevertheless, the milk actually helps to carry the whole lot collectively, so I do suggest utilizing it. Plus, in any other case, the bars will likely be very crumb-y once you slice them.
The cherry combination goes to appear clumpy at first, and that is okay. The cherries will cook dinner down within the oven and when the bars are accomplished, the filling will resemble cherry jam.
Keep in mind to line your baking dish with parchment paper with an overhang for straightforward elimination.
Await the bars to chill fully earlier than slicing them to keep away from them falling aside.

Can I take advantage of frozen cherries as a substitute?

Sure! In case you’re not within the temper to pit contemporary cherries, I get it. Or, maybe it is not cherry season. Both means, you need to use frozen cherries. To take action, thaw the cherries fully, then mash then and drain as a lot liquid from them as attainable earlier than including them to a bowl and including sugar and cornstarch.

You don’t need the cherry combination to be too moist, so draining the liquid is essential.

Storage

Fridge: Retailer bars in a sealed container within the fridge for as much as one week.

Freezer: Await the bars to chill fully, then switch them to a freezer-safe container, putting layers of parchment or wax paper in between to forestall the bars from sticking to at least one one other.

a cherry bar with a bite taken out of it

Extra summer season desserts

In case you made this recipe, make sure to depart a remark and star score under. Thanks!