Cherry Pie Bars

A buttery shortbread crust topped with a luscious cherry pie filling, crumble topping and a sweet powdered sugar glaze. These cherry pie bars are an easier take on the classic recipe and taste just as delicious! 

Cherry Pie Crumble Bars

These cherry pie bars have everything you love about a good old-fashioned cherry pie! No need to make a homemade pie crust or spend any extra time latticing the top like I do in my best peach pie recipe. Simply mix together an easy shortbread crust and use that same mixture for the crumble topping. Then use your favorite cherry pie filling to layer in between the two.

They make a great summer dessert and are about as All-American as you can get. These are the perfect 4th of July desserts or are great for serving at any summer barbecue or gathering. They also taste great on Thanksgiving along with my pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting or pecan pie bars.

You can enjoy them chilled or at room temperature with a scoop of homemade ice cream to top it off. Trust me, you will be hooked as soon as you take a bite!

Ingredients for Cherry Pie Bars Recipe

Pantry staple ingredients combine to make the perfect crust for the bottom and top. Add in cherries and bake until golden brown. Make a homemade glaze to top off for a sweet and savory dessert!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• Butter: Soften the butter ahead of time. This will help keep the crust contained and help together.
• Sugar: Added in for sweetness with the tart cans of cherry pie filling.
• Extracts: We used both vanilla and almond extracts for an extra boost of flavor.
• All-purpose flour: This is the base of the pie crust on the bottom and top. It is the thickness of the pie crust.
• Baking powder: As the cherry pie cookie bars are baking the baking powder will essentially grow and combine as it bakes, giving it a thick crust.
• Cherry pie filling: I used canned cherry pie filling to make it simple and have thick plump cherries in every bite.
• Glaze: Powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk are mixed together for a thick, yet, creamy glaze mixture.

How to Make Cherry Pie Cookie Bars

Make these easy cherry pie bars in no time with these quick and easy, step-by-step instructions. Make the dough, add the cherries, then drizzle glaze over top and bake. It is the perfect combination!

• Mix together. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and almond extract. Mix until smooth. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined, scraping the sides as you mix.
• Press dough. Prepare a 9×9″ pan by lining it with parchment paper. Press about 2/3 of the dough in the prepared pan. You can use a piece of parchment paper to press down easier. Top dough with the pie filling.
• Bake. Drop the remaining dough in small spoonfuls evenly over the top of the filling, leaving space between the spoonfuls. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the dough on top does not indent when lightly pressed with your finger. Remove and let cool completely.
• Glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk when the bars have cooled. Add more milk or powdered sugar as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars and refrigerate for about 10 minutes to set.

Baking Tips

I’ve made these a few times now and have discovered a few tricks to make them a little easier and tastier. Follow these simple tips to make an easy cherry pie bar dessert in no time!

• Line the pan. Use parchment paper or foil to line the pan. I like to leave a little bit extra hanging over the edges (picture above). Then when they are completely cooled, lift them out and then slice them. It’s so much easier to remove them this way.
• The dough is a bit sticky. What has worked great for me is scooping the dough into the baking dish, and then placing a layer of plastic wrap or parchment paper over the top. Then I press the dough into the pan with my hands and it spreads easily in the pan without sticking.
• Crumble topping. Make sure the little gobs of dough that you drop on top of the filling are small and well-spaced (similar to the picture above). The first time I made these, I tried to spread the dough fairly evenly across the pan and it made the top a lot less pretty (and the bars less ooey-gooey and delicious). You want a lot of that pretty pie filling showing through!
• Let cool. As tempting as it is to enjoy them warm from the oven, you must wait! The bars need to cool completely before enjoying, so that both the cherry filling and crumb topping have time to set. If you try to cut them while warm, the filling will turn into a gooey mess and the crumble topping will be mushy. You can place them in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.

Variations

Make this cherry pie bar recipe just the way you like it with homemade filling and glaze, and choose other alternatives for the filling. Make several different variations depending on the fruit you have available!

• Homemade filling. Make a homemade cherry pie filling instead of using a canned filling.
• Almond extract. Instead of adding almond extract, you can use all vanilla (although I do think that adding a small amount of almond extract helps boost the cherry flavor).
• Glaze. I love the sweet finishing touch that the glaze adds on top. However, you can make these bars without the glaze, or use a cream cheese glaze for a tangier flavor.
• Filling alternatives. This recipe also works great with other types of pie filling, like peach pie filling, blueberry filling, or apple pie filling. A fresh strawberry filling as I made in these strawberry crumb bars also tastes delicious.

How to Store, Freeze, and Thaw

Storing these cherry pie bars is super simple and tastes just as good made ahead or the next day. Either freeze, store leftovers or make it ahead for the perfect dessert every time. It is a delicious cookie bar that is perfect to feed a crowd!

• To store: These cherry pie bars will stay fresh at room temperature for about 2 to 3 days. Just cover the pan with a lid or transfer the sliced bars to an airtight container. If storing in layers, I’d recommend adding a sheet of wax paper in between so they don’t stick.
• To freeze: After they’ve cooled completely, slice the bars into squares. Then place the squares in a single layer on a pan and flash freeze for about 1 hour (or until hard). Then stack in a freezer container and store in the freezer for about 3-6 months.
• To thaw: Remove from the freezer and set on the counter to thaw for a few hours (or until no longer frozen).

More Cherry Desserts

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