cherry pie bars

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These Cherry Pie Bars give you all the buttery, flaky comfort of a classic homemade cherry pie, but in an easy-to-slice, portable format that requires no pastry crimping or lattice weaving. They feature a rich, shortbread-like crust and crumble topping layered over a sweet-tart cherry filling.

Ingredients

For the Crust and Crumble Topping:

  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

For the Cherry Filling:

  • 2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling (or homemade cherry filling)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional, but adds an amazing bakery-style flavor note)

Optional Simple Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

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

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple of overhang inches on the sides so you can easily lift the finished bars out later.
2.Make the Dough:Mix melted butter, sugars, vanilla, salt, and flour until a crumbly dough forms.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the all-purpose flour and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until a thick, crumbly dough forms.
3.Press the Bottom Crust:Press two-thirds of the dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Reserve about one-third of the crumbly dough mixture in the bowl to use for the topping later. Press the remaining two-thirds of the dough firmly and evenly into the bottom of your lined baking pan to create a solid crust.
4.Par-Bake the Crust:Bake the crust at 350°F for 15 minutes until lightly golden.

Bake the bottom crust in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. (This prevents the bottom from getting soggy under the fruit).
5.Add the Cherry Filling:Whisk pie filling with lemon juice and almond extract, then spread over the warm crust.

While the crust bakes, mix the cherry pie filling with the lemon juice and almond extract in a bowl. Once the crust is out of the oven, spread the cherry filling evenly across the warm crust.
6.Add Crumble Topping:Scatter the remaining dough crumbles over the top of the cherries.

Take the remaining one-third of the dough you set aside and squeeze small clumps in your hands, scattering them evenly over the top of the cherry layer.
7.Bake and Cool:Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown, then cool completely before slicing.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling gently at the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan (about 2 hours), then chill in the fridge for an hour to help them set firmly before slicing into squares.

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