Jammy Cherry Pie Bars with Almond Crumble (Vegan)

These Cherry Pie Bars feature a jammy cherry filling sandwiched between a buttery crust and a crisp almond crumble. They’re a magical summer dessert without the effort it takes to bake a whole pie! Vegan; Gluten-Free and Oil-Free Options.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Oven

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Cool Time 2

Total Time 3 5

Servings servings

Calories 230kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

Ingredients

For the Base & Almond Crumble:

1 1/4 150 g cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almond flour spooned and leveled
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
10 tablespoons salted butter, melted (I used dairy-free sticks)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon powdered sugar for dusting

For the Jammy Cherry Filling:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
16 ounces frozen sweet or tart cherries* do not thaw (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray; set aside.
Make the Base & Crumble: Mix the flour, oats, almond flour, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix with a spatula, until a crumble forms. Take about 2 cups (240 g) of the mixture and use your hands to press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.Mix the sliced almonds into the remaining “base” to form the crumble, then set aside.
First Bake: Bake the base in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, then set aside on a wire rack.
Jammy Filling: Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl and set off to the side. Add the cherries and sugar to a nonstick sauté pan or medium pot over medium heat. Once the cherries have thawed I like to use a potato masher or fork to break them up more for a jammy filling, but you can leave them whole if you want your filling to be more chunky. Bring to a simmer; give the cornstarch slurry one more mix, then add to the cherries. Simmer for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently; the filling is done when you can drag a spatula through it and it leaves a clear path. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and almond extract, then pour the warm filling over the cooked crust, using your spatula to spread it out evenly.
Second Bake: Sprinkle the reserved almond crumble evenly over the cherry filling. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
Cool: Remove from the oven and set the entire pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Once the crumble is cool to the touch (about an hour) you can place the baking dish in the fridge to speed this up - mine took an additional hour to cool completely once refrigerated
Slice & Serve: Sprinkle the powdered sugar lightly over the bars. Use the parchment paper to remove the bars from the baking dish and transfer to a cutting board, then use a sharp knife to slice into 16 even bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze leftovers and reheat in the toaster oven as needed!

Video

Notes

Gluten-Free: Swap the all-purpose flour in this recipe with 1 cup of oat flour, or you can make the base and crumble topping for this recipe instead, which is also Oil-Free!
Fresh Cherries: You can also make this recipe with fresh pitted cherries instead of frozen; I would simmer the cherries (in step 4) for 1-2 minutes less if using fresh, as they will release less liquid than frozen cherries.
Tart Cherries vs Fresh Cherries: I can only find sweet cherries near me, but you can also make this recipe with tart cherries if you prefer! I’d suggest increasing the sugar in the cherry filling to 1/3 cup, and start by adding only 2 teaspoons of lemon juice (then more to your taste, if needed).

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