Cherry Bars

Cherry bars are a delightful treat, combining a buttery crust with sweet cherry filling. Here’s a simple recipe for you:

Cherry Bars

Ingredients:

• For the Crust and Topping:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• For the Cherry Filling:
  • 2 cups cherry pie filling (or fresh cherries, pitted and chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (if using fresh cherries)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

Instructions:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan.
2. Make the Crust/Topping:
   • In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
   • Add the cold butter and mix with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Press the Crust:
   • Reserve about 1 cup of the mixture for the topping, and press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the greased baking pan to form the crust.
4. Prepare the Cherry Filling:
   • If using fresh cherries, mix them with lemon juice and cornstarch. If using canned pie filling, you can skip this step.
   • Spread the cherry filling evenly over the crust.
5. Add Topping:
   • Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the cherry filling.
6. Bake:
   • Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
7. Cool and Serve:
   • Let the bars cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares. Enjoy them warm or at room temperature!

These cherry bars are perfect for dessert, snacks, or even a sweet breakfast treat! Enjoy!