Just like your favorite cherry pie but way easier!! A no-roll crust with juicy cherries and topped with a sweet glaze! Perfect for parties, events, and holidays!!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Additional Time45 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Course: Bars & Blondies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: canned cherry pie filling recipes, cherry almond bars, cherry pie bars, cherry pie filling desserts, recipes using cherry pie filling
Servings: 15
Calories: 452kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
Bars
1cupunsalted buttersoftened
2cupsgranulated sugar
½teaspoonsaltor to taste
4large eggs
1teaspoonvanilla extract
¼teaspoonalmond extractor 1/2 teaspoon if you love almond extract
3cupsall-purpose flour
two 21-ounce cans cherry pie filling
Glaze
1 ¼cupsconfectioners’ sugarsifted if yours is particularly lumpy
½teaspoonvanilla extract
½teaspoonalmond extract
2 to 3tablespoonsmilkas necessary for consistency
Instructions
Bars:
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan with cooking spray; set aside. Optionally, line the pan with a sheet of foil and spray with cooking spray. The advantage is you can lift the bars out by the foil and cut them more neatly on a cutting board.
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl and handheld electric mixer), add the butter, sugar, salt, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the extracts and beat on medium-high speed to incorporate, about 30 seconds.
Gradually add the flour and beat on medium-low speed to incorporate, about 1 minute.
Turn about 75% of the dough out into a prepared pan and spread with a spatula to create a smooth, even, flat layer. It’s sticky, tacky, and requires some patience, but just keep spreading and finessing it into the corners.
Add the pie filling and spread to evenly distribute leaving a 1/4-inch bare margin from edges of pan. It spreads while baking and trying to prevent filling from sticking to sides of pan is advised so it doesn’t burn.
Drop remaining dough by 2-teaspoonfuls over pie filling. It’s very sticky and I find it easiest to use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop filled about halfway. The dough will spread together somewhat as the bars bake.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until dough on top and around the edges is very lightly golden brown.
Allow bars to cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Glaze:
To a medium bowl, add the confectioners’ sugar, extracts, and enough milk to reach desired consistency.
Evenly drizzle glaze over the bars and serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: Bars will keep airtight at room temp for up to 5 days, noting crust will soften as time passes. I like the bars at room temp but my family enjoys them chilled. They will keep in the fridge airtight for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.Adapted from Taste of Home.