Description
Ruby Red Cherry Bars are buttery oat crumble bars filled with a bright, jammy cherry filling made from cherries, cornstarch, and lemon juice. They use simple pantry staples, come together easily, freeze well, and taste like summer in every bite.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: 2 cups
- Rolled oats: 1 cup
- Brown sugar: 3/4 cup
- Unsalted butter, cold: 1 cup (2 sticks)
- Salt: 1/2 tsp
- Cherry preserves or pitted cherries: 2 cups
- Cornstarch: 1 tbsp
- Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Instructions
- 1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
- 2. 2. Whisk the flour, oats, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Press half the mixture into the pan.
- 3. 3. Stir the cherries, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Spread this filling over the crust.
- 4. 4. Sprinkle the remaining crumble on top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Keep the butter cold for a flaky crust. Do not overmix the dough. Let the bars cool fully, or the filling will run. Chill the pan for 20 minutes before baking for firmer bars. Swap cherries for raspberry preserves to make Raspberry Red Bars.
Add 1/2 cup chopped almonds to the crust. Use gluten-free flour to make them gluten-free. Drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds. Serve with vanilla ice cream, hot coffee, cold milk, or whipped cream.
Frozen cherries work if thawed and drained first. Bars are done when the filling bubbles at the edges and the top turns golden.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: cherry bars, oat bars, cherry crumble bars, summer dessert, easy dessert, potluck dessert, cherry preserves