Cherry Oatmeal Bars Recipe

Cherry oatmeal squares stacked on a white plate

Try these homemade Cherry Oatmeal Bars made from fresh or frozen cherries! With a sweet, chewy oatmeal crust and topping and a tart cherry filling, these bars are the perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 160kcal

Equipment

8x8 inch baking pan
Small pot or saucepan
Spatula or cooking spoon
Large Mixing Bowl
Measuring cups
2 knives or pastry cutter
parchment paper

Ingredients

Cherry Filling

2 ½ cups frozen cherries
3 tablespoons water
¼ cup granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract optional
1-3 tablespoons lemon juice about the juice of half a large lemon
pinch salt

Oatmeal Crust and Crumble Topping

1 cup whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup dark brown sugar packed
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter unsalted, cut into chunks

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Make the cherry filling by adding the frozen cherries, water, granulated sugar, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, vanilla extract (and almond extract if using), and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan.
Cook the cherry mixture on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens. With your spatula or cooking spoon, break cherries into smaller pieces. When done, taste and add 1-2 more tablespoons of lemon juice if needed to balance the sweetness. Place in refrigerator to cool until ready to use.
Prepare the crust and topping. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C.) and place the rack in the middle position. Mix flour, old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chunks of butter to the dry ingredients and cut it into the oat mixture with two knives or a pastry cutter until pea-sized.
Layer the oat bars by adding half of the oatmeal mixture to the prepared baking pan—press the mixture into the bottom of the pan in an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Pour the cooled cherry filling over the crust and spread it to an even layer. Evenly sprinkle the remaining oatmeal crumb mixture over the top of the cherries.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

- CHERRIES: We love fresh or frozen cherry for the recipe because it produces the best flavor, but you can substitute canned cherry pie filling in a pinch.
- FLOUR: We like the added nutrition of whole wheat flour, but all-purpose flour work also works well in the recipe.
- LEMON JUICE: Start by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the cherries while cooking. Add 1 - 2 more tablespoons of lemon juice after it's cooked, depending on the sweetness of your fruit. You want the filling on the tart side to balance the buttery sweet crust.

- BUTTER: Use cold butter to get a nice, flakey crust and topping. Salted or unsalted butter will work.
- STORING: Store Cherry Oat Bars layered between waxed paper in an airtight container or a pan topped with plastic wrap. Store on the counter for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition