Cherry Pie Crumble Bars
These cherry pie crumble bars bring together a buttery shortbread crust, sweet cherry jam filling, and a crumble almond topping. They can be eaten cold or warmed up for a cozy winter treat. Easy to eat, transport, serve, and freeze, pie bars are the best answer for a large crowd!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours (includes cooling)
Yield: 18-24 squares
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup sliced almonds
Cherry Filling:
4 cups frozen cherries (do not thaw)*
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 medium orange, zested
1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Make the crumble mixture. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and using a pastry cutter or a food processor, cut in the butter until all the flour is coated and resembles pea-size crumbles.
3. Whisk the egg, milk, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Pour over the flour/butter mixture and mix until it resembles crumbly sand.
4. You will have approximately 6 cups of the crumble mixture. Set aside 2 cups.
5. In the prepared pan, flatten down 4 cups of the crumble mixture to form an even crust.
6. For the cherry filling, mix all of the filling ingredients together. Spread evenly over the crumble mixture in the dish.
7. Distribute the remaining crumble mixture over the cherry filling. Sprinkle the almonds over top.
8. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven, and allow the bars to cool completely. When cooled enough for the cherry filling to set, cut into squares. Cover and store leftover bars in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Bars freeze well up to 3 months.
*Frozen cranberries can be used in place of cherries.
Jennifer is an award-winning magical realism author who enjoys creating recipes based on her novels and other published works. Follow her on Instagram @jennifer7478 & on Pinterest @jenniferreneem.
