Easy Cherry Pie Bars (Printable)
Buttery vanilla dough topped with sweet cherries and vanilla glaze for an effortless crowd-pleasing 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 Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using a hand or stand mixer.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and almond extracts. Mix until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together 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 with a spatula.
06 - Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over the dough layer.
07 - Drop small spoonfuls of remaining dough over the cherry filling, leaving some gaps for cherries to peek through.
08 - Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until top is lightly golden and edges are set.
09 - Let bars cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars and let set before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The buttery dough tastes like a hug from someone who bakes with love
- They're impossible to mess up, even if baking usually intimidates you
02 -
- Warm dough is harder to work with, so chill it for 10 minutes if it becomes too soft to handle
- These bars actually taste better on day two when all the flavors have had time to become friends
03 -
- Use wet hands or a piece of parchment paper to press the dough into the pan without sticking
- Let the glaze set completely before covering the bars or stacking them