Of course! Cherry Bars are a classic, easy-to-make dessert that’s perfect for potlucks, picnics, or a simple sweet treat at home. They offer all the delicious flavor of a cherry pie with the convenience of a bar cookie.
Here are two fantastic versions: a classic shortbread-crust style and an easy cake-mix style.
Recipe 1: Classic Cherry Bars with Shortbread Crust
This is the from-scratch version with a buttery, crumbly crust and topping. It’s absolutely divine.
Yields: 9×13 inch pan (about 24 bars)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 35-45 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Crust & Topping:
· 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· ½ cup granulated sugar
· ¼ teaspoon salt
· ½ teaspoon almond extract (highly recommended for that classic “cherry” flavor)
For the Filling:
· 2 (21 oz) cans cherry pie filling
· 1 tablespoon lemon juice
· ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze (Optional):
· 1 cup powdered sugar
· 2-3 tablespoons milk or lemon juice
· ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Make the Crust: In a large bowl (or using a food processor), combine the softened butter, flour, sugar, and salt. Mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. You can use a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers.
- Press the Crust: Set aside about 1 ½ cups of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Pre-Bake Crust: Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are just barely starting to turn golden.
- Prepare Filling: While the crust bakes, stir the cherry pie filling, lemon juice, and vanilla extract together in a bowl.
- Assemble: Remove the hot crust from the oven. Spread the cherry filling evenly over the warm crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top of the cherries.
- Bake: Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbly.
- Cool Completely: This is crucial for clean cuts! Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This can take 1-2 hours.
- Glaze and Slice: If using the glaze, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth and drizzle over the cooled bars. Once the glaze is set, slice into squares.
Recipe 2: Easy Cake Mix Cherry Bars
This is the ultimate shortcut recipe that comes together in minutes with a box of cake mix.
Yields: 9×13 inch pan
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
· 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow or white cake mix
· 1 large egg
· ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
· 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
· ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional, but recommended)
· Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Make the Crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the dry cake mix, melted butter, and egg until a soft dough forms. It will be thick.
- Press the Crust: Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Add Filling: Spread the cherry pie filling (mixed with the almond extract, if using) over the dough.
- Add Topping: Take the remaining one-third of the dough and crumble it randomly over the cherry filling. It won’t cover it completely, and that’s perfect.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the filling is bubbly.
- Cool and Serve: Let the bars cool in the pan before dusting with powdered sugar and slicing.
Pro Tips for Perfect Cherry Bars:
· Cooling is Key: Both recipes require thorough cooling. If you try to cut them while warm, they will be messy and fall apart.
· Almond Extract: This is the secret ingredient that makes cherry desserts taste like cherry desserts. It complements the fruit flavor perfectly.
· Customize the Filling: Don’t like cherries? This recipe works wonderfully with blueberry, apple, or raspberry pie filling.
· Add Nuts: For extra crunch, mix ½ cup of chopped pecans or sliced almonds into the crumb topping for the classic recipe.
· Easy Clean Slices: For super clean cuts, chill the bars in the refrigerator for an hour after they have cooled to room temperature. Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts.
Whether you choose the from-scratch classic or the super-easy cake mix version, you’re in for a delicious treat! Enjoy