Cherry Cornmeal Crumb Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line an 8x8-inch square pan with enough parchment paper to have overhang on all sides. Lightly spray parchment with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, mix together cherries, granulated sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, and pinch of salt. Toss until no dry bits of cornstarch remain. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and ground nutmeg until combined. Add in melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix until incorporated—using your hands to knead the dough together if necessary.

Measure out a loose 1 3/4 cups of the dough, and pour it into the prepared pan. Press the dough firmly into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Pour cherries and their accumulated juices in an even layer over the crust. Crumble remaining crust mixture evenly over the top of the cherries.

Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden, and cherries are bubbly, 45 to 50 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and allow bars to cool completely in the pan. Once completely cooled, remove bars from the pan using the parchment overhang, and cut into 16 bars.