Homemade Oatmeal Fruit Bars with Jam Filling

Filled with a can of cherry pie filling baked between layers of a simple oatmeal mixture, these easy Oatmeal Fruit Bars are a comforting, old-fashioned dessert. They pair the hearty, nutty flavor of oats with a sweet fruit center for a treat that’s satisfying and simple to make.

Beautiful cherry fruit bar with a golden brown baked oatmeal top and bottom on a small plate with the glass baking dish on a red napkin with white dots.

These bars are reminiscent of store-bought fruit-and-oat bars but made at home with pantry ingredients. Often called Fruit Bars or Cherry Oatmeal Bars, they are versatile: any flavor of canned pie filling will work if you want to vary the fruit.

This recipe produces a hearty, whole-grain style dessert that is more rustic and filling than a typical jam crumble but shares the same cozy, home-baked appeal. The oat layers become lightly crisp while the filling bakes into a jammy center.

Close up fork in a fruity and earthy oatmeal cherry fill fruit bar.

Ingredients Needed

Quick oats – use quick oats rather than old-fashioned, thicker rolled oats.
All-purpose flour
Brown sugar – packed for the correct sweetness and moisture.
Butter – softened so it creams easily with the sugar.
Baking soda – a small amount to lighten the crumb.
Salt – balances the sweetness.
Pie filling – one 21-ounce can of cherry pie filling used here; other fruit fillings work well too.

Ingredients to make Oatmeal Fruit Bars are flour, baking soda, salt, quick oats, butter, brown sugar and a can of cherry pie filling on a wooden counter top.

How to Make Fruit Bars

Preheat the oven to 400°F (about 200°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment for easy removal.

In a medium bowl, cream together 3/4 cup softened butter and 1 cup packed brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and combined. In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar until incorporated.

Brown sugar and butter beaten in a white mixing bowl until smooth.

Flour and baking powder added to brown sugar and butter mixture.

Stir in 1 1/2 cups quick oats and mix until the dough is crumbly. This should yield roughly 4 cups of crumbly oat mixture. Reserve half (about 2 cups) and press it into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even base.

Quick oats poured on top of a brown sugar and butter crumb mixture in a white bowl.

Base layer of a simple oatmeal mixture patted flat in the bottom of baking dish to make fruit bars.

Spoon the pie filling across the oat base. Rather than pouring in a single spot and spreading, gently spoon the filling in several areas and distribute it to avoid pulling up the bottom layer. A few small gaps showing the oats are fine.

Can of cherry pie filling spooned over top of base layer to make an oatmeal fruit bars recipe.

Oatmeal mixture spooned on top of fruit bars in a glass 9 x 13" pan.

Scatter the remaining oat crumb mixture over the filling and press down gently to level the top. Bake for about 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is lightly golden. Allow the pan to cool before slicing into bars so the filling can set slightly.

Earthly oatmeal sweetened with brown sugar baked with a layer of cherry pie filling in the center and served on a white plate with a fork and the full baking pan in the background.

Recipe Notes and Variations

Substitute the cherry pie filling with blueberry, apple, strawberry-rhubarb, or apricot for different flavors.
For extra texture, add 1/2 cup chopped nuts or 1/4 cup shredded coconut to the oat mixture before pressing.
If you prefer a less-sweet bar, reduce brown sugar to 3/4 cup and taste the dough before baking.
Quick oats work best for a tender crumb; using old-fashioned rolled oats will yield a chunkier texture but is still acceptable.

Simple Nutrition Information (per bar)

Estimated values per serving: about 199 calories, 32 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, and 2 g protein. Exact nutrition depends on the specific brands and pie filling you use.

These Oatmeal Fruit Bars are a quick, homey dessert that can be assembled in about ten minutes and baked in under half an hour. They make a great treat for potlucks, school lunches, or a simple weeknight dessert. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.