Cherry Pie Bars
These cherry pie bars are a simple and irresistible dessert made with real cherries — tart or sweet — layered between a buttery shortbread crust and a crumbly topping. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, and family gatherings, this easy cherry pie recipe delivers all the flavor of a classic pie in a convenient bar form.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 225 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups 300 g granulated sugar, divided
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups 375 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 can 21 oz cherry pie filling, or 2 cups homemade tart cherry filling
- Optional: zest of 1 lemon for cherry lemon bar twist
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- For homemade tart cherry filling:
- 2 cups pitted tart cherries
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cream together butter and 1 ¼ cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
- Gradually mix in flour and salt just until combined. Reserve 1 cup of dough for topping.
- Press remaining dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- If making homemade filling: in a saucepan, cook cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and water over medium heat until thickened. Let cool slightly.
- Spread cherry filling over crust in the pan. Crumble reserved dough over the top. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and lemon zest if using.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and bubbly. Cool completely, dust with powdered sugar, and cut into bars.
Notes
- Use parchment paper for easy removal of bars from the pan.
- If using sweet cherries, reduce sugar slightly in the filling.
- Cool completely before cutting to ensure clean slices.
- For a nutty variation, sprinkle sliced almonds or pistachios on top before baking.