Southern Cherry Cobbler Bars

1. Preheat the oven:
   • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly butter it.
2. Make the cherry filling:
   • In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
   • Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
   • Once thickened, remove from heat and set aside to cool while you make the crust.
3. Make the crust and topping:
   • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
   • Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
   • Stir in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, then mix until a dough begins to form.
   • Add the rolled oats and mix until evenly distributed.
4. Assemble the bars:
   • Press about 2/3 of the dough mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, spreading it into an even layer to form the crust.
   • Pour the cooled cherry filling over the crust, spreading it out evenly.
   • Crumble the remaining dough on top of the cherries to create a crumbly topping.
5. Bake the cobbler bars:
   • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling around the edges.
   • Let the bars cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.
6. Serve and enjoy:
   • Once cooled, cut into squares and serve! These Southern Cherry Cobbler Bars are perfect on their own or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.

These bars have all the flavors of a classic cherry cobbler, but in an easy-to-serve bar form—perfect for gatherings or a sweet snack. 🍒🍰