Tart Cherry Pie Bars (vegan & gluten free!)

My husband’s favorite fruit pie happens to be cherry. Over 5 years ago (when this recipe was created!) he begged me to make cherry pie for Thanksgiving, and each year I have. Yes, it’s the buttery, sweet, magical pie that’s topped with a delicious dutch crumble that you all know and love.

For AK Cherry Week Day 4 I’m bringing back these incredible tart cherry pie bars because not only are these easy to make, but the bars come out perfectly sweet and chewy. Tony loved them with coffee, while I preferred to drizzle them with a little melted dark chocolate for an indulgent twist.

The best part? These bars are gluten-free thanks to oat flour (which you can easily make yourself). They’re also easily dairy-free and vegan too!

Love cherries? Try my NEW Cherry Pie Granola Butter!

I launched a brand new flavor of granola butter with Oat Haus: Cherry Pie! You’re going to LOVE this creamy, nut-free, gluten-free, vegan spread studded with dried cherries and white chocolate chips. Order HERE and get ready to dip it, drizzle it (on this smoothie, perhaps?!), and eat it by the spoonful!

Everything you’ll need to make these tart cherry pie bars

There are a few special ingredients that keep these cherry bars gluten-free and naturally sweetened, but they end up being so easy to make and SO delicious:

• Oats & oat flour: the base and crumble in these bars use both rolled oats and oat flour for the perfect texture. Just remember to use certified gluten-free oats and oat flour to keep them gluten-free!
• Sweetener: we’re using coconut sugar for the crust and crumble topping, and a little pure maple syrup for the cherry filling.
• Baking staples: don’t forget the baking soda and salt.
• Butter: you’ll need butter for the crust and topping to help the oatmeal mixture stay together.
• Vanilla and almond extract: I always add almond extract to my baking recipes that use cherries because it really brings out that cherry pie flavor. I like adding vanilla extract to these bars, too! Learn how to make your own vanilla here.
• Tart cherries: the star of the show! You’ll need frozen tart cherries to make the cherry filling.
• Cornstarch: a little cornstarch helps thicken the filling.

Easy ingredient swaps

Yes, there are a few substitutions I can recommend for these tart cherry bars if you’re out of something or need to make a swap:

• For the butter: keep the bars dairy-free and vegan by using vegan butter or coconut oil.
• For the coconut sugar: brown sugar will also work well!
• For the cornstarch: feel free to use arrowroot starch instead.

Can I use a different fruit?

Sure! This recipe will work with pretty much any berries you’d like. Alternatively, try one of these recipes:

DIY oat flour

That’s right, you can easily make your own flour at home by simply adding oats to a blender and blending until they resemble a fine flour. Check out my tutorial with all of my best tips & tricks.

Make them a little ambitious

After your cherry pie bars are done baking, add ¼ cup white or dark chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl, and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is smooth and melted. Drizzle over your bars!

How to make cherry pie bars

1. Make the crust & topping. In a large bowl mix together the crust and crumble ingredients until a wet sand texture forms. Press a little more than half of the dough into the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan, then place the rest in the fridge.
2. Make the filling. Add all of the filling ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium heat and use a spoon to break up the cherries a bit. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the mixture thickens.
3. Assemble & bake. Pour the cherry filling over the crust, then evenly sprinkle clumps of the rest of the crust mixture on top of the filling and bake the bars.
4. Cool, chill & enjoy! Let the bars cool to room temperature, then place in the fridge to chill before slicing and devouring.

Storing & freezing tips

1. In the fridge: feel free to keep the bars at room temperature for 1-2 days, then I recommend storing these cherry pie bars in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2. In the freezer: these cherry bars are freezer-friendly! Once they’re completely cooled, place them in an airtight container and pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy one, just let it thaw a bit in the fridge before eating.

More brownies and bars you’ll love

Get all of my brownie and bar recipes here!

If you make these tart cherry pie bars, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe below! You can also snap and picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. xo!

The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook

125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day

Tart Cherry Pie Bars with Oatmeal Crumble (vegan and gluten free)

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

ServesServes 16 servings

Beautiful tart cherry pie bars made with a homemade tart cherry filling and topped with a delicious oatmeal crumble. These bars are vegan, gluten free, naturally sweetened, chewy, and easy to make!

Ingredients

• For the crust and crumble:
• 1 ½ cups (138g) gluten-free oat flour (or sub all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1 cup (95g) old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired
• ½ cup (77g) coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (113g) butter or vegan buttery stick, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• For the filling:
• 2 ½ heaping cups (350g) frozen tart cherries
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch, plus 1-2 teaspoons more if necessary
• ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper and generously spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

• Make the base + topping: In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together the oat flour, oats, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. 

• Add in melted butter, vanilla extract and almond extract and stir until a nice crumble forms and dough begins to clump together. Place 1 ½ cups of the mixture into the prepared pan and place the remaining mixture into the fridge (the remaining mixture will be used for the topping). Use your hands to evenly press the dough to the bottom of the pan.

• Next make your cherry pie filling: place a medium pot over medium heat. Add in tart cherries, maple syrup, almond extract, cornstarch (or arrowroot) and salt. Use a wooden spoon to press down and break down the cherries just a bit. 

• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 5 more minutes until mixture is thickened up and nicely coats the back of a spoon without being too drippy. If it’s too drippy stir in 1-2 teaspoons more cornstarch or arrowroot. 

• Pour mixture over the crust and use a spoon to evenly spread.

• Take the remaining topping out of the fridge. By now there should be some nice crumbles that have clumped together. Sprinkle the topping over the tart cherry filling. Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden. 

• Allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to the fridge to chill. Bars are delicious served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 bars before serving.

Recipe Notes

The bars are delicious served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. After 1-2 days, transfer the bars to the fridge.
See the full post for tips, tricks, and ways to customize these cherry pie bars!

Nutrition

Serving: 1barCalories: 167calCarbohydrates: 24.3gProtein: 2.4gFat: 6.9gSaturated Fat: 3.6gFiber: 1.9gSugar: 10.8g

This post was originally published on June 13th, 2019, and republished on July 17th, 2024.