These easy cherry Pie Bars are the perfect summer dessert recipe. Thy’re filled with a luscious cherry orange filling and the buttery crust and crumb topping are made using the same simple mixture!
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There’s something so satisfying about a recipe that’s both totally homemade and simple to make. These cherry pie crumb bars are made with fresh, juicy cherries and a buttery brown sugar and crumble topping.
They’re the kind of treat that feels special but comes together easily with everyday ingredients. I adapted this recipe from my Cranberry Lemon Bars.
For more fruit bars recipes, try my Strawberry Crumble Bars and White Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These flavorful bars are much easier than pie just like this strawberry apple crisp!
- You’ll love biting into the jammy cherry pie filling and buttery brown sugar crumble.
- The filling comes together in minutes and the crust and crumble topping are made from the same easy mixture.
- They pack up well and are great for picnics. For a holiday version of this recipe, you’ll love these caramel apple pie bars!
Ingredient Notes
Here are some useful notes on some of the ingredients.
- Cherries: You’ll need about 2 cup of pitted cherries. Use fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries or Rainier cherries. Thaw frozen cherries in a colander to drain excess liquid. Then use as instructed. If you love cherries, try my chocolate cherry muffins and cherry popsicles!
- Orange juice and orange zest: Orange adds bright fresh flavor. We are using both the zest and juice in the filling. If you love baking with orange, you’ll love these date and orange scones.
- Butter: Use unsalted, cool room temperature butter. It should be cool to the touch but gives slightly when you press it. It shouldn’t be ot glossy or greasy. If the butter is too soft or melty, the crust and topping may spread too much or not hold structure well.
- Brown sugar: Use fresh, light or dark brown sugar for the crust and topping. Make sure your brown sugar is fresh.
- Oats: Use old fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats. Do not use instant oats. If you have leftover oats, be make these delicious chai bars.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens up the cherry pie filling.
- Cornstarch: For thickening the filling.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use lemon or lime juice and zest in place of the orange.
- Swap in arrowroot starch in place of the cornstarch.
- Serve with a scoop of ice cream. My recipe for homemade caramel sauce also makes the best topping!
Step by Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this cherry bars recipe.
Step 1: (See photo 1 above). Bring the water, orange juice, cinnamon stick and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cherries and cornstarch and simmer for 6-8. Remove from heat. Stir in the orange zest. Set aside.
Step 2: (See photo 2 above). In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
Step 3: (See photo 3 above). Add the room temperature butter.
Step 4: (See photo 4 above). Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the mixture.
Step 5: (See photo 5 above). Press half of the mixture into a buttered 8X8 inch square pan lined with parchment paper.
Step 6: (See photo 6 above). Use an offset spatula or rubber spatula to spread the cherry pie filling over the crust.
Step 7: (See photo 7 above). Sprinkle the rest of the crumble over the cherry layer. Press down very lightly just to make sure it’s in place.
Step 8: (See photo 8 above). Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
Expert Tips
Tip #1: Make sure your brown sugar is fresh.
Tip #2: Use an 8 inch pan. I don’t recommend making them in a 9 inch pan. The bars would be too thin if you use a 9-inch pan.
Tip #3: To save time, use a cherry pitter. I’m not super into kitchen gadgets, but this definitely comes in handy.
Tip #4: Use cool room temperature butter that is about 60–65°F / 15–18°C. The butter should be cool to the touch but give slightly when you press it. If the butter is too soft or greasy, the crust and topping may spread too much or not hold structure well.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can use frozen cherries. Thaw the cherries in a colander to drain excess liquid. Then use as instructed.
These cherry squares look and smell amazing warm from the oven, but you should wait to cut them! They need to cool completely so the filling and crumb topping have time to set. You can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.
Store cherry bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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Cherry Pie Bars
Ingredients
Cherry Pie Filling
- ⅔ cup (133.33 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (78.86 ml) water
- 2 cups (276 g) cherries pitted, quartered
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) orange juice
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) orange zest
- 1 (1) cinnamon stick
Brown Sugar Crust and Topping
- ¾ cups (93.75 g) all purpose flour
- 1⅓ cups (108 g) old fashioned oats or quick cooking oats, do not use instant oats
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) salt
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) baking powder
- ⅔ cup (146.67 g) light brown sugar packed
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter cool room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the pan, see notes below
Instructions
Cherry Pie Filling
- Place the water, orange juice, cinnamon stick, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the cherries and cornstarch and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Stir constantly until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Remove the cinnamon stick. Stir in the orange zest. Set aside to cool slightly.
Brown Sugar Crust and Topping
- Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Butter an 8-inch square pan. Line the pan with a large strip of parchment paper. Leave an overhang on both sides of the parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the cubed butter. Stir or mix together with your hands.
- Spoon half of the mixture into the pan. Press it firmly in the bottom of the pan.
- Spread the cherry filling over the crust layer. Sprinkle the remainder of the crumble topping over the cherry layer. Press lightly to make sure it's in place.
- Bake 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Place the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Cut into squares and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Lisa
So good , I used more of a tart cherry from my bushes and it was so good a little tangy with the sweetness of the crust then I put fresh vanilla bean ice cream on top !
Natalie
Hi Lisa, Thanks so much for making this recipe! Sounds so good with your own tart cherries and great idea to top them with fresh vanilla bean ice cream! Yum! Have a great evening. -Natalie
Ellie
Printed the recipe. Plan to make them this coming week!
Juliana
Best cherry pie bars you can ever make! Made them yesterday for family and friends and they already disappeared.
Natalie
Hi Juliana, thank you for making these cherry pie bars! So happy they were a big hit! 🙂