Description
Sweet summer cherries nestled in buttery crumble bars bring nostalgic bakery charm straight to your kitchen. Rustic yet elegant, these golden-edged bars offer rich fruit flavor and crumbly texture that delights dessert lovers with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
main ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups fresh cherries
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
toppings and binding:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
finishing ingredients:
- 0.25 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing slight overhang for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, softened butter, and sugar, working the mixture until it forms a crumbly, sandy texture with pea-sized clusters.
- Press approximately two-thirds of the crumb mixture firmly into the prepared pan, creating an even, compact base layer.
- Pit and halve the fresh cherries, ensuring they are evenly distributed and free from stems.
- Whisk eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Gently spread the cherry halves across the crumb base, maintaining an even distribution.
- Drizzle the egg mixture evenly over the cherries, allowing it to seep between the fruit and settle into the crumb base.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top, creating a rustic, textured surface.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and the edges appear slightly crisp.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan for approximately 1 hour.
- Dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle lemon zest across the surface just before serving.
- Lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang, slice into squares, and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Swap fresh cherries with frozen or canned varieties when seasonal fresh cherries aren’t available, ensuring they’re well-drained to prevent excess moisture.
- Adjust sugar levels based on cherry sweetness; tart cherries might require additional sugar, while sweet cherries need less for balanced flavor.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with almond or oat flour, maintaining similar crumb texture and consistency.
- Enhance nutritional profile by incorporating rolled oats into crumb mixture, adding subtle nutty flavor and increasing fiber content.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg