Cherry Pie Bars

a stack of 3 cherry crumb bars on a plate

5 from 8 votes

Cherry Pie Bars boast buttery shortbread that acts as both the crust and crumb topping. Sweet cherry pie filing complements the rich shortbread.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cherry bars recipe, cherry pie filling recipe, easy dessert recipe

Servings:

Calories: 252kcal

Author: Julie Clark

Ingredients

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour*
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter melted
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

21 ounces cherry pie filling** 1 can

For the drizzle:

3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons 2% milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line an 8x8" baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add in the melted butter, egg, almond and vanilla extract. Mix together until you have a crumbly dough.
Set aside 1 cup of crust dough. Press the remaining into the prepared baking pan. Prick crust all over with a fork. Bake the crust for 12 minutes.
Spread the pie filling over the baked crust, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved crust dough crumbles over the top.
Bake for an additional 38-40 minutes, or just until the crumble is turning a slight golden color. Let the bars cool completely, approximately 1 hour.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars.
Slice into 16 squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 24 hours, or in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

*To make gluten free: Replace all purpose flour with equal measurements of King Arthur All Purpose Gluten Free Flour, and add an additional 2 tablespoons of melted butter to crust dough.

**Use Comstock More Fruit Cherry Pie Filling for the most cherries.

I used a glass baking pan. If you use a metal pan, it may take a few minutes less to bake.

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the bars being cut into 16 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 cherry bar. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**

Nutrition