cherry pie bars

Absolutely! Here’s a delicious and easy recipe for Cherry Pie Bars — all the flavor of cherry pie, but way easier to make and perfect for feeding a crowd. They’re buttery, fruity, and finished with a simple glaze.

🍒 Cherry Pie Bars

🕒 Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 35–40 min | Yield: ~16 bars

🍴 Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened

• 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp almond extract (optional but amazing with cherries)

• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp salt

For the Filling:

• 1 can (21 oz / ~600g) cherry pie filling
  (or use homemade — see note below)

For the Glaze (optional but recommended):

• 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar

• 1–2 tbsp milk

• ¼ tsp vanilla or almond extract

🔪 Instructions:

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

2. Make the Dough:
   In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla and almond extract.

3. Add Dry Ingredients:
   Mix in flour and salt until just combined. The dough will be thick, like cookie dough.

4. Assemble:

   • Spread about 2/3 of the dough evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan.

   • Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the dough.

   • Drop small spoonfuls of the remaining dough on top — it won’t cover the cherries completely, and that’s okay.

5. Bake:
   Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and set. Let cool completely in the pan.

6. Glaze:
   Mix powdered sugar, milk, and extract until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bars. Let the glaze set before slicing.

🍒 Optional: Homemade Cherry Filling

If you want to use fresh or frozen cherries:

• 3 cups pitted cherries

• ½ cup sugar

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• Simmer all in a saucepan until thickened (5–7 min), then cool before using.

🍽️ Serving & Storage:

• Store in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

• Freezes well (without glaze) for up to 2 months.

Would you like a gluten-free or small-batch version? Or a version with cream cheese?