Description
Buttery, soft cherry pie bars layered with sweet-tart cherry filling and finished with a simple glaze for an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
1 cup powdered sugar (optional glaze)
1–2 tablespoons milk (optional glaze)
½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (optional glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract.
- Stir in flour and salt until just combined to form a thick dough.
- Spread two-thirds of the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over the dough layer.
- Drop remaining dough by spoonfuls over the cherry filling.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes until lightly golden and center is set.
- Cool completely before glazing.
- For glaze, mix powdered sugar, milk, and extract until smooth, then drizzle over cooled bars.
Notes
Can substitute cherry filling with blueberry, raspberry, or apple pie filling.
Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest for a brighter flavor.
Almond extract adds a bakery-style taste.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Freeze up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35–40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (based on 16 servings)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
