Easy & Delicious Evans Cherry Ginger Oat Crumble Bars Recipe

Embrace the vibrant bounty of your Evans cherry harvest, or simply dip into your well-stocked freezer, to create these truly delectable Oat Crumble Bars. Imagine the captivating ruby-red sour cherry filling, bursting with tangy flavor, nestled perfectly between two golden, crumbly layers of sweet, buttery oats. A hint of warm, aromatic ginger weaves through, providing a delightful spicy harmony that beautifully complements the fruit’s inherent brightness. These bars aren’t just a dessert; they’re a celebration of seasonal abundance, perfect for any occasion – whether as a wholesome breakfast treat, a satisfying afternoon snack, or a delightful finish to a family meal. (Jump straight to the full recipe details here)

“If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits?”   Erma Bombeck, 1978

Well, I can tell you, I’ve been in the pits and knee-deep in the juice. I’ve been up in the trees, filling countless pails, and canning jars. In essence, I’ve been completely immersed in cherries.

It has been a truly glorious cherry season at our place, specifically the beloved Evans sour cherry season. The trees have been laden with fruit, transforming our yard into a vibrant canvas of ruby-red jewels, each one promising a burst of tangy delight. The sheer volume of cherries has been both a joyful blessing and a delightful challenge, inspiring countless hours of preserving and baking.

Yes, cherries truly are everywhere, man! Our kitchen has become a bustling hub of cherry activity. We have delectable preserved cherries happily dehydrating, while a fresh batch of regular dried cherries is cooling, ready for storage. Another dehydrator hums softly in the background, out of sight, working its magic on yet more fruit. Gallon jars are filled to the brim with cherries soaking in brandy, destined for luxurious desserts, and smaller jars contain cherries steeping in a vinegar solution for a shrub (a recipe I promise to share very soon!). And, of course, there’s a pan full of these irresistible Evans Cherry Ginger Oat Crumble Bars – the third one we’ve baked just this week! Beyond that, I’ve meticulously pitted and frozen countless bags, crafted rich juice concentrate, brewed tangy Evans cherry vinegar, baked comforting cherry pie, prepared a delightful cherry crisp, and we’ve all enjoyed our fair share of the tart jewels eaten fresh, straight from the tree.

While we’ve had delightful afternoons picking cherries with friends, most of my harvesting happens in the quiet mornings. I often find myself running out in my pyjamas and rubber boots, eager to quickly pick a pail before the day truly begins, ensuring the cherries are processed promptly. It’s a lot of work, and I admit to being “cherried out” at times, but it always feels incredibly good. There’s a profound satisfaction that comes with turning nature’s bounty into delicious provisions.

It’s the kind of deep satisfaction that stems from preparing food for the colder months, from utilizing every part of the harvest, and from ensuring not a single bit is wasted. This ethos was deeply instilled in me from a very young age, as I helped my mother pick fruit or can vegetables from our vibrant garden. It’s a fundamental value, a kind of good feeling I simply cannot fight, no matter how much I might occasionally try to relax my stringent habits. It’s ingrained, almost a genetic programming, to prevent food from going to waste.

And sometimes, I confess, it can feel a bit like a curse. This deep-seated need to use up every… single… little… bit.

Growing up with parents who lived through war, fled as refugees, and then courageously relocated halfway across the world as immigrants, you invariably grow up with a profound fear of hunger instilled within you. This apprehension exists even if you yourself have never truly experienced hunger. You learn, intrinsically, never to waste anything. You are taught to cherish, utilize, and appreciate every single bite of food you consume. This upbringing shaped not just my cooking habits, but my entire perspective on resources and sustenance.

• The philosophy extended to every morsel of food. Chicken bones, for instance, were never discarded lightly. We were taught to meticulously gnaw every last shred of meat until the bones were glistening clean, ensuring no sustenance was overlooked. But the journey didn’t end there; these carefully cleaned bones were then rinsed and saved, destined to become the rich, flavorful base for nourishing homemade soups, extracting maximum value from every ingredient.
• Even an apple core wasn’t simply thrown away. We were encouraged to eat our apple cores until only a few seeds and the stem remained, a testament to valuing every edible part of the fruit.
• The concept of reusability was paramount. All plastic bags, from grocery trips to bread wrappers, were carefully washed and dried, then diligently reused. Even plastic sandwich wrap, often seen as disposable today, was carefully cleaned and repurposed for future lunches.
• Gifts were unwrapped with utmost precision, without tearing the paper. This delicate wrapping paper would then be smoothed out, folded, and reused again and again for countless birthdays and holidays, extending its life far beyond a single occasion.
• Fruit pits, like those from a luscious peach, were savored. We would suck on them until every tiny string of fruit was removed from the crevices, extracting every last drop of flavor and sweetness.
• Resourcefulness extended to bottles and containers. Water was poured into the last dregs of ketchup bottles (and shampoo bottles!), shaken thoroughly, and used until not a single drop remained. Once truly empty, these ketchup bottles often found a second life, repurposed to store homemade syrups and sauces, embodying a full circle of utility.
• Practicality meant mending. Shoes were repaired, and clothing was patched, extending their lifespan far beyond what modern consumer culture often dictates, valuing durability and craftsmanship over constant replacement.
• Wax paper, used for wrapping sandwiches, was not a single-use item. It would be reused for several days, sometimes even weeks, until it inevitably tore to shreds, demonstrating a persistent effort to minimize waste.
• Brown paper bags, often overlooked, were carefully taken apart, smoothed out, and repurposed as rustic wrapping paper or even as impromptu writing paper, highlighting a creative approach to resourcefulness.
• Leftovers were never simply discarded. They were ingeniously transformed into new, comforting casseroles. And if those casseroles had leftovers, they, in turn, became the flavorful foundation for wholesome soups, ensuring a continuous cycle of culinary creativity and zero waste.
• The act of making food from scratch, even when buying from the store was easier, was a deeply ingrained practice. It was a commitment to quality, self-sufficiency, and understanding the origins of our food.
• Foraging for wild foods in season was a cherished activity, connecting us directly to the land’s offerings and supplementing our provisions with nature’s gifts.
• After harvest, we would scavenge neighbors’ fields, gleaning any missed crops. We also graciously accepted all offers of fruit windfalls, ensuring no valuable produce from overflowing trees went uncollected or uneaten.

You undoubtedly get the picture.

We live in a land of plenty now, a stark contrast to the scarcity my parents knew. And despite this abundance, I still can’t entirely shake those deeply ingrained habits. I do now, with a slight cringe, throw out used wax paper and sandwich wrap – a small concession to modern convenience. And I can even force myself to give certain leftovers to the chickens, having learned the hard way that creating a whole new dish just to use up a tiny bit of off-tasting sauce sometimes creates more waste if that new dish isn’t eaten. I even throw out gnawed-on chicken bones, understanding that some traditions must evolve. Yet, there remains one habit I simply cannot break: I cannot, will not, waste the abundant harvest from a beautiful, loaded fruit tree.

So, I share the bounty, giving it away to friends and neighbors. I diligently freeze it, can it, and preserve it in every conceivable way, even when there’s so much that my own family couldn’t possibly consume it all. Because at the core of it, the simple act of preserving and sharing ensures that this beautiful harvest can feed someone who might be hungry, continuing the cycle of generosity and preventing waste, just as my parents taught me.

These delightful, crumbly oaty bars instantly transport me back to the comfort food of my childhood – special treats my mom lovingly baked for coffee time or when company came to visit. The luscious, tangy sour cherry filling, combined with the warm, invigorating kick of ginger laced through buttery crumbles, creates a truly wonderful treat. They are absolutely perfect when paired with a steaming hot cup of tea on a chilly afternoon or a refreshing cold glass of milk. This recipe is a testament to simple, wholesome ingredients creating extraordinary flavor.

* * * * *

Kitchen Frau Notes: For an easy and efficient trick to pit Evans cherries, click here. This method can save you significant time and effort during peak cherry season, making your baking experience much smoother.

If Evans cherries are not readily available in your area, don’t despair! Other sour cherry varieties will work beautifully in this recipe, offering a similar tangy profile. Alternatively, you can successfully substitute fresh or frozen raspberries for a slightly different yet equally delicious fruit bar.

I personally prefer to use only organic cornstarch in my baking. This is primarily because corn is one of the most genetically modified plants widely grown today. By choosing organic, I can be confident that I am avoiding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). While it might be a bit harder to find (often available at health food stores or specialty markets), I tend to buy it in larger quantities as it has an excellent shelf life.

For those with a corn allergy or sensitivity, potato starch makes an excellent and reliable substitute for cornstarch in this recipe. It functions similarly in thickening and binding, ensuring your bars turn out perfectly.

*For an egg-free version of these delicious bars, you can easily replace the single egg white with a flax egg. Simply stir 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds into 2 tablespoons of water. Allow this mixture to sit for approximately 5 minutes until it gels and thickens, then stir it into the dough for the base. This substitution works wonderfully without compromising texture.

If you’re simply not a fan of ginger, you can easily omit it from both the base and the filling without issue. To compensate for the missing spice and enhance other flavors, increase the pure vanilla extract in the filling to 1 full teaspoon, ensuring a delightful aroma and taste.

Evans Cherry Ginger Oat Crumble Bars

Yields: 9 large or 16 small squares
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 35 minutes

Filling Ingredients:

• 2 cups (350gms) pitted Evans sour cherries, fresh or frozen (or substitute with fresh or frozen raspberries) – use slightly heaped cupfuls if frozen to account for potential ice crystal volume.
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ½ teaspoon ground dried ginger for convenience)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup (100gms) sugar (I prefer organic, evaporated cane sugar for its subtle flavor and unrefined quality)
• ⅓ cup (80ml) orange juice (or apple juice for a slightly milder flavor)
• ¼ cup (30gms) cornstarch (preferably organic, as discussed in notes)

Base and Crumble Ingredients:

• 1 cup (100gms) oat flour (ensure it is gluten-free if necessary for dietary restrictions)
• ¼ cup (30gms) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (70gms) coconut sugar (or light brown sugar for a richer, more molasses-like flavor)
• ⅔ cup (150gms) softened unsalted butter or coconut oil (ensure it’s soft enough to blend easily)
• 2 cups (180gms) quick oats (small-flake rolled oats, but definitively NOT instant oats, which have a different texture), gluten-free if necessary
• 1 large egg white (or flax egg substitute as per notes)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F (180°C). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch (20x20cm) square baking pan, preparing it for easy removal of the bars.
2. Make the Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the pitted sour cherries, grated ginger, vanilla extract, and sugar. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice and cornstarch until smooth, ensuring no lumps remain. Add this cornstarch slurry to the cherry mixture in the saucepan. Bring the filling to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Once boiling, stir constantly as the mixture rapidly thickens. Continue to cook and stir for about thirty seconds; the cherries will begin to break down quite a bit, and the mixture will become glossy and firm. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the base and crumble.
3. Make the Base and Crumble Topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, cornstarch, ground ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coconut sugar (or brown sugar). Add the softened butter (or coconut oil) and blend it in with an electric mixer on low speed, or use your hands to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form. Ensure the butter is very soft if working by hand for optimal blending. Next, blend in the quick oats, again either with the mixer or with your hands. Mix only until the oats are just incorporated and the mixture remains somewhat crumbly. Large crumbles are perfectly fine and desirable for texture. Be careful not to overmix; you want a crumbly texture, not a cohesive ball of dough.
4. Divide the crumbly mixture into two equal parts. Set one half aside to be used as the topping. Into the other half, mix the egg white (or flax egg substitute) until a thick, uniform dough forms. Press this dough evenly and firmly into the bottom of your greased baking pan to create a solid base.
5. Spread the slightly cooled sour cherry filling evenly over the prepared oat base, ensuring it reaches all the edges.
6. Carefully sprinkle the remaining crumbly mixture over the cherry filling. If there are any particularly large crumbles, break them up gently with your fingers to ensure an even distribution over the top.
7. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
8. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting. Cooling is crucial for the bars to set properly and maintain their shape.
9. Once cooled, cut into 9 large squares for a more generous serving, or 16 smaller squares perfect for snacks or a dessert platter.

Guten Appetit!

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