Description
These Cherry Pie Bars are the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert, offering the classic comfort of a cherry pie in an easy-to-slice bar format. With a tender, buttery shortbread-style base and a luscious, sweet-tart cherry filling, these bars are perfect for picnics, bake sales, or a cozy evening treat. They are far less fussy than traditional pie, making them an ideal choice for bakers of all skill levels who want a delicious, jammy result with minimal effort.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
42 ounces (two 21 oz cans) cherry pie filling
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing on low speed until the dough is just combined.
Spread two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing firmly into an even layer.
Spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the bottom layer of dough.
Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the cherry filling.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cherry filling is slightly bubbly.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares.
Notes
Cooling the bars completely is crucial for clean slices. For best results, refrigerate the bars for one hour after they reach room temperature to help the filling set. You can substitute the cherry filling with blueberry or apple pie filling if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 65mg