Cherry Oat Bars Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Line 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Mix cornstarch and water until blended.
• Bring cherries, lemon juice and 1/4 cup granulated sugar to boil in medium saucepan on medium-high heat, stirring frequently; simmer on medium heat 5 min. or until cherries are softened, stirring occasionally. Add cornstarch mixture; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or until thickened. Remove from heat.
• Mix flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture forms coarse crumbs; press half onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 min. Meanwhile, mix cream cheese, egg and remaining granulated sugar until blended.
• Pour cream cheese mixture over crust; top with cherry mixture and remaining crumb mixture.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until golden brown. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting into bars.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk together the honey, applesauce, oil, egg and egg white until well combined. Stir in the oatmeal mixture until well combined. Add the dried cherries and walnuts.
• Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out
• clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Put the preserves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as the bars come out of the oven, brush with the preserves. Cool completely and cut into 12 bars, about 4 by1 1/2 inches each.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-by-8-inch pan with oil and line with parchment paper.
• Combine oats, cherries, dates, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine almond butter, flaxmeal, applesauce, honey, orange juice, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add wet mix to dry one and stir to combine. Press mixture evenly into pan with your fingers and bake on middle rack until golden brown and firm, 30 minutes. Let cool completely, then remove from pan and cut into 9 squares.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Prepare a 9x13 pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, oats and butter until butter has been evenly distributed and entire mixture is crumbly. (See Note #1 at end for directions to make a lower-fat option).
• Press TWO-THIRDS the oat mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• In a separate bowl, mix the preserves with water and spread over the crust. (See Note #2 at end, regarding jam).
• Add pecans to the remaining ONE THIRD oat mixture and crumble this over the top, allowing some of the cherry filling to show through.
• Bake 375 for 28-30 minutes (34-36 minutes if you are doing the lower-fat option), or until the top is lightly browned and the center doesn't collapse when you press lightly.
• For best results, cut into bars after the bars are set and cooled (I like to cover with foil and cut into bars the next day).
• NOTE #1: For lower-fat option, instead of 3/4 cup butter, use 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce.
• NOTE #2: A 10 oz. jar of Smuckers "Simply Fruit" is about 1 cup. Use the whole jar.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of a 22cm square cake tin: cut 2 strips of baking parchment the width of the tin and longer than the base and sides, and fit into the tin each way and up the sides. This will make lifting it out easier.
• Mix together the flour, sugar and oats in a bowl. Add the egg, melted butter and cherries, and mix well. Tip into the tin and spread evenly with a fork.
• Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then carefully lift out using the paper and place on a board. Mark, but don't cut, 4 lines each way to make 16 squares. Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 min, then drizzle over the squares. When the chocolate has set, cut the squares down the marked lines.