🍒 Cherry Pie Bars
🧾 Ingredients:
For the Dough:
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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
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2 cups granulated sugar
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4 large eggs
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1/4 tsp almond extract (optional but highly recommended!)
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3 cups all-purpose flour
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1/2 tsp salt
For the Filling:
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1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling (or use 2 if you like them extra fruity)
For the Glaze:
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1 cup powdered sugar
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1–2 tbsp milk
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1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
👨🍳 Instructions:
🔹 1. Prep:
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Lightly grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
🔹 2. Make the Dough:
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In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
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Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
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Mix in vanilla and almond extract.
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Gradually add the flour and salt, mixing just until combined.
🔹 3. Assemble:
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Spread about 2/3 of the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan — it will be thick, so use a spatula or damp hands to press evenly.
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Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the batter.
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Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter over the top — it won’t cover the whole surface, and that’s okay (you want some cherry showing!).
🔹 4. Bake:
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Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set.
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Cool completely in the pan.
🔹 5. Glaze:
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In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and extract until smooth.
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Drizzle over the cooled bars.
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Let the glaze set before slicing into squares or rectangles.
🍽️ Tips & Variations:
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Swap in blueberry, apple, or peach pie filling for different flavors.
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Add a streusel topping instead of glaze for extra crunch.
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Use almond flour for part of the flour to enhance the almond-cherry combo.
Would you like a small-batch, gluten-free, or from-scratch cherry filling version? I’m happy to adapt it!
