Cherry Bars
Published Jun 24, 2026
Cherry bars made with red cherries simmered in lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Baked with an oat topping, cooled, and cut into squares.
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Everyone loves these cherry pie bars!
In Michigan during the summer, there are cherries everywhere, and I make it a point to use them in desserts like these Cherry Bars, Cherry Cobbler and Cherry Pie! We live about 3 hours from Traverse City, which is the cherry capital of the world, which means I get to pick some of the freshest, best cherries in the world to enjoy on their own or use in all kinds of recipes.
These cherry bars get priority when I’m back home because they use lots of cherries, they take little time to prep for summer gatherings, and they really are a crowd favorite. Hope you enjoy this one!
Happy Baking!
– Yumna
This recipe is part of our monthly Cooking Challenge for July 2026!
Cherry Bars Ingredients
- Cherries: You can use either fresh or frozen cherries. Just make sure they’re pitted! If the frozen cherries are rock solid, thaw them slightly so they break down faster and more evenly when you heat the filling. You can use canned cherry pie filling, but it will change the flavor and texture to be sweeter and a bit mushier. If you go this route, skip the stovetop step and just spread the canned filling directly on top of the dough.
- Rolled oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats here. Quick oats and steel-cut oats won’t work in this recipe.
- For the cherry bars dough: In addition to the oats, you’ll also need all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and large eggs. I recommend aluminum-free baking powder so you don’t have any metallic taste. Room-temperature butter and eggs are best for mixing. Here are my tips on how to soften butter quickly!
- For the cherry bars filling: Combine the cherries with more granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, and more salt. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can also use arrowroot or tapioca starch. And if you don’t have almond extract, vanilla also works.
How to Make Cherry Bars
These step-by-step photos show how I build the bars from the cherry filling to the crumb topping. For the full measurements and detailed instructions, skip to the Cherry Bars Recipe below
1. Make the Cherry Filling
Add the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, and salt to a saucepan. Heat until the cherries release their juices and the mixture thickens, stirring every so often so it does not stick.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugar
Beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture looks creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, letting each one mix in before adding the next.
3. Mix the Dough
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low until no dry streaks remain. The dough should look thick and soft, but not runny.
4. Press the Bottom Layer
Scoop most of the dough into the prepared pan and press it into an even layer. I like using an offset spatula here because the dough is a little sticky.
5. Add the Cherry Filling
Spread the cooled cherry filling over the dough. Try to take it all the way to the edges so every square gets some of the filling.
6. Add the Oat Topping
Stir the reserved dough with the remaining oats, then drop small spoonfuls over the cherry layer. It does not need to cover the filling completely.
7. Bake the Cherry Bars
Bake until the top is lightly golden and the filling looks set around the edges. Let the pan cool completely before cutting, or the bars will be harder to slice cleanly.
Full Cherry Pie Bars Recipe
Cherry Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Cherry filling
- 1 pound (16 ounces) frozen pitted cherries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the bars
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats divided
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
Instructions
- Combine the frozen cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, and salt in a saucepan. Heat over medium-high, gently stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil for 1 minute before setting to the side to cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9 x 9 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ½ cup oats, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture. Continue to mix until no flour streaks remain, scraping down the bowl as needed. The dough will be thick and smooth.
- Reserve ½ cup of the dough for the topping, then scoop the remaining dough into the prepared baking dish. Using an offset spatula or your hands, spread the dough evenly into the pan.
- Spoon the cooled cherry filling over the top of the dough and spread into an even layer. Then, stir the remaining ½ cup oats with the remaining dough. Scoop teaspoonfuls of the mixture over the top.
- Bake for 35 minutes, until lightly golden on top and set. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely. Then, cut into 16 equal squares.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add texture on top: Top the cherry bars with ½ cup chopped almonds, pistachios, or walnuts. Or, try a sprinkle of coconut flakes or coarse sugar.
- Make them chocolatey: Adding chocolate is always a good idea. You can add ¼ cup white chocolate chips into the batter, or drizzle the bars with melted dark chocolate after they cool.
Recipe Tips
- Line the pan with parchment and leave an overhang on two sides. This makes it easy to lift the bars out cleanly after they cool.
- Watch the bake time. These bars firm up as they cool, so pull them out of the oven when they’re just golden on top, and the filling is bubbling slightly around the edges.
FAQs
If your filling didn’t thicken enough, it probably needs more time on the stove. Make sure it reaches a full boil for at least a minute. Also, check that your cornstarch hasn’t expired, as it can lose thickening power over time.
More Dessert Bar Recipes
- Date Bars
- No-Bake Cookie Dough Bars
- Halva (Creamy Tahini Bars)
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Vegan Lemon Bars
- Strawberry Oat Bars
Comments
I think the only way this could turn out better is if we could get our hands on some of those juicy Michigan Montmorency cherries 🙂 either way, delicious! And I love that we can enjoy these bars year round, since it’s made with frozen fruit!
These were amazing – very popular at home and work! They also froze well. Will definitely be making these again and again.
That’s awesome! I’m so glad they were popular at home and at work. Glad it’s a repeat recipe for you!
This recipe is a keeper! I prepared it for our good friends. We liked it because it wasn’t too sweet and the cherry filling was delicious! The recipe was very well written with great tips and illustrations.
This makes me so happy to hear! I’m glad the recipe hit the right flavor balance for you and your friends. And that the recipe tips were helpful, too. Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Andrea!
so yummy. a huge hit in my home and didn’t last 24 hours. I didn’t have enough cherries so added in some diced peaches and I added almond slivers to the oat bar/topping. it’s like baked oatmeal and cherry cobbler had a baby. so delicious. we served ours alongside vanilla ice cream. leftovers were enjoyed the following morning for breakfast. will definitely make this again.
Adding diced peaches is a great idea! Sounds so good with the slivered almonds in the oat topping. And you can never go wrong with vanilla ice cream on the side. I’m so glad it was a hit in your home!
Classic! Delicious!
Fresh cherries in season make this recipe extra tasty!
It’s soo good with fresh cherries in season! So glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe was delicious and easy to make. Perfect for summer snacking especially when school starts and my kids are craving a sweet snack. They even helped me make them and were shocked when they turned out so good. They couldn’t believe they made it themselves. 😆
Aww I love this so much! I’m so happy you and your kids enjoyed the cherry bars, and how fun that they got to help make them. There’s nothing better than seeing kids feel proud of something they made themselves, especially when it turns out so good! Thank you for sharing this sweet story.
what is a good substitute for rolled oats (not oat related) for this recipe?
Hi! You could try replacing the rolled oats with an equal amount of finely chopped nuts, such as almonds or pecans. They’ll give the bars a more crumbly, nutty texture rather than the chewy texture oats provide. I haven’t tested this substitution, so you may need to add a little extra flour if the mixture seems too soft. You’ll have to let me know how it goes if you try it!
These cherry bars are soft, buttery, and bursting with sweet cherry flavor—an easy 5-star dessert that’s perfect for sharing with your family & guests !!!!
Thank you! I’m so happy it was a 5-star dessert for you!
We have an egg allergy in our house, so we subbed the eggs with a ground flax seed/water mixture. The bars turned out great, although a little less color on the crumble top. Overall, a delicious summer treat!
I’m so happy to hear the recipe turned out great for you with a flax egg! Glad everyone was able to enjoy it!
I made these Cherry bars for my husband. He really likes cherries. I used Bing and Rainer fresh cherries. The recipe was delicious and moist. I might not use parchment paper and just grease the baking dish next time. It is difficult to spread the dough on parchment paper.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed them, and I love that you used both Bing and Rainier cherries. That’s really helpful feedback, too. The parchment paper does make cleanup easier, but the dough can definitely be a little tricky to spread. Greasing the baking dish well is a great option if that works better for you.
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