3 Layers: Shortbread, Cherries, & Oats
About these dessert bars:
- Shortbread bottom, cherries in the middle, oats/brown sugar topping!
- Made in about 30 mins!
- Great texture! with the dense bottom, soft middle and crunchy top
- Cold unsalted butter works best, but (margarine could work as well in a pinch)
- fresh or frozen cherries
- any fruit could replace the cherries. Blueberries, mixed berries, blackberries etc.
The Method:
Firstly, the base is made by combining: flour, salt, baking powder, and powdered sugar and whisking them together. Then cutting cubes of the unsalted butter in. Once an even thick dough appears it gets pressed into the base of a 9×13 inch pan; which gets baked for ~13 mins at 350 Degrees F, then set to cool.
Next, the cherry filing is quite simply made by combining the cherries with cornstarch and sugar and placed evenly on-top of the base.
Lastly the streusel topping is made with oats, brown sugar, and melted butter; mixed in a bowl with a fork then sprinkled overtop and it is complete. Bake for a second time now for about 15 mins, let cool, and enjoy!
The Recipe:
| Prep time | Bake time | Total time |
| 15 mins | 10 mins + 15 mins | 30 mins |
Streusel Cherry Crumble Bars
Ingredients:
the base:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup unsalted butter *softened*
the filing:
- 2-3 cups cherries (depends on size/fresh or frozen etc. just enough to cover base completely)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
streusel topping
- 1 1/2 cups oats (rolled or large flake)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted
Procedure:
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F and line one 9×13 inch square pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, salt, and baking powder. Make sure there are no lumps, especially with the powdered sugar. Next, using a pastry blender, two butter knives, or a couple forks, cut in the unsalted butter until small peas sized (even) chunks remain. *this is why it is important to have room temp. and softened butter, it is easy to cut in when it is in this sate*
Once completed the dough should look similar to that of a cookie dough or shortbread. Press the dough in-to the bottom of the pan and bake for ~10 mins. Once out of the oven let cool.
In another bowl, make the filling by combining the cherries, granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Pour evenly on-top of the base; set aside.
Lastly, make the streusel topping by mixing the oats and brown sugar and pouring the melted butter on-top. Mix with a fork and sprinkle over the cherries.
Bake the tray bake for ~15 mins or until slightly golden!
Let cool, slice, enjoy!
Happy Baking!
Grapefruit Grace 
Leave a Reply