Delicious Cherry Bars
These Delicious Cherry Bars are a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing dessert — buttery, soft, and layered with luscious cherry pie filling. Perfect for potlucks, holidays, or when you’re craving something sweet and fruity!dre
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract (optional but highly recommended)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling:
- 1 (21 oz / 595 g) can cherry pie filling
For the glaze (optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk or cream
- ½ tsp vanilla or almond extract
Instructions:
- Preheat oven: to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan or line with parchment paper.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
- Add dry ingredients: Mix in flour and salt until combined — the dough will be thick.
- Layer the base: Spread about two-thirds of the dough evenly in the prepared pan.
- Add the cherries: Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over the dough.
- Top it off: Drop the remaining dough by small spoonfuls over the cherries — it doesn’t need to cover completely.
- Bake: for 30–35 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Cool completely.
- Add glaze (optional): Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and extract until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bars before cutting into squares.
Tips:
- Substitute with blueberry, raspberry, or apple pie filling for variety.
- For extra texture, sprinkle slivered almonds on top before baking.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for a longer shelf life.
