Cherry Pie Crumb Bars Recipe – quick and easy crumb bars with fresh cherry filling. Buttery crumb topping and sweet fruit filling make this a perfect summer dessert!
After the light and fluffy Cherry Poke Cake, that may I just say now disappear quicker than any cake I’ve ever made (maybe with the exception of my Pineapple Coconut Cake), I was left with 2 cups of cherries to use up quickly. As always in such a situation, I quickly decided to make my favorite and trusted crumb bars.
CHERRY PIE CRUMB BARS
It’s hard to decide what part of these bars is better: the buttery and crunchy crumb topping or the sweet cherry filling that just screams summer! Enjoy these Cherry Pie Crumb Bars dusted with powdered sugar, a la mode with a scoop of ice cream or packed in your lunchbox.
CAN I USE FROZEN CHERRIES TO MAKE THESE BARS?
For this Cherry Pie Crumb Bars recipe, you can use any fruit. You can use fresh or frozen, but thawed before baking.
The trick to perfect crumb topping is to use completely cooled to room temperature butter. Hot will cook the mixture and the crumbs won’t form. It’s helpful to stir the mixture with a fork to make perfect size crumbs. You can also bake these bars in a round 8″ pan for a thin slice pie.
More Crumb Bars Recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
Cherry Pie Crumb Bars Recipe - quick and easy crumb bars with fresh cherry filling. Buttery crumb topping and sweet fruit filling make this a perfect summer dessert!
This recipe makes 9 bars.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted , cooled to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups fresh cherries , pitted, each sliced in half
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line a square 8" baking pan with parchment paper. Butter the sides and bottom of lined pan. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together cherries, cornstarch and lemon juice.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together melted butter and sugar. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and stir with a fork until the mixture resembles crumbs.
- Reserve 3/4 cup of mixture.
- Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of prepared pan.
- Spread cherry filling over the crust.
- Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over cherries.
- Sprinkle sugar over crumb topping.
- Bake bars for 23 to 25 minutes OR until the top is golden.
- Cool completely before cutting.
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Vicki says
September 7, 2019 at 7:35 pmHi, I am a little confused by the melted butter! You tell us to have it at room temperature the you say melted. Please help! Thank you
Anna says
September 8, 2019 at 8:42 pmHi Vicki! First, melt the butter. It will be hot. You need to let it sit in room temperature to cool. It will not solidify. It has to be cooled before mixing with the rest of the ingredients or it will “cook” the flour mixture. I hope this explains it!
Alisa says
August 27, 2019 at 10:29 amHi Anna…. could you make this happen fresh apples??
Anna says
September 14, 2019 at 11:35 pmHi Alisa! I am actually working on a recipe similar to this with apples! Stay tuned.
Robin says
August 3, 2019 at 3:36 pmJust put in oven. Hope they turn out like everyone else has raved about. Super easy besides taking the pits out. Lol I added a little sugar in the cherry mixture. Hoping that doesn’t screw it up!
Anna says
August 5, 2019 at 11:45 amHi Robin! Let me know how they turned out! I hope you love them!
David says
July 21, 2019 at 11:05 pmThese came out great. Everyone at work loved them. Doubled the recipe and made in a 9 x 13 pan. Couldn’t keep them all at home or I would eat too many of them! Going to make them again and try blueberries next.
Anna says
July 22, 2019 at 12:41 pmHi David! Thank you so much for trying my recipe! I am so glad the crumb bars were a success!
Summer says
July 9, 2019 at 2:46 pmDo these freeze well?
Anna says
July 11, 2019 at 1:36 pmYes, they do. Just make sure to wrap them well before freezing.
Peggy says
July 16, 2019 at 6:03 pmSo glad to hear they freeze! I’m going to make these tomorrow with the last of my fresh cherries. Love the apricot idea since their season is coming right upon my area.
Martha says
July 3, 2019 at 3:58 pmCould I use apricot instead cherries? I have a lot of apricot and I don’t know what to do with them.
Anna says
July 4, 2019 at 11:40 amHi Martha! Yes! I think apricots will be fantastic in this recipe!
Janet says
June 30, 2019 at 12:31 pmOMG i will be making these again. I used fresh pitted cherries. The cherries are soft but are meaty, not mushy.
it needs a little more crumble on top, so make more. I used more cherries that It called for. At least a cup & 1/2 more probably and did not cut them up. Mist used whole. Definitely making them again
Anna says
July 1, 2019 at 5:47 pmHi Janet! I am so glad the bars are a favorite! Thank you so much for trying my recipe! Have a beautiful day!
Brooke says
June 16, 2019 at 6:32 pmWhat kind of cherries, sweet or tart? Thanks.
Anna says
June 17, 2019 at 3:00 pmHi Brooke! I used sweet cherries.
Rachel says
May 23, 2019 at 4:16 pmTurned out amazing! Not quite as perfect as yours but beautiful and yummy! Definitely a keeper and I’ll be trying other fruits and nuts! Wish I could post a picture!
Bea says
May 13, 2019 at 7:41 pmIf using canned cherries, how many cans? Would one be sufficient? Thank you… they look yummy 🤗
Anna says
May 16, 2019 at 3:06 pmHi Bea! One can should be enough. I hope you love the bars!
Janice Mazur says
May 6, 2019 at 10:45 amHave you ever doubled the recipe to fit a 9 X 13?
Lisa K says
May 7, 2019 at 4:53 amI was wondering that too. Looks yummy!
Anna says
May 7, 2019 at 11:44 amHi Janice! Yes, you can easily double the recipe for 9″x13″ pan. Increase baking time to 30 minutes and check if the bars are done. Add more time if needed. I hope this helps!
Bonnie says
May 5, 2019 at 11:43 pmAre these made with tart cherries or bing cherries? They look so dark in the pictures.
Thank you.
Carol Eberhardt says
February 19, 2019 at 7:19 amI would like to make these with frozen cherries. Would you suggest cooking down the cherries a bit to thicken or thaw and drain as much liquid as possible before baking? Thank you!!!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
February 19, 2019 at 11:42 pmHi Carol! Yes, I recommend cooking off the liquid or the bars won’t bake properly. Let me know if you make them!
Patty says
June 3, 2019 at 10:01 pmTienes una pagina donde seguirte m encantan tus recetas
Anna says
June 6, 2019 at 9:44 pmThank you so much, Patty!
Coleen Agvent says
January 22, 2019 at 1:45 pmIf using canned cherry pie filling, do you still need to mix it with the cornstarch and lemon juice or just use directly from the can ?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
January 22, 2019 at 1:50 pmHi Coleen! No need for cornstarch and lemon juice if you are using canned pie filling. Just spread it over the bottom crust and top with crumb topping. Hope this helps!
Coleen Agvent says
January 22, 2019 at 11:09 pmThank you
Taylor says
January 19, 2019 at 9:42 amThese look INCREDIBLE! I could use 1 (or 5) of these right now 🙂
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
January 20, 2019 at 1:10 pmMe too! 😀 Thank you!
krissy says
January 18, 2019 at 5:39 pmthis is sweet and savory and so delicious! i will be making it again very soon!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
January 20, 2019 at 1:11 pmThank you so much, Krissy!
Jenn says
July 1, 2019 at 9:01 amAnna, could I use almond flour in these?
Anna says
July 1, 2019 at 5:43 pmHi Jenn! I do not have much experience baking with almond flour. I am so sorry!
Julie Blanner says
January 18, 2019 at 5:02 pmThese look amazing! I love cherry!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
January 20, 2019 at 1:12 pmThanks, Julie!
Beth Klosterboer says
January 18, 2019 at 2:38 pmI love cherry anything and these bars are amazing!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
January 20, 2019 at 1:12 pmThank you, Beth!
Sommer says
January 18, 2019 at 2:27 pmThese are stellar! Everything you want in a dessert!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
January 20, 2019 at 1:12 pmThanks, Sommer!
Kim Wemyss says
August 17, 2018 at 9:52 pmWould almond flour or gluten free baking flour work for these?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
August 18, 2018 at 10:43 pmHi Kim! You can use gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill. I am not sure about almond flour. Let me know if you try it!
Caitlin says
August 13, 2018 at 2:51 pmCan I use canned cherries to make the filling??
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
August 13, 2018 at 10:56 pmYes! Any pie filling works. Let me know what you think, Caitlin!
Giget says
July 27, 2018 at 1:13 pmWhat does 1,5 cups of flour mean?? How many cups of flour do you actually need? Is it 1 cup, is it 5 cups, is it 1.5 cups? It would help to change that to make the directions easier to understand
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
July 29, 2018 at 1:10 pmHi Giget! I updated the recipe to show it should be 1 and 1/2 cup of flour. Hope this helps!
Mallery says
November 4, 2017 at 3:15 pmCan you use pie filling for it instead of fresh or frozen fruit?
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
November 8, 2017 at 12:32 amHi Mallery! Absolutely! Pie fillings and even jams work perfectly in this recipe. Enjoy!
Barb says
July 22, 2017 at 2:48 pmThanks, new family favorite!
Jessica | The Novice Chef says
July 18, 2017 at 4:19 pmI have so many fresh cherries to use! Perfect!
Michelle @ The Complete Savorist says
July 13, 2017 at 12:05 amI started seeing hearts and stars after that very first picture. I am in love. Pinning!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
July 13, 2017 at 12:56 amAwww, you are so sweet! Thank you, Michelle!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
July 12, 2017 at 9:55 pmWow, those look SO good! I’d be in trouble having those around me – I’d have a hard time resisting eating way to many of them! 🙂
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
July 13, 2017 at 12:56 amYep! I know what you mean, Kimberly! 😀
Jennifer says
July 1, 2019 at 10:50 amHello, can I susbtitute the butter with oil?
Anna says
July 1, 2019 at 12:34 pmHi Jennifer! I am afraid oil will not work in this recipe. You will not get the same crumb texture.
Catalina says
July 12, 2017 at 12:18 pmI love the perfect texture that these cherry pie bars have!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
July 13, 2017 at 12:57 amThanks, Catalina!
Lauren @ Hall Nesting says
July 12, 2017 at 9:28 amYou must have known I have some cherries ready to be used in the fridge!
Anna@CrunchyCreamySweet says
July 13, 2017 at 12:57 amYay! You will love these, Lauren! 😀
Jen says
July 11, 2017 at 7:38 pmWow! You really nailed this!! I can’t decide what I’m most excited about- the flakey layers or that tempting cherry filling!
Sues says
July 10, 2017 at 9:50 pmThese look so awesome and have most definitely been pinned!! Love the bright color 🙂