Easy Cherry Pie Bars (Printable)

Buttery bars filled with sweet cherries and topped with vanilla glaze

# What You Need:

→ For the Dough

01 - 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
03 - 4 large eggs
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
05 - 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional for extra flavor)
06 - 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ For the Filling

08 - 1 (21 oz / 600 g) can cherry pie filling

→ For the Glaze

09 - 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
10 - 2–3 tbsp milk
11 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

# How To Cook:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla and almond extracts. Mix well.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined.
05 - Spread about 2/3 of the dough evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Spoon cherry pie filling evenly over the dough layer.
06 - Drop small spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the cherry filling, leaving some gaps for the cherries to peek through.
07 - Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the edges are set.
08 - Cool completely on a wire rack.
09 - For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars.
10 - Allow glaze to set before slicing into bars.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttery crust balances perfectly with the sweet cherry filling creating that magical fruit and pastry combination everyone craves
  • They are impossible to mess up and look like you spent hours when really they come together in under an hour
02 -
  • Let these cool completely before adding the glaze or it will melt right off and look messy
  • The dough topping seems thick when you drop it on but it spreads during baking creating those perfect crispy edges
03 -
  • Chill the dough for 15 minutes before spreading if it feels too sticky and soft
  • Use a piping bag for the glaze to get those pretty professional looking drizzles

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