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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. They’re beautiful, easy to make, and always a crowd-pleaser!
Fruity desserts are the best! Try some more of my favorites like this delicious berry cheesecake salad, or 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 is 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, it’s like biting into cherry pie AND cookies. These bars are incredible — they’re 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 that’s 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.
- 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.
- 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 like—apple, 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
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 21-ounce cans cherry pie filling
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ 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 am so excited to try these cherry bars for my husbands birthday this weekend. Unfortunately, he is allergic to dairy. Any other ideas for a glaze or frosting that doesn’t require milk? Thanks!
Can this be made using self-rising flour instead of all purpose & salt?
Yes, of course! It is not needed though. You are welcome to make them your own way, it may alter the taste and texture though. Hope you enjoy these cherry pie bars! XOXO
can you please make your recipes printable ????? that way I can take the recipe with me to the store to get the ingredients !! thanks so MUCH !!!!
All the recipes are printable. I am sorry if that is not working for you. In the righthand corner there is a printer icon that you are welcome to click on in the recipe box. This should automatically print it off for you. If you are having any more problems or trouble with finding it or printing, please let me know! Thanks so much for choosing one of my recipes and following along with me! XOXO
I made this with just one can of pie filling,, came out good,, so,, tried it with 2,, TERRIBLE, I used a 9×13 dish,,, not near enough batter, should have been more than enough as there are only 117 square inches in it compared to 150 square inches in a 10×15 dish, If I make it again,, I will probably double the batter.
Thanks for sharing! I am glad that your way worked best for you! Thank you for letting me know! XOXO
Has anyone used the strawberry filling? If so how was it? And would you do anything different to the recipe?
This is a lovely, versatile recipe. I tried it with cherry, blueberry, peach and apple pie filling. They were all good but my favorite was the cherry followed closely by the blueberry. The tart edge of the cherry really complimented the sweet crust and the almond glaze. I’ve gotten requests to make a variation with lemon curd or a strawberry-rhubarb tart filling I concocted a few years ago. If a tart edge is the key they should be as well received as the cherry.
Yummy
I made this yesterday and it is a lovely easy recipe to follow I stewed some rhubarb as didn’t have cherry filling and it worked a treat. Will definitely be baking it again and try different fruit fillings in it.
Looking forward to your recipes. Thank you!
could you add cream cheese to the remaining dough before you spoon it on top of the cherries ?
Yes, that sounds great! Let me know how it turns out! Thanks SO much for following along with me! XOXO
Made these cherry and blueberry one two different bar to take with me to share when I work the election polls on Tuesday. Loved this recipe it was very easy.
Just what I was looking for. Thanks!!
Alyssa, I have made these over and over –my family and everyone loves them ! so easy and so delicious ! thank you for sharing
That is great to hear! I am so glad that they all love these bars! Thanks so much for sharing with me! XOXO
I just made these a few days ago for Christmas. I halved the dough like was suggested by someone in the comments. And instead of the glaze I drizzled with melted white chocolate. It was so delicious. Definitely a keeper!.
MAN These are good! And I like all the comments below giving good ideas on twists. So easy to make and they came out perfect.
There are always a variety of ways to try! I hope one you find best fits you and you enjoy it! XOXO
I have made these twice now and both times I had to bake at least 55 minutes for it to be fully cooked.
Has anyone else have any trouble with baking only 30-35 minutes?