Description
Cherry Crumb Bars are a delightful mix of sweet and tart flavors, perfect for any occasion, featuring a crumbly shortbread crust and juicy cherry filling.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups pitted cherries, measured after pitting & sliced in half
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (use 3 tablespoons if using sour cherries)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (16 grams)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams), melted
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (219 grams)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (133 grams)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (24 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C).
- Line an 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang around the edges.
- Ensure your cherries are pitted, then slice each in half or quarters.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the cherry filling ingredients: cherries, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and fresh lemon juice. Set this mixture aside.
- In a larger bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the shortbread layer: 1 3/4 cups of flour, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Stir the melted butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a crumbly texture.
- Press a little more than half of this shortbread mixture into the lined pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the top looks set. Remove from the oven but keep it on.
- With the remaining shortbread mixture, stir in the 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.
- Spoon the cherry mixture on top of the baked shortbread base, avoiding any excess juice.
- Crumble the remaining shortbread mixture over the cherry layer.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the top turns a nice golden yellow.
- Allow the bars to cool completely for 3-4 hours.
- Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper and slice with a sharp knife.
Notes
Ensure cherries are pitted thoroughly to avoid any unpleasant bites. These bars store well and can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg