Cherry Bars Recipe

Ingredients

For the Batter:

• 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but highly recommended)
• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (21 oz / 595 g) can cherry pie filling

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1–2 tablespoons milk (adjust for consistency)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
   Grease or line a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar:
   In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes).
3. Add eggs and flavoring:
   Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and almond extract.
4. Add dry ingredients:
   Gradually stir in flour and salt until combined. The batter will be thick.
5. Assemble:
   Spread about 3 cups of batter evenly in the prepared pan.
   Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the top.
   Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over the cherries (it doesn’t have to cover completely — the cherries should peek through).
6. Bake:
   Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden and set.
   Let cool completely in the pan.
7. Glaze:
   Whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
   Drizzle over the cooled bars.
8. Slice and serve:
   Cut into squares or bars. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.

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Tips

• Swap cherry filling with blueberry, raspberry, or mixed berry for variation.
• For a more bakery-style look, dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving.
• These bars freeze beautifully — up to 3 months in an airtight container.