Cherry pie bars are everything you love about cherry pie—sweet, tart filling and a buttery crust—but much easier to make and serve. No rolling out a top crust, just layers baked in one pan.
🍒 Cherry Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the crust & topping:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling:
- 1 can (about 540g / 21 oz) cherry pie filling
Optional glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla or almond extract
🥧 Instructions
1. Prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
2. Make the dough
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
Mix in flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
3. Build the base
Spread about ⅔ of the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan.
4. Add filling
Spoon cherry pie filling over the crust and spread evenly.
5. Top it
Drop small spoonfuls of the remaining dough over the filling (it won’t fully cover—and that’s perfect).
6. Bake
Bake for 35–40 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Cool & glaze
Let cool completely, then drizzle with glaze if desired.
✨ Tips
- Almond extract pairs beautifully with cherries—just a small amount goes a long way.
- Let them cool fully before cutting to get clean bars.
- You can swap in blueberry or apple filling for variety.
- For a more homemade touch, use fresh cherry compote instead of canned.
If you want, I can show you a from-scratch cherry filling, a crumb-topped version, or a cream cheese swirl variation that tastes like bakery-style bars.