You’re in for a treat! Here’s a recipe for Cherry Pie Bars — all the sweet-tart cherry pie flavor with a buttery crust and crumbly topping, but easier to slice and serve than a whole pie.
🍒 Cherry Pie Bars
Yields: 16 bars | Prep Time: 15 mins | Bake Time: 40 mins | Total Time: ~1 hr
🛒 Ingredients:
Crust & Topping:
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1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
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1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
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1 cup granulated sugar
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½ tsp salt
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1 tsp vanilla extract
Filling:
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2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling (or homemade cherry pie filling)
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Optional: 1 tbsp lemon juice or zest for brightness
👩🍳 Instructions:
1. Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper (leave an overhang for easy lifting).
2. Make Crust & Topping Dough
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In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt.
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Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
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Stir in vanilla.
3. Assemble Bars
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Press about 2/3 of the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan to form the crust.
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Spread cherry pie filling evenly over the crust.
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Crumble the remaining dough over the filling as the topping.
4. Bake
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Bake for 35–40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly.
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Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
5. Slice & Serve
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Use the parchment overhang to lift bars out.
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Cut into squares and enjoy!
🔥 Tips:
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For extra texture, mix ½ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) into the topping.
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Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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Make sure bars cool fully so filling sets and bars slice cleanly.
Would you like a gluten-free version, or maybe a recipe for homemade cherry pie filling to go with it?
