Description
Delight in these classic Christmas Cherry Bars, featuring a buttery dough layered with sweet cherry pie filling and topped with a smooth vanilla-almond glaze. Perfect for festive gatherings, these bars combine tender crust and luscious fruit to create a nostalgic holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
For the Filling
- 2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling
For the Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2–3 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray a 15×10-inch sheet pan with baking spray to prepare for baking.
- Cream Butter, Sugar, and Salt: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugar, and salt until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a well-mixed base for the dough.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts to infuse the dough with flavor.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, mixing until a cohesive dough forms, being careful not to overmix.
- Press Dough Base: Press 3 cups of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared sheet pan, creating the base layer for the bars.
- Spread Cherry Filling: Spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the dough layer to ensure uniform sweetness in every bite.
- Top with Remaining Dough: Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough across the cherry filling to create a textured top layer.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the dough topping turns golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and whole milk until smooth and pourable.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Once the glaze has set, cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Be sure to use room temperature eggs for better incorporation into the dough.
- Cooling completely before glazing ensures the glaze sets properly without melting.
- You can substitute cherry pie filling with other fruit fillings like blueberry or raspberry for variation.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
