I used to think I disliked cherries, because I hated cherry-flavored candies, vitamins, drinks, and especially cherry cough drops. But I don’t think I’d ever tasted an actual cherry until I was a teenager. Weird, right?
After that first taste, I was in love!
Now, in the summertime, I’ll almost always have fresh cherries in my kitchen. Such was the case yesterday, when a neighbor came to me with a special request…
She is a huge fan of my Buttery Berry Crumble Bars.
And she asked if she could hire me to make her a batch. Someone requesting a vegan baked good?? Obviously I told her I’d be happy to make them for free! To deviate a little different from last time, I decided to make the bars with fresh cherries:
Cherry Crumble Bars
(Makes 10-14 bars)
- 1.5 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or white flour, or Bob’s gluten-free)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or coconut brown sugar (or xylitol, for a sugar-free option)
- pinch stevia OR add another tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp cold butter sub (Or click for: Fat-Free Option.)
- 2 tbsp milk of choice
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, chopped (8oz)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup, agave, or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- optional: a handful of chocolate chips
Cherry Bars Recipe: Stir together the first eight ingredients, making sure to break the butter up really well so that little crumbs form. Scoop 2/3 of the dough into a 4×7, oiled glass dish (or any small pan), and press down firmly. In a separate bowl, stir together the other ingredients. Layer them into the pan, then top with the rest of the dough from the first pan and press down a bit. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 F, then cool at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars. Store uncovered, unless you want a soft crust (in which case, you should cover completely with saran wrap).
View Cherry Crumble Bars Nutrition Facts
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I’m on the fence with cherries. I detest anything chery-flavoured, even jams and squares, but I enjoy fresh cherries once in a while. Weird?
I used to think I hated cherries too. Now, it is hard to keep them in my house because I could eat the whole bag in one day if I am not careful.
A big YAY to cherries, I love them so much! I actually just, like 2 minuts ago, posted about uncook chocolate cherry pancakes- YUM 😀
These bars looks wonderful. Cherries and chocolate are a combination made in heaven!
yum these look delish I love cherries but rarely buy them because organic are so expensive !!
100% YUMMMY! 😀 Except when they’re super sour. Its too bad I can’t have them often.. they’re really expensive!! 🙁
frozen cherries and chocolate smoothie is one of my favorite ways! I do not like the tiny red cherries, only the big dark ones with a pit! These look soooo dense and delicious wooooo!
I love cherries in all forms: fresh, dried, in baked goods. Yum.
Cherries are so yummy! Cherries + Chocolate = DELICIOUS
Cherries are YUMMY! I usually just eat them by the handful 🙂
Oh my gosh I loooooooove cherries. This is my favorite time of year just because cherries are in season. Well, I like clementine season, too. Have you tried roasting your cherries? Whole new level of flavor – amazing!! I’ve got a recipe for roasted cherry brownies on my blog – that’s how I discovered that roasting cherries is so amazing. It is my new favorite topping for, well, everything dessertish!
I haven’t tried it! I need to try this!!! It sounds so yummy!
Cherries are like my favorite food right now! Just a perfect summer treat! I bet this would taste great with one of your ice cream recipes! 🙂
I’m the same way!!! I looatthhee cherry-flavored stuff, but I LOVE cherries! I rarely cook with them though, because they’re such a pain in the a$$ to pit. Frozen cherries are a good idea though! I’m going to try these crumble bars — they look delish!
I love cherries! They are my favorite fruit. My favovorite cake is blackforest so I love that you added chocolate to these. I love this recipe I am going to try it ASAP!
I LOVE cherries! We eat them like candy around here. And yesterday, I made a delicious cherry-almond oatmeal for breakfast. For a healthy dessert, sometimes I will warm up frozen cherries and top them with banana “nice cream” and granola for a fake-out cherry crisp! YUM!
I love cherries! This recipe looks so good!
I dont think I’ve ever tried a cherry! Due to the fact that cherry flavored medicine, coughdrops etc gross me out!
Cherries = Yummy. Maraschino Cherries = Yucky.
oh HOW convenient. Im eating cherries right now we just bought! what better way to use the rest of the bag up then make these 🙂
Yum! Love that cherry filling 😀 I’m always loved cherries. And then working in a cherry packing plant and living on a cherry orchard I got so sick of them for a couple years but I love them now 😀 Can’t get enough!
I love cherries ! They are so delicious! But I am with you with not liking cherry flavoured things. I am the same with banana things- like bananas, do not like banana flavoured things- think that goes back to having horrible fake banana medicine when I was little!