Gather all your ingredients. Ensure that your cherries are washed, pitted, and sliced in half or quarters.

In a medium bowl, combine the pitted cherries, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Toss gently until the cherries are fully coated and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Pour in the melted butter into the flour mixture. Stir with a fork or your hands until the mixture becomes crumbly.

Take a little more than half of the shortbread mixture and press it evenly into the bottom of an 8×8 inch pan lined with parchment paper.

Place the pan into the preheated oven at 325°F (170°C) and bake for 15-20 minutes.

The top should look set but not browned. Once done, remove it from the oven and leave it on the counter.

Incorporate 1 tablespoon of brown sugar into the reserved shortbread mixture.

Spoon the cherry filling over the baked shortbread base. Be careful to avoid excess juice.

Sprinkle the remaining shortbread and brown sugar mixture evenly over the cherry layer.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes or until the top turns a lovely golden yellow.

Once baked, allow the bars to cool completely for 3-4 hours at room temperature. Lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper and slice into squares.