Sourdough Cherry Pie Bars
If you love cherry pie but hate the time it takes, these Sourdough Cherry Pie Bars deliver all of the best parts of cherry pie with half the effort. They start with a buttery sourdough shortbread base, are layered with a thick fresh cherry filling, and finished with a golden oat crumble that bakes up crisp on the top. This is the perfect dessert for a crowd, with no forks required!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easier than pie: All of the classic cherry pie flavors in these bars without rolling, chilling, or fussing with pie dough.
- A great way to use discard: Have discard to use? This is the perfect way to put it to use.
- Made with fresh cherries: Every bite is filled with sweet, juicy cherries for the best homemade flavor.
- Perfect layers: This bar has a buttery crust, thick fruit filling, and a oat crumble to create layers of texture.
- Serves a crowd: These bars can be prepared ahead and are perfect to serve at any summer gathering with no serving utensils needed.
Tools You’ll Need:
- 9×9-inch baking pan- to bake your bars. I love this pan 9×9 pan from USA Bakeware.
- Parchment paper- to line your pan for easy removal of the bars.
- Food processor (optional)- for making the shortbread crust. You can also mix this by hand.
- Fork- to dock the crust.
- Medium sized pot- to cook the cherry pie filling.
- Mixing bowls- to mix the crust and crumble.
- Whisk- to mix the glaze.
- Spatula- to mix the compote and spread.
- Digital kitchen scale (optional)– for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking. I linked the one I like here.
- Measuring cups and spoons– for measuring ingredients.
- Oven safe metal clips (optional)- for holding the foil down to the pan. I love these metal clips that are heat safe and keep my foil from sliding around.
Gather your Ingredients:
- Unsalted Butter– Adds rich flavor and creates a tender shortbread crust and crisp crumble.
- Granulated white sugar– Sweetens the crust and cherry filling while helping the cherries release their juices.
- Light brown sugar– Sweetens the crumble topping.
- Sourdough discard– Adds flavor and moisture and is the magic that ferments your shortbread and crumble if you want to. Can be used fed, past peak, or straight from the fridge. I also have a swap listed on the recipe card.
- All-purpose flour– Provides structure for the crust and crumble.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats– Give the crumble a hearty texture. Do not use steel cut oats.
- Fine sea salt- Balances the sweetness in the bars.
- Dark sweet cherries– Create a juicy, flavorful pie filling. You can use fresh or frozen for this.
- Cornstarch– Thickens the cherry filling so the bars slice cleanly.
- Lemon juice (optional)- Brightens the cherry flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Powdered sugar– Needed for the glaze.
- Milk– Thins the icing to the perfect consistency. You can also use cream or half and half.
- Almond extract (optional)- Adds classic almond flavor to the glaze that pairs beautifully with cherries. You can skip this if you prefer!
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Shortbread Crust
To start, you need to prepare the buttery shortbread crust that makes the base of the bars. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9 pan with parchment, leaving overhang. Don’t skip this step, it’s key to removal of the bars later. Without the parchment they’ll stick the the pan!
In a medium sized bowl, add the butter and melt it. Whisk the butter until it’s smooth.
Add the sourdough discard to the butter, and whisk it again until smooth.
Measure the flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl with the butter discard mixture. Mix the dough with your hands until a crumbly mixture forms. Avoid overmixing the shortbread crust, or it will become tough.
Once the dough starts to form, transfer to the pan lined with parchment and press the dough firmly and evenly into the pan. If needed, you can cover the shortbread crust with more parchment paper and press with a measuring cup or rolling pin to help smooth the shortbread out to make it even.
Dock the bottom with a fork all over, by making small holes all over the bottom.
Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover the shortbread crust with plastic, and refrigerate overnight. This allows the sourdough discard to work to ferment the dough. Remove from the refrigerator and bake the next day as directed below.
Bake the crust for 20 minutes until lightly golden at the edges. Allow to cool while you make your cherry pie filling and crumble.
Step 2: Make the Cherry pie Filling
If using fresh cherries, remove all of the stems and pits first.
Add the frozen or fresh cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium sized pot or saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring with a spatula to avoid the bottom burning, for about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, add the cold water and cornstarch. Whisk together until smooth.
Add the cornstarch slurry to the cherry pie filling, and whisk constantly to avoid clumps.
Cook the cherries another 4-5 until thick and jammy. Remove from heat, and set aside the cherry pie filling to cool slightly while you prepare the crumble topping.
Step 3: Make the Oat Crumble Topping
Melt the butter for the crumble in the microwave, then whisk until smooth.
Add the discard to the butter, and whisk again until smooth.
Measure the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt to the butter discard mixture, and mix with your hands until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside for assembling the bars.
Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover the crumble with plastic, and rest at room temperature overnight. This allows the sourdough discard to work to ferment the crumble. You can skip this step!
Step 4: Bake the Cherry Pie Bars
Make sure your oven is preheated oven to 350°F (177°C).
Pour the cherry pie filling on top of the shortbread crust, and spread the filling evenly over the crust to form an even layer to the edges of the pan.
Sprinkle the oat crumble evenly over the top of the cherry pie filling, making sure to meet the edges.
Transfer the bars to the hot oven, and bake for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Remove the bars from the oven, and allow the bars to cool completely before glazing. This is a key step; if you skip allowing them to cool, the filling will run everywhere.
Step 5: Glaze the Bars
In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, almond extract (if using), and 1 Tablespoon of milk.
Start to whisk the glaze and bring it together, and add the milk or half and half one teaspoon at a time while you’re whisking until the glaze has reached you’re desired consistency.
You want the glaze to still be thick, but able to slowly run off the spoon.
Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cherry pie bars. Allow the glaze to set up for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. Cut the bars into 9 even sections and serve!
Yields 9 bars
How to Store:
Room Temperature- Store bars wrapped with plastic or in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Refrigerator- Keep up to 7 days in refrigerator. Allow bars to come to room temperature before enjoying!
Freezer- Wrap sliced bars well in plastic and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw, rewarm, and enjoy!
FAQ’S
Absolutely. These bars are even better after chilling overnight.
Replace the sourdough discard with 1 Tbsp melted butter and 2 Tbsp (16g) all-purpose flour in the crust as a swap that won’t affect the texture. If the crust is very dry, add 1 Tablespoon of milk to help bring the dough together. Omit the discard from the crumble no need for a swap.
No, but it almond does pair beautifully with cherry.
The topping should be golden and the filling bubbling.
If you loved this recipe, drop a comment and leave a star review and don’t forget to checkout more of my sourdough dessert bar recipes!
Sourdough Dessert Bars:
Sourdough Cherry Pie Bars
Equipment
- 9×9-inch baking pan – to bake your bars. I love this pan 9×9 pan from USA Bakeware.
- Parchment paper – to line your pan for easy removal of the bars.
- Food processor (optional) – for making the shortbread crust. You can also mix this by hand.
- Fork – to dock the crust.
- Medium sized pot – to cook the cherry pie filling.
- Mixing bowls – to mix the crust and crumble.
- Whisk – to mix the glaze.
- Spatula – to mix the compote and spread.
- Digital kitchen scale (optional) – for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking. I linked the one I like here.
- Measuring cups and spoons – for measuring ingredients.
- Oven safe metal clips (optional) – for holding the foil down to the pan. I love these metal clips that are heat safe and keep my foil from sliding around.
Ingredients
Sourdough Shortbread Crust:
- 10 (140g) Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 (65g) cup granulated white sugar
- 1/4 (60g) cup sourdough discard see FAQ's for swap
- 1 3/4 (220g) cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
Cherry Pie Filling:
- 3 (450g) cups dark sweet cherries frozen or fresh
- 1/2 (100g) cup granulated sugar
- 2 (16g) Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 (8g) Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 (8g) Tbsp cold water
Oat Crumble Topping:
- 1 (125g) cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 (64g) cup rolled old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 (100g) cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 (30g) Tbsp sourdough discard see FAQ's for swap
- 6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter melted
Almond Icing:
- 1 (120g) cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp whole milk
- 1/4 tsp almond extract or vanilla extract
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Shortbread Crust
- To start, you need to prepare the buttery shortbread crust that makes the base of the bars. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9 pan with parchment, leaving overhang. Don’t skip this step, it’s key to removal of the bars later. Without the parchment they’ll stick the the pan!
- In a medium sized bowl, add the butter and melt it. Whisk the butter until it’s smooth.10 (140g) Tbsp unsalted butter
- Add the sourdough discard to the butter, and whisk it again until smooth.1/4 (60g) cup sourdough discard
- Measure the flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl with the butter discard mixture. Mix the dough with your hands until a crumbly mixture forms. Avoid overmixing the shortbread crust, or it will become tough.1/3 (65g) cup granulated white sugar, 1 3/4 (220g) cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- Once the dough starts to form, transfer to the pan lined with parchment and press the dough firmly and evenly into the pan. If needed, you can cover the shortbread crust with more parchment paper and press with a measuring cup or rolling pin to help smooth the shortbread out to make it even.
- Dock the bottom with a fork all over, by making small holes all over the bottom.
- Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover the shortbread crust with plastic, and refrigerate overnight. This allows the sourdough discard to work to ferment the dough. Remove from the refrigerator and bake the next day as directed below.
- Bake the crust for 20 minutes until lightly golden at the edges. Allow to cool while you make your cherry pie filling and crumble.
Step 2: Make the Cherry Pie Filling
- If using fresh cherries, remove all of the stems and pits first.3 (450g) cups dark sweet cherries
- Add the frozen or fresh cherries, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium sized pot or saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring with a spatula to avoid the bottom burning, for about 5 minutes.1/2 (100g) cup granulated sugar, 1 (8g) Tbsp lemon juice
- In a small bowl, add the cold water and cornstarch. Whisk together until smooth.2 (16g) Tbsp cornstarch, 1 (8g) Tbsp cold water
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the cherry pie filling, and whisk constantly to avoid clumps.
- Cook the cherries another 4-5 until thick and jammy. Remove from heat, and set aside the cherry pie filling to cool slightly while you prepare the crumble topping.
Step 3: Make the Oat Crumble Topping
- Melt the butter for the crumble in the microwave, then whisk until smooth.6 (85g) Tbsp unsalted butter
- Add the discard to the butter, and whisk again until smooth.2 (30g) Tbsp sourdough discard
- Measure the flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt to the butter discard mixture, and mix with your hands until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside for assembling the bars.1 (125g) cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 (64g) cup rolled old-fashioned oats, 1/2 (100g) cup light brown sugar, 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover the crumble with plastic, and rest at room temperature overnight. This allows the sourdough discard to work to ferment the crumble. You can skip this step!
Step 4: Bake the Cherry Pie Bars
- Make sure your oven is preheated oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Pour the cherry pie filling on top of the shortbread crust, and spread the filling evenly over the crust to form an even layer to the edges of the pan.
- Sprinkle the oat crumble evenly over the top of the cherry pie filling, making sure to meet the edges.
- Transfer the bars to the hot oven, and bake for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Remove the bars from the oven, and allow the bars to cool completely before glazing. This is a key step; if you skip allowing them to cool, the filling will run everywhere.
Step 5: Glaze the Bars
- In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar, almond extract (if using), and 1 Tablespoon of milk.1 (120g) cup powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp almond extract, 1-2 Tbsp whole milk
- Start to whisk the glaze and bring it together, and add the milk or half and half one teaspoon at a time while you’re whisking until the glaze has reached you’re desired consistency.
- You want the glaze to still be thick, but able to slowly run off the spoon.
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cherry pie bars. Allow the glaze to set up for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. Cut the bars into 9 even sections and serve!
- Yields 9 bars