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Tart Cherry Pie Bars Melt Hearts

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Enjoy these delightful Tart Cherry Pie Bars with a buttery oatmeal crumble topping. They are a perfect fruity dessert for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Crust and Crumble:
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • For the Filling:
  • 2 cups pitted tart cherries, fresh or frozen (thawed if frozen)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease and flour an 8×8 inch baking pan.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and salt for the crust and crumble.
  3. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  4. Press about two-thirds of the crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust.
  5. In a medium bowl, combine the tart cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and extracts. Stir gently until the cherries are evenly coated.
  6. Pour the cherry filling over the crust in the baking pan.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the cherry filling.
  8. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
  9. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Notes

  • For frozen cherries, do not thaw them completely before mixing with sugar and cornstarch.
  • If you prefer a sweeter filling, you can increase the granulated sugar slightly.
  • You can add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the crumble mixture for extra warmth.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/tart-cherry-pie-bars-oatmeal-crumble/