Cherry Bars

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 35 min. + cooling

Makes

5 dozen

Updated: Nov. 09, 2023
Whip up a pan of these festive bars in just 20 minutes with staple ingredients and cherry pie filling. Between the easy preparation and the pretty colors, they're destined to become a holiday classic. —Jane Kamp, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cans (21 ounces each) cherry pie filling
  • GLAZE:
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Gradually add flour.
  2. Spread 3 cups dough into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Spread with pie filling. Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
  3. In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, extracts and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.

Test Kitchen Tips
  • Some ovens run cooler than others so you may need to adjust the bake time as needed.
  • Use any pie filling you like. Blueberry, apricot and raspberry all work well.
  • For a Black Forest variation, add a handful of mini chocolate chips.
  • Nutrition Facts

    1 bar: 112 calories, 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 72mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.