Easy Cherry Pie Bars
Cherry Pie Bars Recipe – These sweet and gooey dessert bars are easy to make with a simple homemade crust and canned cherry pie filling. Top with a sugar glaze for a truly scrumptious treat!
Why We Love This Cherry Bar Recipe
Cherry pie is a fabulous treat; we love it in its traditional form. However, this easy Cherry Pie Bars recipe offers little handheld cherry pies you can make in a hurry. It’s also great to feed a crowd… While a traditional pie has 6-8 servings, here you get more like 12-24 pieces.
These fruit dessert bars are a simple homemade treat you can make any time of year, with canned cherry pie filling, or with homemade cherry pie filling made in cherry season! The filling is baked on top of a quick and easy buttery shortbread crust, and is also topped with tasty little bits of the dough. So you still get that authentic “pie” layering and textural goodness happening!
If you are a fan of easy pie bars, you have to try our pecan pie bars and blueberry cookie bars, too!
Ingredients You Need
- Butter – unsalted and softened
- Granulated sugar – or your preferred sugar alternative
- Eggs – room temperature is best
- Vanilla extract – classic ingredient for the best baked goods
- Salt – a pinch to balance the sweet flavors
- Cinnamon – the secret ingredient for a sweet, smoky dessert
- All-purpose flour and almond flour – a key combination for a dough that is flaky yet crisp
- Cherry pie filling – use low or no sugar, if you like
- Powdered sugar – to make the glaze
- Milk – or half and half
How to Make Cherry Pie Bars
First, make the pie crust dough. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, or a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Set out a stand mixer. Cream the softened butter and sugar together on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Then scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, turn the mixer on low, and beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon.
Scrape the bowl again, then turn the mixer on low and add in the all-purpose flour and almond flour. Beat until the mixture is just combined and turn off the mixer.
Scoop 2/3 of the dough into the lined pan. Press or roll the dough out into an even layer.
Dump the cans of cherry pie filling on top of the bottom crust and spread it in an even layer.
Then pinch off pieces of the remaining batter and sprinkle them over the surface of the cherries, until it is mostly covered.
Get the Complete (Printable) Easy Cherry Pie Bars Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake the cherry pie bars on the lowest rack, for 45 to 50 minutes for a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, or bake for 35 to 45 minutes if making in a jelly roll pan.
Once the top is golden, remove the pan from the oven and allow the cherry bars to cool completely.
Then make the glaze. In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until it reaches your desired consistency. If you want it thinner, add a splash more of milk. If you want it thicker, add some more powdered sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cherry pie bars, then place the whole pan in the refrigerator to chill and set.
Once the glaze has set, cut the cherry pie bars into 12 large squares, or up to 24 smaller pieces.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cherry Bars Recipe Variations
- We’ve made this recipe in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish for thick sturdy cherry bars. However, you can make the same recipe in a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan, baking for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
- In a rush? You can use store-bought packaged pie dough for the crust and topping.
- Substitute the all-purpose flour with your preferred GF baking flour for a gluten-free pie bars recipe.
- To make this a dairy-free dessert, swap regular butter for your favorite vegan unsalted butter. Then swap the milk for almond or cashew milk.
- Make this dessert bars recipe with other canned fruit pie filling. It works just as well with canned peach, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, or apple pie filling… Whatever you like!
- Don’t like almond flour? Use finely ground pecans walnuts, or cashews instead.
- Feeling inspired to make a traditional round pie? Check out our recipes for Blueberry Pie and Raspberry Apple Pie
- If you love cherry desserts like this one, you can also try mini cherry tarts or cherry cheesecake!
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t over mix the pie crust dough! When mixing the pie crust dough, be sure not to over mix after you add the flour and almond flour. Mix until just combined!
- Cool completely before cutting! These cherry pie bars cut beautifully once they are fully cooled. If you want to eat them warm, feel free to cut into them but they won’t be as cleanly cut!
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is! The filling has been cooked and properly sealed in the canning process.
The filling is slightly tart and tangy, and deeply sweet. Like the ripest cherry flavor combined with lots of sugar… In the best way possible. The pitted cherries are whole, so there is a balance of plump tender fruits in a smooth, squishy cherry gel.
You can’t go wrong with a classic pairing of fruit pie and a big scoop of Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.
Store the cooled bars in a sealed airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Yes, you can freeze them. But they are gooey! To freeze individual bars I recommend placing a small piece of parchment between them if stacking. Place all pieces in a plastic zipper bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Or you can leave them in the pan whole, then wrap them in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. For this, I suggest using a disposable metal pan that can go straight from the freezer to the oven.
Looking for More Easy Dessert Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Best Cherry Coconut Homemade Brownie
- Lemon Drop Thumbprint Cookies
- The Best Strawberry Cookie Pizza
- Mini Cherry Tarts
- Peach Crumble Pie
Easy Cherry Pie Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened (1 cup)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 – 21 ounce cans cherry pie filling
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or half & half
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, or a 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Set out a stand mixer. Cream the softened butter and sugar together on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Then scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, turn the mixer on low, and beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon.
- Scrape the bowl again, then turn the mixer on low and add in the all-purpose flour and almond flour. Beat until just combined and turn off the mixer.
- Scoop 2/3 of the dough into the lined pan. Press or roll the dough out into an even layer. Dump the cherry pie filling on top of the bottom crust and spread in an even layer. Then pinch off pieces of the remaining dough and drop them over the surface of the cherries, until it is mostly covered.
- Bake the cherry pie bars on the lowest rack, 45 to 50 minutes for a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, or bake for 35 to 45 minutes if making in a jelly roll pan. Once the top is golden, remove the pan from the oven and allow the cherry bars to cool completely.
- In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cherry pie bars, then place the whole pan in the refrigerator to chill and set.
- Once the glaze has set, cut the cherry pie bars into 12 large squares, or up to 24 smaller pieces.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
What a tasty treat! I love these bars so much, definitely going to be making them again!
These bars are totally addictive! Everyone at my house really loved it!
My mom used to make similar bars and I haven’t had them for years. Just as good as I remember – thank you!!