These Cherry Oat Bars combine a slice of cherry pie and cobbler into the most delicious bar—and you don’t need a fork to eat it.
These Copycat Starbucks Michigan, Cherry Oat Bars, were the first cherry dessert I loved.
While I love almost every treat at Starbucks, I never tried their Michigan Cherry Oat Bars because I was never too keen on cherries.
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Then, my son Cannon wanted one, and I thought this was the perfect chance for me to try the only item I had not tried at Starbucks. So we ordered it, and I convinced him I needed to try it first to ensure I knew whether he would like it.
Then came that “moment,” many of us can relate to. To lie or not to lie. To lie and tell my son it was horrible, and he would hate it, only to inhale it myself, probably in one or two bites because it is that dang good. Or the truth and tell him it is good and hope that he shares it with me.
I waffled, then took one more little nibble, he glared, I stared and then he said, “mom you’re tricking me”. He could read my mind, so I handed it over, and that was it. He took one bite and exclaimed yum! A few moments later, he handed me the last bite, and I declined to tell him I wanted him to have it, so he did.
I will always cherish simple, sweet moments like these. So, of course, I had to come up with a copycat cherry oat bar recipe. The result? I am happy to report that they are even better than the original.
Ingredients
- Flour
- Quick oats
- Rolled oats
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Room temperature butter
- Fresh cherries with stems removed and seeded
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Lemon juice
How to Make your own Cherry Filling
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Copycat Starbucks Michigan Cherry Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup room temperature butter
- 1 cup cherry filling see below
Cherry Filling
- 3 cups fresh cherries stems and seeds removed
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare Cherry Filling by adding cherries to a small saucepan, stir in sugar, lemon juice, and corn starch. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, once it starts to boil cook for 10 minutes. It should have started to thicken, if not cook for a few more minutes. Once thickened remove from heat and let it sit at room temp until cool. Pour into a bowl and cover, refrigerate until ready to use.
- *I typically will make this a day or two before and set in the fridge until I am ready to make the bars.
- For thin bars, prepare a 9×13 pan; this will have a thicker bottom crust. Spray with cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper.For thicker bars, prepare a 9×9 pan; this will have a thicker bottom crust. Spray with cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper.Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Add all of the dry bar ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix together using your hands.
- Add butter, using a pastry blender or your hands work the mixture into crumbs/pea-sized pieces. It will become a soft and crumbly mixture.
- Add 2/3 of the crumb mixture to the prepared pan and firmly pat down. Then top with cooled cherry filling. Add evenly the remaining crumb mixture on top of the cherries. Place in oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a light golden brown.
- Let bars completely cool. Cut bars into 9-12 serving and serve.
- Store at room temperature or my favorite in the fridge.
Video
While searching online, I came across your website. The first thing that attracted me was the name. What a thoughtful name – dash of sanity. Will follow your recipes and surely try them outs. Thanks.
I love cherries, the texture of the oats is perfect.
Do you think these could be frozen?
These should freeze very well. Just let them cool completely, cut, then wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container. They should keep for about 3 months this way. When you want to eat them, just thaw at room temperature and enjoy!
Thank you so much for sharing I cannot wait to try this out!
I super love this! I can’t wait to try this at home. Thanks for this
These Cherry Oat Bars are look so distinctive!! Would love to try it!
This is my favorite treat. My family will be happy to make it at home!
These bars are such a delicious and heavenly dessert! Definitely satisfies our sweet tooth and one of our favorites! Will be making these again very soon!
I’m not a fan of cherries, or at least I didn’t think I was until I made these. Now my husband wants to plant a cherry tree in our backyard!
The bars were very dry and crumbly. I followed the recipe exactly except used half the sugar. I added some maple syrup for added moisture and sweetness. I used a very nice layer of cherries that I had cooked down so there was juice from those as well. Being a Michigan girl, I can tell you these are more like a crisp to be eaten with ice cream than a bar to stand alon.
Sorry, you had issues with the bar holding up. But really you didn’t follow the recipe, because you used 1/2 the sugar. Unless you follow the recipe exactly your star rating and comment are not true.
Second time making these and they are amazing!!!
When I made this recipe, I put th15oz canned cherry filling in with the 3 cups of pitted cherries. In a separate small bowl the half cup of sugar and 4 tablespoons of corn starch mixed that together then added the lemon juice and mixed that well. Then added that to the cherries. The cherries did thicken. And why the 2 different oats. I made my with just one oats. The quick ones.