A tart taste of summer, straight from the backyard.

One of my favorite things about summer is stepping into the yard and seeing what’s ripe. We have a cherry tree, plum trees, a blackberry bush, pear and fig trees—and raised beds full of herbs and seasonal vegetables. There’s something so grounding and joyful about harvesting your own food. Right now, our Montmorency cherry tree is overflowing with fruit.

If you’ve ever tasted a Montmorency cherry raw, you know they’re not exactly a snack cherry—super tart, almost shockingly so! But they’re incredible for baking. Their bright, sour flavor mellows and sweetens in the oven, and they add the perfect pop of tang to anything from pies to preserves to these healthy cherry oatmeal bars.

This recipe is one of my favorite ways to use them. It’s wholesome enough for breakfast but feels like a treat. Think chewy oats, juicy baked cherries, and just enough natural sweetness to balance the tartness. Plus, the whole house smells amazing while they bake.

Whether you’ve got your own tree or a bag of fresh or frozen tart cherries, I hope you’ll give these a try. Recipe below!

Tart Cherry Oatmeal Bars

For the bars:

• 2 cup oat flour (just put rolled oats in your food processor!)
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 cup applesauce (I used unsweetened)
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon (adjust based on how much you love cinnamon!)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the cherry layer:

• 2-3 cups Montmorency cherries (pitted)
• 4-6 tablespoons pur maple syrup

 

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 13×9-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries and maple syrup. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently and gently mashing the cherries as they soften. Let the mixture bubble and thicken into a jam-like consistency. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
• Add the maple syrup, applesauce, and olive oil to the dry ingredients. Stir until fully combined—the mixture should hold together. If it feels too dry, add a splash of water until the texture is cohesive.
• Set aside ¾ cup of the oat mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
• Spread the cherry mixture evenly over the base. Crumble the reserved oat mixture on top.
• Bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before slicing.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

 

If you make these bars, I would love to know what you think!