Description
These Cherry Pie Bars are a delightful twist on the classic cherry pie, featuring a buttery crumb crust, a luscious cherry filling, and a sweet glaze drizzle. Perfect for dessert or a sweet snack, they combine fresh or frozen cherries with a tender, crumbly base and topping, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cherry Filling
- 4 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the bars out easily after baking.
- Make the Crust and Topping: In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until combined. Add the all-purpose flour and salt, stirring until a thick dough forms. Reserve 1 cup of dough for the topping, then press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared pan to form the crust layer.
- Prepare the Cherry Filling: In a medium bowl, toss together the pitted cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and almond extract until the cherries are evenly coated with the mixture.
- Assemble the Bars: Spread the cherry filling evenly over the crust in the pan. Crumble the reserved dough over the cherry layer to create the topping.
- Bake: Bake the bars for 45 to 55 minutes, until the topping is lightly golden and the cherry filling is bubbling. If the topping begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Cool and Glaze: Cool the bars completely in the pan on a wire rack. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together to make the glaze, then drizzle it evenly over the cooled bars before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen cherries as desired; if using frozen, do not thaw before mixing.
- For a thinner glaze, add more milk as needed.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and clean-up.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- To prevent the topping from burning, tent with foil halfway through baking if browning too fast.
