Cherry Pie Crumb Bars
1 h 15 min
|
easy
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
All the cherry pie vibes without the fussy crust, with a buttery crumb top and bottom hugging a jammy, lemon-bright cherry center that actually tastes like fruit.
Perfect for picnics, BBQs, or a bake sale flex, these handheld bars cut clean, travel like a dream, and hit that sweet-tart, vanilla-kissed bite that keeps people coming back.
Ingredients (16 servings)
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Ingredients for the Crust & Crumble:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.69 lb
- ¾ cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder baking powder 0.17 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter, cold, cubed unsalted butter 8 oz
- 1 large egg large egg 1 ct
- 1 tsp vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
Ingredients for the Cherry Filling:
- 3 cups fresh cherries, pitted, halved fresh cherries 1 lb
- ½ cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch cornstarch 0.29 oz
- 1 Tbsp lemon, juiced lemons 1 Tbsp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
How to Make Cherry Pie Crumb Bars
-
Heat oven and prep the pan
Heat oven to 350 F with a rack in the center.
Line a quarter sheet pan (9x13) with parchment so it overhangs the long sides for a sling, and lightly grease the pan and parchment.
-
Make the crust and crumble
In a large bowl whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined.
Add the cold cubed butter and cut it into the dry mix with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.
Whisk the egg with vanilla, drizzle it over the crumbs, and toss with a fork until the dough looks evenly damp and holds small clumps when squeezed.
-
Press and par-bake the base
Scoop out 2 to 2 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture and chill it for the topping.
Press the remaining crumbs firmly and evenly into the prepared pan, packing the corners tight so the base is sturdy.
Chill the pan 10 minutes, then bake 12 to 15 minutes until just set and lightly golden at the edges.
-
Mix the cherry filling
In a bowl toss cherries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla until every cherry is glossy.
If the cherries release a lot of juice, let them sit 10 minutes, then pour off the juices into a small saucepan, simmer 1 to 2 minutes until lightly thickened, and pour back over the cherries.
Add a tiny pinch of salt to sharpen the flavors if you like.
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Assemble the bars
Spread the cherry filling evenly over the warm crust, leaving any thickened juices in the bowl if the pan looks flooded.
Crumble the reserved topping over the cherries in marble-sized clumps so you get crispy peaks and tender nooks.
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Bake until bubbly and golden
Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the crumble is deep golden and the cherry juices are bubbling thickly in the center, rotating the pan once halfway.
If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil.
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Cool, cut, and serve
Cool on a rack 1 hour, then chill 1 to 2 hours for the cleanest cuts because we do not do soggy, slumpy bars in this kitchen.
Use the parchment sling to lift, then cut into 16 bars with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge up to 5 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Substitutions
- All-purpose flour -> gluten-free 1:1 baking blend
- Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend that includes xanthan gum so the crust holds together; the texture stays sandy and crisp with a slightly more delicate bite.
- Cornstarch -> tapioca starch
- Swap equal amounts; the filling sets glossy and a touch more elastic, which helps prevent weeping when slicing.
- Fresh cherries -> frozen cherries (unthawed)
- Use straight from the freezer and add 1 extra teaspoon cornstarch; flavor is bold and the bake time may run 5 minutes longer, but you still get jammy pockets without soggy bottoms.
Tips
- Keep the butter cold for real crumb
- Cold butter gives you distinct nuggets that bake into crisp, buttery rubble instead of a greasy slab.
- Pack the base with intention
- Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust firmly so it does not shed crumbs when you lift the bars.
- Manage cherry juices
- Thicken any excess macerated juice on the stove and return it to the fruit so the flavor stays in the pan, not leaking under the crust.
- Par-bake then finish
- That short first bake sets the base, giving you a cookie-like foundation that stays crisp under the fruit.
- Cool, then chill before slicing
- Let the pectins and starches set so you get sharp edges and clean layers; rushing this step is how you get messy squares.
- Use a quarter sheet pan
- This formula is designed for a 9x13 pan; going bigger spreads the layers too thin and costs you texture and chew.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 433 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 7 | g |
| Total Fat | 17 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 64 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My crust crumbled when cutting. What went wrong?
- Either the base was not pressed firmly, it was underbaked in the par-bake, or you sliced before it fully set. Next time press hard with a flat cup, bake the base until edges look lightly golden, and chill at least 1 hour before cutting.
- The bottom is soggy. How do I prevent that?
- Par-bake the crust, thicken any excess cherry juices on the stove, and do not dump watery liquid into the pan. Bake until the center bubbles thickly, which means the starch has activated.
- Can I use canned cherry pie filling?
- Yes, use about 2 1/2 to 3 cups and skip the sugar, lemon, and cornstarch in the filling step. The flavor is sweeter and less bright, so add a squeeze of fresh lemon to wake it up.
- How do I pit cherries fast without a pitter?
- Use a sturdy metal straw or chopstick to push the pit out over a bowl while wearing an apron because cherry juice stains like a crime scene.
- How can I scale this to a half sheet pan?
- Double every ingredient and bake on a 13x18 half sheet pan; extend both the par-bake and final bake by 3 to 5 minutes, watching for the same visual cues.
- My crumb topping looks sandy, not chunky. Fix?
- Squeeze handfuls of topping to form clumps before sprinkling, and keep the mixture cold so the butter bonds the flour into those craveable nuggets.
Serving Suggestions
Hot tip from my New York kitchen: finish cooled bars with a light almond glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar, then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream so the warm spices and cherry tang sing.
If you are feeling a little extra, swap half the vanilla in the filling for almond extract and toss a few toasted sliced almonds over the crumble for that bakery-case vibe with real crunch.
More pairings:
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