Description
Cherry Pie Bars: Bursting with juicy cherries, buttery crust, and sweet glaze, these quick, crowd-pleasing treats are perfect for all.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional but recommended)
- 4 cups (about 600g) fresh cherries, pitted and halved (or 2 cans/21oz each of cherry pie filling)
- ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar (omit if using canned filling)
- ¼ cup (32g) cornstarch (omit if using canned filling)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Pan Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal. Lightly grease any exposed corners.
- Step 2: Make the Crust Mixture In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Stir in the beaten egg and almond extract until just combined. The mixture will look crumbly but should hold together when pressed.
- Step 3: Form the Bottom Crust Press about two-thirds of the crust mixture firmly into the bottom of your prepared pan, creating an even layer. Pierce the crust several times with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the edges just begin to turn golden. Remove from oven but keep the oven on.
- Step 4: Prepare the Cherry Filling While the crust bakes, make your filling. If using fresh cherries, combine them with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and extracts in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. If using canned filling, simply stir in the extracts.
- Step 5: Assemble and Bake Spread the cherry filling evenly over the par-baked crust, leaving a small border around the edges. Crumble the remaining crust mixture over the top, allowing some cherry filling to show through. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Step 6: Cool Completely The hardest part! Allow your Cherry Pie Bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 2 hours or ideally overnight. This cooling period is crucial for the bars to set properly, making them easier to cut and improving their texture and flavor.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg