🍒 Cherry Crumb Bars
Buttery, crumbly, jammy, and slightly crisp on top—these cherry crumb bars are perfect with coffee or as an easy dessert.
Ingredients
For the cherry filling
4 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
For the crumb mixture
2½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional
½ teaspoon almond extract
½ cup sliced almonds
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Equipment
9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking pan
Parchment paper
Medium saucepan
Mixing bowls
Pastry cutter or fork
Instructions
Prepare the pan
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Line a 9 × 13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
Lightly grease the parchment.
Make the cherry filling
Place the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan.
Cook over medium heat for 6–10 minutes, stirring frequently.
The cherries will release their juices and the mixture will become thick and glossy.
If using frozen cherries, you can cook them directly from frozen; they may need a couple of extra minutes.
Remove from the heat and let the filling cool slightly.
Make the crumb mixture
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add the cold cubed butter.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until you have coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla.
Add this to the crumb mixture and stir until the dough begins to clump together.
Form the bottom crust
Set aside about 1½ cups of the crumb mixture for the topping.
Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
Add the cherry layer
Spread the slightly cooled cherry filling evenly over the warm crust.
Don’t spread it all the way to the edges if the filling is very runny; leave about ¼ inch around the perimeter.
Add the crumb topping
Scatter the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the cherries.
If using sliced almonds, sprinkle them over the top.
Bake
Return the pan to the oven.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges.
Cool completely
Place the pan on a wire rack.
Let the bars cool for at least 1½–2 hours before cutting.
For especially clean slices, refrigerate them for about 30 minutes after they have cooled.
Serve
Lift the bars out using the parchment overhang.
Cut into squares or rectangles.
Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Tips for the best cherry crumb bars
Don’t skip the pre-bake: It keeps the bottom crust from becoming soggy.
Keep the butter cold: Cold butter creates a more tender, crumbly texture.
Cook the filling until thick: If it’s too loose, the bars can fall apart.
Cool completely before slicing: The cherry filling continues to set as it cools.
For sweeter bars: Increase the filling sugar to ¾ cup.
For a stronger cherry-almond flavor: Add ½ teaspoon almond extract to the filling.
Using cherry preserves: You can substitute about 2½–3 cups thick cherry preserves for the homemade filling if you want a shortcut.
Storage: Keep covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The bars can also be frozen, tightly wrapped, for about 2–3 months.