Easy Cherry Pie Bars (Printable Version)

Buttery vanilla dough topped with cherry filling and sweet glaze makes these bars an irresistible treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
05 - 1/2 tsp almond extract
06 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Filling

08 - 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling

→ Glaze

09 - 1 cup powdered sugar
10 - 2-3 tbsp milk
11 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla and almond extracts. Mix well.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
05 - Spread about 2/3 of the dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
06 - Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over the dough layer.
07 - Drop small spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the cherry filling, leaving some gaps for the cherries to peek through.
08 - Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the edges are set.
09 - Cool completely on a wire rack.
10 - For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars.
11 - Allow glaze to set before slicing into bars.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get all the comfort of cherry pie without the stress of rolling out pastry dough or worrying about a soggy bottom crust
  • The dough comes together in one bowl with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry right now
02 -
  • Do not overmix the dough once you add the flour or these bars will become tough instead of tender
  • The dough layer on top will not cover the cherries completely and those little gaps of fruit showing through make these look rustic and beautiful
03 -
  • Chill the dough for 15 minutes before spreading if your kitchen is particularly warm to prevent it from sticking to your hands
  • Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the dough layer evenly without leaving fingerprints

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