Crumb Topped Pecan Cherry Cereal Bars

Mom is always finding me recipes in the paper, in our we occasionally get an insert called Relish.
In this particular one there was a recipe for these bars that just sounded amazing, as well as a power bar that I checked out and will post about later! I was liked this one because it was cherry, I rarely get to play with cherry. After making my jam and pitting the amount I did it is unlikely I will do anything that requires fresh again haha.. I had a good week and did several different things in a 2 day span and this was the start of it, actually the brownies below was the start and this was next haha.. I had huge trouble finding puffed rice cereal! I looked all over the place, what I did not know is that it used to be called sugar smacks! and is now honey smacks?? or something like that, once I figured it out I picked up a generic brand and have enjoyed snacking on it since hehe. If I could have found a healthy version I would have definitely used it, but I was tired of looking and settled with what I found! I also accidentally bought all fruit preserves and not spread, it was a little thinner but sooo good and once baked I don't think it really mattered! They were very tasty and I could definitely see making them with different flavors of fruit spread.

Crumb-topped Pecan Cherry Cereal Bars: 

1 c all-purpose flour
1 c quick-cooking oats
1 c puffed rice cereal (preferably brown rice)
1 c chopped pecans
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/3 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (10-oz) jar cherry all-fruit spread

Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan
Combine flour, oats, puffed rice, pecans, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, oil, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well-blended and creamy.
Add dry ingredients and mix until moistened and a crumbly dough forms. Reserve 1 1/2 c of the dough for the topping. Press remaining dough evenly into bottom of pan.
Spread fruit spread evenly over dough in pan. Sprinkle reserved dough

mixture over top, leaving some areas uncovered. Gently press down to adhere topping to fruit layer. Bake 30 minutes or until deep golden. Cool 15 minutes. Slice into 12 bars.


Super tasty and very simple to make, and you end up with a bag of sugar smacks to snack on! Yum!!