Cherry Crumble Bars
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This small-batch Cherry Crumble Bars recipe makes just four decadent slices, perfect for a couple or a health-conscious family. Sandwiched between two layers of crunchy, naturally sweetened crumble is a heaped layer of sweet fresh cherries and chunks of dark chocolate. This tray bake is super easy to make and only requires 7 ingredients! Gluten-free and vegan options.
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Easy cherry crumble bars with dark chocolate
I’m not a huge fan of the summer season. For me, it’s way too hot and I have a terrible phobia of wasps and bees, which makes it difficult to enjoy the outdoors. But the one thing I do LOVE about summer?
Stone fruit. Juicy, dribble-down-your-chin peaches, cherries, apricots, plums, and nectarines.
Pairing them with crumble or streusel is one of favourite ways to indulge in them, and these Cherry Crumble Bars are sheer perfection!
If you love cherries as much as I do, you’re going to love this tray bake. It’s very simple to make as the crunchy crumble topping also forms our thick, chewy base. Sandwiched between the two layers of crumble is a pile of fresh summer cherries and pools of dark chocolate. Can it get any better?
This small-batch recipe makes just four delicious cherry crumble bars, so it’s perfect for a couple or a family who only wants enough dessert for one afternoon or evening.
What you’ll need to make this tray bake
Just 7 minimal ingredients come together to make these delightful chewy and crunchy cherry crumble bars! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Plain flour: Flour helps bring the crumble together and forms those little crunchy nuggets that we all fight over.
- Coconut sugar: The main natural sweetener in this recipe. I love the deep caramel flavour it adds to the crumble bars.
- Rolled oats: Oats add a bit of texture to the base and the crumble.
- Sea salt: Helps to season the dessert and bring out the sweetness.
- Butter: Melted butter lends flavour and brings the crumble together to make it easier to press into the baking dish to form the base.
- Fresh cherries: Obviously we could have chocolate cherry crumble bars without the star ingredient! I’ve only tried this recipe with fresh cherries – I’m not sure how it would fare with the extra moisture in frozen.
- Dark chocolate: This is optional, but why would you ever want to leave out a little bit of chocolate?
How to make cherry crumble bars
One of the things I love about these bars (and there are many things) is that you don’t need to make a separate base. The crumble topping is made once and divided to form the base and the crunchy topping! Here’s how you do it:
- Add the crumble ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk together well. Pour over the melted butter and bring it all together with a fork until chunky.
- Tip two thirds of the crumble mixture into a greased and lined tin and press it down very firmly to form the base. Reserve the final third of the mixture for topping.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the cherries and chopped chocolate. Ladle the cherry mixture evenly on top of the base. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture over the cherries.
- Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes or until richly golden on top. Chill, slice, and serve!
Full details are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
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FAQ’s
Can you freeze these crumble bars?
Since this is a small-batch recipe that makes just 4 cherry crumble bars, I doubt you will need to freeze them. However, to do so, simply wrap each individual bar in a layer of clingfilm and place in an airtight container in the freezer. They should keep for up to 2 months.
How do I store these cherry crumble bars?
Keep these bars sealed in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I make these bars gluten-free?
To make these cherry crumble bars gluten-free, use your favourite 1-1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the plain flour and use GF-certified rolled oats.
Can I make these cherry crumble bars vegan?
To make these crumble bars vegan, replace the butter with your favourite dairy-free butter.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- Don’t over-mix the crumble mixture after adding the butter. We want both small and large nuggets of crumble, so only mix until the butter is fully incorporated.
- If you find the crumble topping is browning too much, cover it with a layer of aluminum foil around the 20-25 minute mark so that it doesn’t burn.
- To slice this cherry crumble bar evenly, refrigerate the bar in the tin for about 1 hour. Then remove the bar from the tin and slice using a hot knife.
More easy naturally sweetened tray bakes
Best Ever Chocolate Chunk Blondies
Blackberry Cheesecake Bars
Refined Sugar Free Brownies
Small-batch Millionaire Shortbread
Salted Caramel Blondies
Apple Crumble Slice
Caramel Pecan Brownies
Honey and Lemon Shortbread Bars
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If you make this recipe, let me know by snapping a picture and tagging me on Instagram @naturallysweet_kitchen. I love seeing your creations and sharing them in my Stories. Or let me know you love this Cherry Crumble Bar recipe by leaving a comment and rating below!
Cherry Crumble Bars Recipe (Refined Sugar Free)
This small-batch Cherry Crumble Bars recipe makes just four decadent slices, perfect for a couple or a health-conscious family. Sandwiched between two layers of crunchy, naturally sweetened crumble is a heaped layer of sweet fresh cherries and chunks of dark chocolate. This tray bake is super easy to make and only requires 7 ingredients! Gluten-free and vegan options.
Ingredients
- 110 g plain flour
- 75 g coconut sugar
- 50 g rolled oats (jumbo oats)
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 100 g melted butter
- 200 g fresh cherries, pitted and quartered
- 25 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and grease and line a 450g (1 lb) loaf tin with non-stick parchment paper, leaving a couple inches of paper overhanging for easy removal. Set aside.
- Add the flour, coconut sugar, oats, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk together well. Pour over the melted butter and bring it all together with a fork. It should resemble wet sand and have some smaller and larger chunks.
- Divide the mixture into thirds. Tip two thirds of the crumble mixture into the prepared tin and press it down very firmly to form the base. Reserve the final third of the mixture for topping.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cherry quarters and chopped chocolate. Ladle the cherry mixture evenly on top of the crumble base. Evenly sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture over the cherries.
- Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes or until richly golden on top. Set the tin on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, pop the tin in the fridge for 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
- These bars will keep sealed in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To make these cherry crumble bars gluten-free, use your favourite 1-1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the plain flour and use GF-certified rolled oats.
- To make these crumble bars vegan, replace the butter with your favourite dairy-free butter.
