Description
Delicious cherry pie bars featuring a buttery crust topped with sweet cherry pie filling and a smooth almond vanilla glaze, perfect for dessert or snacking.
Ingredients
Scale
Bars
- 1 cup softened unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 (21-ounce) cans cherry pie filling
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan with pan spray and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 2 cups granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add 4 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon almond extract until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Assemble Bars: Spread about 3 cups of the batter evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spoon the 2 (21-ounce) cans of cherry pie filling evenly over the batter. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter evenly over the cherry layer, distributing it as best as possible.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the bars comes out clean and the top is lightly golden brown. (If using a 15 x 10-inch pan, bake for approximately 30 minutes.) Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare Glaze: In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth.
- Glaze Bars: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Allow the glaze to set before cutting into 24 bars and serving.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened to room temperature for easier creaming with the sugar.
- Use the larger 9 x 13-inch pan as recommended for proper thickness and baking time; adjusting the pan size changes baking time.
- The glaze can be adjusted in consistency by adding more milk to thin or powdered sugar to thicken as desired.
- Bars taste best when fully cooled so the glaze sets properly and bars hold together.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a nut-free version, omit almond extract and use additional vanilla extract.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
