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A sure sign of summer in my house is when we’ve got loads and loads of fresh cherries on hand. They are just the fruit of summer for me! I love cherries in my oatmeal and own their own as a healthy snack, but my favorite way to enjoy them is in these Cherry Pie Crumble Bars. These delicious fruit filled bars are perfectly soft & chewy, easy to make, and are simply bursting with sweet cherry flavor. They’re also naturally sweetened, vegan, and a super healthy sweet treat option! These fresh cherry bars are sure to be your family’s new favorite!

These bars were inspired by a popular recipe of last summer, my Vegan Berry Crumble Bars. If you’re a berry over cherry person, try these out!

a stack of cherry bars

Ingredients needed for Cherry Pie Crumble Bars…

All you need for these cherry pie crumble bars are a few simple and healthy ingredients! They have a shortbread like crust, a sweet & tart cherry filling, and an oatmeal crumble topping. Plus this easy cherry dessert is vegan, can be gluten free, and is overall a good-for-you treat.

  • Almond Flour: Almond flour is the base of the shortbread crust in these cherry crumble bars! It is a gluten free flour and makes for perfectly light & fluffy textured treats. You will need 2 cups!
  • Oat Flour: Oat flour is also used in this crust! I always make my own by simply blending up oats in a high speed blender until a fine flour forms. But you can also buy in most grocery stores! Add 1 cup.
  • Oats: For the oatmeal crumble topping in these cherry bars you’ll of course need oats. I like to use old fashioned and 1/4 cup is the perfect amount!
  • Coconut Oil: Refined coconut oil adds the perfect moisture to this sweet treat. Make sure to use refined coconut oil, as unrefined or virgin coconut oil will make your cherry bars taste like coconut! You’ll need 1/2 cup.
  • Pure Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup is used in this recipe. It is a natural refined sugar free option! Add 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp for the crust and 2 tbsp for the cherry filling.
  • Cherries: Gotta have cherries for cherry pie bars! Use 1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen cherries.
  • Vanilla Extract: I always always always use vanilla extract. You just gotta have that classic taste! Add 1 1/2 tsp.
  • Corn starch: Corn starch helps to thicken up the cherry filling in these pie bars. 1/2 tsp is the perfect amount!
  • Salt: You’ll need 1/2 tsp of salt to balance out the sweet here!
cherry bars and a bowl of cherries on a white background

Can I use frozen cherries in these bars?

Yes, you can totally use frozen cherries in these bars! Frozen cherries will definitely make the process a little bit easier too. First, frozen cherries are available all year long so you won’t face the issue of the fruit being out of season. And second, you’ll save lots of time preparing the cherries. I used fresh in these pie bars which meant I had to remove the pit from each cherry by hand. I know, yikes!

However, I do absolutely love using fresh cherries in these bars. There is just something about using juicy, beautiful, and fresh fruit thats adds a little oomph to a sweet treat in my opinion!

cherry pie crumble bars on a white background with oats around them

How to make Healthy Cherry Crumble Bars…

These oatmeal crumble cherry bars are actually quite easy to make! You only need a few ingredients to make the shortbread crust that doubles as the crumble topping and the cherry filling is super simple too. Then once you have those ready to go you just need to assemble your layers and bake! The result is these beautiful and delicious bars.

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Begin with the cherry filling.  Add the cherries, maple syrup, and water to a small saucepan on the stove over low to medium heat.  Smash the cherries once able to and mix in the corn starch.  Let the fruit simmer for about 5 minutes until it begins to thicken.  Remove from the heat and place in the fridge to thicken further.
  3. Then begin the crust.  In a large mixing bowl combine the almond flour, oat flour, and salt.
  4. Next add in the melted coconut oil, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract.  Combine evenly.
  5. Add 2/3 of the mixture to a greased or lined 8×8 baking dish.  Flatten into a crust.
  6. Pour the cherry filling onto the crust and spread evenly.
  7. Add the oats to the remaining 1/3 of the crust mixture and combine to make the crumble topping.  Next add the crumble topping on top of the cherry filling.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes.  
close up shot of cherry oatmeal crumble bars

How to store Cherry Crumble Bars…

You can store these cherry crumble bars on the counter in an airtight container for about 5 days. If you want to keep these bars fresh for longer, I recommend storing in the refrigerator. They’ll last 1-2 weeks there!

For even longer storage, keep these cherry pie bars in the freezer! They will last a couple months and are a perfect freezer stash goodie. I mean, there really is nothing better than a stash of treats in the freezer to choose from when your sweet tooth kicks in.

cherry pie crumble bars

Need some more summer treats? Check these out…

Connect with me!

If you make Cherry Crumble Pie Bars or any of my other recipes I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on instagram, so I can see and share your recreation

a stack of cherry bars
cherry bars

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.

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Cherry Pie Crumble Bars

  • Author: Kayla Berman
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 16 Squares 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

Cherry Pie Crumble Bars are the perfect fruit filled summer dessert! They have a shortbread like crust, a sweet & tart cherry filling, and an oatmeal crumble topping. Plus this easy cherry dessert is vegan, can be gluten free, and is made with only a few simple & healthy ingredients. Sure to be your family’s new favorite!

Ingredients

Scale

Crust & Crumb Topping

Cherry Filling

  • 1 1/2 cup cherries (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Begin with the cherry filling.  Add the cherries, maple syrup, and water to a small saucepan on the stove over low to medium heat.  Smash the cherries once able to and mix in the corn starch.  Let the fruit simmer for about 5 minutes until it begins to thicken.  Remove from the heat and place in the fridge to thicken further.
  3. Then begin the crust.  In a large mixing bowl combine the almond flour, oat flour, and salt.
  4. Next add in the melted coconut oil, pure maple syrup, and vanilla extract.  Combine evenly.
  5. Add 2/3 of the mixture to a greased or lined 8×8 baking dish.  Flatten into a crust.
  6. Pour the cherry filling onto the crust and spread evenly.
  7. Add the oats to the remaining 1/3 of the crust mixture and combine to make the crumble topping.  Next add the crumble topping on top of the cherry filling.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes.  

Keywords: cherry crumble bars, cherry pie crumble bars, cherry pie bars, healthy cherry crumble bars, vegan cherry crumble bars, gluten free, vegan

cherry pie bars