Satisfy your sweet tooth with these easy cherry crumble bars layered with a buttery crust, jammy cherry filling, and a golden, crunchy streusel topping. They’re everything you love about cherry pie, but simpler, quicker, and perfect for sharing.
I’ve been baking these cherry crumble bars every cherry season for as long as I can remember. What started as a shortcut alternative to pie quickly became a favorite in its own right. There’s no rolling out dough or fussing with a lattice crust, just press the dough into the pan, spread the glossy cherry filling, sprinkle over the crumble, and bake. It’s wonderfully low-effort with incredibly high reward.
Over the years, these bars have made appearances at picnics, potlucks, and family gatherings, and they disappear fast every single time. The crust bakes up tender and cookie-like, the filling turns beautifully jewel-red and luscious, and the topping adds just the right buttery crunch. If you’re looking for a go-to summer dessert that feels both homey and celebratory, this is the only cherry crumble bar recipe you’ll ever need.
Ingredients in Cherry Crumble Bars
This ingredient list keeps things simple while building deep, fruity flavor throughout every layer.
How to Make Cherry Crumble Bars
This recipe comes together step by step with straightforward mixing, layering, and baking.
1. Prepare the oven and pan
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This makes it easy to lift the bars out cleanly once they have cooled and set.
2. Make the crust and crumble base
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it in until the mixture resembles coarse, damp sand with some pea-sized lumps. Set aside about 1½ cups of this mixture for the crumble topping.
3. Press and par-bake the crust
Press the remaining crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn lightly golden. A par-baked crust prevents a soggy bottom once the filling goes in.
4. Prepare the crumble topping
While the crust bakes, add the brown sugar to your reserved crumb mixture and toss with your fingers until large, uneven clumps form. These irregular pieces create the beautifully craggy topping that makes crumble bars so satisfying.
5. Make the cherry filling
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the pitted cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens and the cherries begin to break down slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. The filling should be glossy and jammy, not watery.
6. Assemble the bars
Pour the warm cherry filling evenly over the hot crust and spread it to the edges. Scatter the crumble topping over the cherries in an even layer, pressing gently so it adheres without completely covering the filling.
7. Bake until golden and bubbling
Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crumble is deep golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out and slicing. Refrigerating for at least 2 hours helps them slice cleanly.
How to Serve Cherry Crumble Bars
These bars are wonderful served at room temperature, though I also love them slightly warm with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream melting alongside. The contrast of cold cream against the hot, jammy filling is absolutely dreamy.
For a more elegant presentation, dust the bars lightly with powdered sugar just before serving. A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream on the side works beautifully too and keeps things feeling light and fresh.
They’re ideal for summer gatherings since they travel well, hold their shape once chilled, and look gorgeous on a serving platter with their vibrant red filling peeking through the golden crumble.
Recipe Tips
- Pit and dry cherries thoroughly before cooking to prevent excess moisture in the filling.
- Keep the butter cold when making the crust for the best crumbly texture.
- Do not skip the par-bake step or the crust may turn out underdone and soft.
- Let the bars cool completely before slicing or the filling will run.
- Frozen cherries work well here, no need to thaw, just add a minute or two to the cooking time.
- Store bars in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, covered tightly.
- Bring bars to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- Add ¼ teaspoon of almond extract to the filling for a deeper, more complex cherry flavor.
Cherry Crumble Bars
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy20
20
minutes50
Ingredients
For the crust and crumble:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups cold unsalted butter, cubed
¼ cup brown sugar (for topping)
For the cherry filling:
4 cups pitted fresh or frozen cherries
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Directions
- Prepare the oven and pan:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This makes it easy to lift the bars out cleanly once they have cooled and set. - Make the crust and crumble base:
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it in until the mixture resembles coarse, damp sand with some pea-sized lumps. Set aside about 1½ cups of this mixture for the crumble topping. - Press and par-bake the crust:
Press the remaining crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn lightly golden. A par-baked crust prevents a soggy bottom once the filling goes in. - Prepare the crumble topping:
While the crust bakes, add the brown sugar to your reserved crumb mixture and toss with your fingers until large, uneven clumps form. These irregular pieces create the beautifully craggy topping that makes crumble bars so satisfying. - Make the cherry filling:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the pitted cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens and the cherries begin to break down slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. The filling should be glossy and jammy, not watery. - Assemble the bars:
Pour the warm cherry filling evenly over the hot crust and spread it to the edges. Scatter the crumble topping over the cherries in an even layer, pressing gently so it adheres without completely covering the filling. - Bake until golden and bubbling:
Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crumble is deep golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out and slicing. Refrigerating for at least 2 hours helps them slice cleanly.
