🍒 Cherry Pie Bars

🍒 Cherry Pie Bars

Description:
A buttery vanilla crust layered with luscious cherry pie filling and topped with a golden crumble. Simple to make, easy to serve, and always a hit!

🍽️ Makes

About 16 bars

🕐 Total Time

• Prep: 15 minutes

• Bake: 35–40 minutes

• Cool: 30 minutes

• Total: ~1 hour 25 minutes

🧂 Ingredients

For the crust and topping:

• 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp almond extract (optional, but lovely with cherries)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

For the filling:

• 1 can (21 oz / 595 g) cherry pie filling
  (or use 2 cups homemade cherry filling if you prefer)

For the glaze (optional but delicious):

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2–3 tbsp milk

• ½ tsp vanilla or almond extract

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
   Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. Make the crust/topping dough:

   • In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

   • Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.

   • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

   • Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until crumbly.

3. Assemble the bars:

   • Press about ⅔ of the dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

   • Spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the crust.

   • Crumble the remaining dough over the top (don’t worry about covering it completely — the cherries peeking through look beautiful!).

4. Bake:

   • Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown.

   • Cool completely in the pan.

5. Make the glaze (optional):

   • Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and extract until smooth.

   • Drizzle over cooled bars.

6. Slice and serve:

   • Cut into squares or rectangles.

   • Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

🌿 Tips & Variations

• Substitute blueberry, apple, or raspberry filling for variety.

• Add chopped almonds or pecans to the topping for crunch.

• Want it extra buttery? Brush the top lightly with melted butter before baking.

☕ Serving Suggestion

Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for the ultimate cherry pie experience.