Sweet Cherry Oatmeal Bar (gluten-free)

Cherries always remind me of summer.  There are old pictures of me and my sisters wearing little bathing suits with cherries on them and seersucker sun dresses with embroidered cherries.  Yup.  Cherries equal summer time.
For sure, my mother thinks so.
On hot days in the summer, now my girls hop into their cherry bikinis and we head out of Manhattan and spend the day lounging around the pool at my in-law's house.  Always, my mother in-law brings out a big bowl of cold, crisp cherries and we all sit around eating them in our bathing suits and not caring about the juice staining our skin.  We just throw the pits over our shoulders and into the garden behind the pool.  I am surprised that by now there isn't a grove of trees there.

These bars are super delicious and easy to make.  If fresh cherries aren't in season, go ahead and use frozen.  I chose sweet cherries, but if sour is your thing....by all means.

Sweet Cherry Oatmeal Bar (gluten-free)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with non-dairy cooking spray.

Makes 9 squares

Whisk together in a medium bowl:

2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all purpose flour

3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal

3/4 cup organic brown sugar

Next, prepare the cherry filling by mixing together in a medium bowl:

2 cups of pitted fresh or frozen cherries (I like to cut them in half)

1/4 cup organic sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Allow this to stand while preparing the rest of the recipe.

Using two knives "cut in", or just use your fingers, into the flour mixture:

3/4 cup Earth Balance buttery spread at room temperature

The butter should start to become crumbly and you are aiming for pea sized pieces.

Add, still using the knives or those fingers:

1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract

1-3 tablespoons rice milk, added one at a time until the mixture becomes crumbly and slightly moist.  You do not need to add all the milk if you have achieved this consistency before the 3rd tablespoon.

Take 2/3 of the mixture and press it very firmly into the bottom of the pan using your hands. This becomes a  crunchy crust like bottom, so you'll want it nice and tightly packed down.

Next, spread the cherry mixture on top of that layer.

Sprinkle the remaining flour mixture on top of the cherries.

Pat it very lightly and place it in the oven.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until the cherries look bubbly and the top is golden brown.

Remove from oven and onto a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.  

These can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but for the very best results, freeze leftover portions on day one. 

That way you can take out a square for whenever you are needing a little bit of summer love. Enjoy~