Cherry Pie Bars
Cherry Pie Bars are a delightful dessert with a soft, buttery base, a vibrant cherry pie filling center, and a sweet almond-vanilla glaze drizzled on top. These bars are perfect for holidays, potlucks, or any time you want the flavor of cherry pie in a more portable, crowd-friendly format.
Ingredients
For the bars:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 (21 ounce) cans cherry pie filling
For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
2–3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugar, and salt until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2️⃣ Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
3️⃣ Gradually add the flour, mixing just until combined.
4️⃣ Spread about three cups of the dough into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan, creating an even base.
5️⃣ Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the dough layer.
6️⃣ Drop the remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over the cherry filling.
7️⃣ Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
8️⃣ In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk until smooth and drizzle-worthy.
9️⃣ Once the bars are fully cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top. Let set before cutting into squares.
Notes
You can substitute other pie fillings like blueberry or apple for variety. These bars store well in an airtight container and can be frozen for longer storage. The almond extract gives the glaze and bars a nostalgic, bakery-style flavor.
Find it online: https://richspoon.com/cherry-pie-bars/