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Enjoy cherry pie in its best form: cherry pie bars! You can whip up a whole pan in minutes using cherry pie filling. Theyโre beautiful, easy to make, and always a crowd-pleaser!
Fruity desserts are the best! Try some more of my favorites like this deliciousย berry cheesecake salad, orย my families favorite Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
Reason’s You’ll Love This Dessert
- Incredible Flavor: These bars combine buttery crust with sweet-tart cherry filling and a hint of almond, creating a delicious treat everyone will love.
- Quick and Easy: Simple ingredients and easy steps mean you can whip these up in no time, perfect for busy days or spontaneous cravings.
- Perfect for Sharing: Great for gatherings, these bars are easy to cut and serve, making them a hit at any party or family get-together. Plus, the glaze makes them look as amazing as they taste!
Cherry Pie Bars Recipe
My favorite pie isย cherry pie! It’s so delicious and you can have it all year long, no matter that the occasion! But pie can be time consuming, and thats where this simple recipe comes in!
These cherry pie bars are so good, itโs like biting into cherry pie AND cookies. These bars are incredible โ theyโre soft, chewy, flavorful, and the glaze on top is the perfect finishing touch. Serve these with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for the ultimate dessert!
Ingredients to Make Cherry Pie Bars
These ingredients are so simple, you probably just need to grab some cherry pie filling and you might already have the rest! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.
Bars
- Butter: Adds rich flavor and creates a tender, flaky texture.
- Sugar: Sweetens the batter and helps create a golden brown crust.
- Eggs: Provide structure and moisture, making the bars soft and chewy.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor with a warm, sweet note.
- Almond Extract: Adds a subtle, nutty depth that pairs well with cherries.
- Flour: Forms the base of the batter, giving the bars their structure.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Cherry Pie Filling: Provides a delicious, fruity center thatโs easy to use.
Glaze
- Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract: These complement the flavors in the crust.
- Powdered Sugar: Used in the glaze for sweetness and a smooth texture.
- Milk: Thins the glaze to a perfect drizzling consistency.
How Do You Make Cherry Pie Bars?
This recipe is so easy and comes together in less than an hour, start to finish! And most of that is baking time.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with pan spray and set aside.ย
- Cream: Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Combine: In a separate bowl combine the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until combined.
- Add batter and filling to pan: Spread 3 cups of the batter evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the cans of cherry pie filling, spreading evenly across the batter. Drop dollops of the remaining batter as evenly as you can over the top until all the batter has been used.
- Bake: Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is lightly golden brown. If you are using a 15×10-inch pan instead, the bake time may end up being a bit shorter, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.ย
- Make the glaze: Whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the cooled bars.
Cherry Pie Bars Tips
- Room-Temperature Ingredients: Use room-temperature eggs and butter for a fluffier texture. To quickly warm cold eggs, soak them in warm (not hot) water for 5-10 minutes.
- Measuring the Flour: For best results, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. This prevents dense, heavy bars.
- Grease the Pan: Grease your pan well to ensure easy removal. I like using a pan spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy.
- Try Different Fillings: You can use any pie filling you likeโapple, strawberry, peach, or blueberry. For a fall flavor, add a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Pan Size: A 9×13-inch pan with 2-inch high sides works best. If you use a larger pan, reduce the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
Storing Cherry Pie Bars
This dessert is great to make ahead of time because it stores great!
- At Room Temperature: Store the bars by tightly covering them with plastic wrap or placing them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
- In the Refrigerator: If you prefer to refrigerate them, they will last up to 7 days.
- In the Freezer: To freeze, cut the bars into pieces and layer them with parchment paper. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours. For best results, wait to add the glaze until you’re ready to serve, as it may get sticky when thawed.
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Cherry Pie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 21-ounce cans cherry pie filling
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with pan spray and set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat well. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until combined.
- Spread 3 cups of the batter evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the cans of cherry pie filling, spreading evenly across the batter. Drop dollops of the remaining batter as evenly as you can over the top until all the batter has been used.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is lightly golden brown. If you are using a 15×10-inch pan instead, the bake time may end up being a bit shorter, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.
- Whisk together the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the cooled bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these last night, very good. I halved the dough recipe and used a mixed-berry pie filling (homemade not canned) instead of cherry. Baked the half recipe in an 8×8″ pan, but it was too thick and doughy even though baked for longer. Will use larger pan for half recipe. Glaze is a must! Tastes more like a sugar cookie fruit bar than a pie.
wonder how this would be with apple pie filling?
I am guessing that any pie filling would work with this recipe. I would like to try a mix like lemon and cherry or lemon and strawberry.
i was thinking raspberry like the entemanns in the stores that i love so much…..
Ok..so good! Would love these in cherry and I bet they would be great blueberry too! Thanks for the recipe Aylssa!!
Oooo, love cherry pie! Even better in bars ๐
These look soooo yummy! ๐
thanks for share.
Just finished making these tonight. I followed the ingredients and instructions to the T. They came out tasting fine but I notice a funny texture. The bottom “crust” is a bit dense. I used 2 cans of cherries (because I LOVE cherries) and I regret the decision ๐ It left the top almost under cooked and mushy. Also, the glaze is a must. It adds the sweetness to the dish, especially if you used No Suger Added Cherry Filling. I recommend really swirling or even flipping/mixing some of the bottom crust with the top filling to give more of a mixed texture all around.
All in all they were good, just not my type of dish.
Thanks! I have just been searching for info about this topic for a while and yours is the best I have found out so far.
vanntetting
I live for anything with cherries! My mouth is watering thinking about it! I would like to make this recipe, but use a delicious organic sour cherry jam instead of the pie filling. What do you think? Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks so much!
Sorry if I missed it…? Is whether or not to grease pan ?
I usually always spray my pans with a little bit of cooking spray to be on the safe side, but I dont think you have to grease it. Hope this helps!
I made these at Christmas time. They were so pretty and delicious. Definitely worth adding two cans of cherries! Thanks for the great recipe!
Made these tonight…AMAZING!!! It was a total hit with the family ๐
I made these bars exactly as the recipe says, and in a 15×10″ pan. I baked them for 18 minutes LONGER than called for and the bars were still liquid in the bottom. Very disappointed. My grandma used to make these bars and I was hoping they would turn out great but they were a flop.
Hmmmm I wonder if it was your oven… something must have gone wrong. Mine turned out amazing and my family raved about them! I have made them 3 times since I posted this. They are a hit with our family! Mine were not liquid at all?? That is really strange. Sorry they didn’t turn out! I hate when things don’t turn out the way they should.
I had the same problem, Laura. After 45 or 50 minutes I gave up and the bottom middle was still runny. The batter didn’t ever look right to me, either. It was so stiff and granular, and I followed the recipe EXACTLY. First time I make any recipe I follow it to the letter, and then I put my own spin on it afterward if I want to change it up.
Going to try this again but I’m going to halve the recipe but still put in the same size dish. Fingers crossed, because I think that, done right, these will be excellent!
How far in advance can I make these and still taste outstanding? Making a dessert table for a company party and wanted to include. Can’t wait to make. Thanks for sharing.
I would probably making them the day of if possible! ๐ Let me know how they turn out! Also if you don’t want them to be as thick make them in a 15×10 pan! ๐
If I make in a 15 x 10 do you think I can cut using a cookie cutter or fondant cutter? Was thinking of making in a star shape – not good for sharp corners? If not what shape other than square would you recommend? Thank you for you advice.
I’m sure that would work but something that I havent tried! It would sure be cute if it worked! Let me know if you do it that way! ๐
it would be cute for 4th of july with stars. color the dough blue… and you have red, whiite and blue! cute..
Just made these and wanted to add a tip.. if anyone is having trouble with spreading the dough (since it is sticky), I just kept making my hands damp which made all the difference. ๐ It is in the oven now and smells delicious!!
I could also suggest when ever trying to work with dough that is sticky; cover your hands in olive oil. or any oil may work. Olive oil is more of a delightful taste though. It works way better than older suggested methods of coving your hands and rolling pins in flour….