Cherry Crumble Bars | The Best Make-Ahead Picnic Dessert
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Updated: June, 2026
Author: Andy LaPointe - Co-Founder of Traverse Bay Farms
At a Glance
- Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 24 bars (one 9x13-inch pan)
- Texture and flavor: Buttery shortbread base, jammy tart cherry filling, golden brown sugar oat crumble
- Key ingredients: Frozen tart cherries, Traverse Bay Farms tart cherry juice concentrate, rolled oats, brown sugar, butter
- Skill level: Easy to intermediate
- Best occasion: Picnics, lake days, summer cookouts, potlucks, Saturday baking
- Make-ahead note: These Cherry Crumble Bars taste even better on day two and hold for up to 5 days in the fridge
Quick Summary
Quick Summary
These Cherry Crumble Bars are the make-ahead picnic dessert your summer table needs. A buttery oat shortbread base, a jammy tart cherry filling brightened with a splash of tart cherry juice concentrate, and a brown sugar oat crumble baked golden on top. Bake on Saturday, slice on Sunday, and they will hold up beautifully through every weeknight dessert all the way to next weekend.
Prep and Yield
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 to 50 minutes
Cool time: 30 minutes (plus 1 hour fridge time for cleanest cuts)
Yield: 24 bars
Skill level: Easy to intermediate
Ingredients
For the crust and crumble (one combined dough):
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Traverse Bay Farms dried tart cherries, roughly chopped (optional, for extra chew in the crumble topping)
For the cherry filling:
- 4 cups frozen tart cherries (about 20 ounces, do not thaw)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Traverse Bay Farms tart cherry juice concentrate
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the beaten egg and vanilla. Stir gently until just combined and crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture for the topping.
- Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden. Remove from the oven.
- While the crust bakes, make the filling. In a medium saucepan, combine the tart cherries, sugar, cornstarch, tart cherry juice concentrate, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cherries release their juices and the mixture thickens into a glossy, jammy filling, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Spread the warm cherry filling evenly over the par-baked crust.
- Sprinkle the reserved 1 1/2 cups of crumble mixture evenly over the cherry layer. Do not pack it down. Let it fall in loose clumps for the right crumble texture.
- Return to the oven and bake 28 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the cherry filling bubbles around the edges.
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 30 minutes. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing.
- Lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and cut into 24 squares.
Chef's Tips
Make These Bars Even Better
- For deeper cherry flavor, the tablespoon of Traverse Bay Farms tart cherry juice concentrate doubles the cherry intensity in the filling without adding extra liquid.
- Do not skip the cooling time. Slicing warm bars means a runny filling. A cool, then chill, gives you clean, sliceable squares.
- Cold butter is critical for both the crust and the crumble texture. If your kitchen is warm, freeze the cubed butter for 10 minutes before cutting in.
- Use parchment with overhang on both long sides — this becomes your handle for lifting out the entire slab once cooled.
- For a crisper crumble, scatter loose clumps of topping rather than pressing it down.
- Frozen tart cherries work beautifully and are usually pre-pitted. Do not thaw before adding to the saucepan.
- For a deeper, nuttier flavor, brown the butter first and chill solid before cutting it into the dry ingredients.
- For extra cherry texture, fold a half cup of roughly chopped Traverse Bay Farms dried tart cherries into the reserved crumble mixture before sprinkling it on top. The dried cherries soften slightly as the bars bake and add little jammy pockets throughout the crumble.
Nutritional Highlights
Made with Real Fruit and Real Butter
- Tart cherries are naturally a source of plant compounds that support a normal, healthy lifestyle.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats contribute fiber as part of a balanced diet.
- This recipe uses real butter, real fruit, and pantry staples with no artificial colors or flavors.
- Easy to portion into 24 small bars for shareable serving sizes.
- The optional tablespoon of tart cherry juice concentrate adds the flavor of additional cherries with minimal added liquid.
Behind the Recipe
I started baking these on Saturday mornings during cherry season, when our kitchen smelled like brown sugar and warm fruit by ten in the morning. They became the bars I packed for every Lake Michigan picnic, every cookout on the bay, and every Northern Michigan road trip. By Sunday afternoon they were almost always gone.
The recipe works because the dough does double duty. The same buttery oat mixture forms the crust and the crumble topping, which means one bowl, one rest period, and consistent flavor top to bottom. The tart cherry filling is brightened by lemon and a tablespoon of tart cherry juice concentrate, so the fruit tastes intensely like itself instead of fading into the brown sugar. Bake low and steady, cool completely, and you get clean squares that hold their shape for picnics, lunches, and lake-day baskets.
How to Serve
- Slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a Saturday-night dessert.
- Cold from the fridge for a midday picnic alongside iced tea or lemonade.
- Cut into smaller squares for cookie trays, baby showers, and graduation parties.
- Wrapped individually in parchment and tucked into lunch boxes for the week.
- Topped with a small dollop of softly whipped cream for dinner-party plating.
How to Store and Make Ahead
Cherry Crumble Bars are a true make-ahead dessert. They actually taste better on day two when the filling has fully set and the flavors have melded together.
Counter: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature or warm gently before serving.
Freezer: Wrap individual bars tightly in parchment and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.
Make-ahead tip: Bake on Saturday and serve all week. These hold their texture better than any other bar in the rotation.
Product Links
- The hero ingredient in the filling is Traverse Bay Farms tart cherry juice concentrate.
- For extra texture in the crumble topping, fold in Traverse Bay Farms dried tart cherries (optional).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Choose Traverse Bay Farms
Why Choose Traverse Bay Farms
- Family-owned and rooted in Northern Michigan orchard country.
- Every product is selected for taste, quality, and real kitchen use.
- We ship nationwide, straight from our team to your door.
- Backed by friendly U.S.-based customer service on every order.
What Customers Are Saying
"I made a double batch for our Memorial Day picnic and they disappeared in an hour. The cherry flavor is incredible."
— Lauren M., Madison, WI
"These are now a standing order for every family birthday. The crumble texture is perfect."
— Mark T., Asheville, NC
"The little splash of TBF cherry concentrate makes a huge difference in the filling. So good."
— Karen H., Portland, OR
Recipe by Traverse Bay Farms.
I was disappointed that I could not easily print your recipe.