Homemade Cherry Pie Bars
These cherry pie bars are tasty and pretty! A homemade dessert that is easy to make and slices up and serves perfectly! Use any pie filling!
A DELICIOUSLY SIMPLE HOMEMADE DESSERT
Is there anything prettier than a cherry or strawberry dessert? I love the colors, I love the flavors and they are perfect for the holidays. You can use any flavor pie filling to switch it up a bit. Blueberry is another favorite of mine. As always, I love adding a little almond extract along with anything cherry. It really enhances the cherry flavor without overwhelming it.
TIPS FOR MAKING CHERRY PIE BARS
- I have made this recipe with peach, strawberry, apple and blueberry pie fillings. All of them were amazing and worked perfectly!
- You will need a larger baking sheet for this. You might see it called a jelly roll pan. Trust me, it’ll get a ton of use once you make these bars one time. You’ll be hooked! I just know you are going to fall in love with these bars. The cherry filling plays peekaboo around the dollops of dough. They slice up and serve beautifully.
- If you love this recipe, be sure to go have a look at my recipe for Cherry Crumble Bars!
- These bars can be frozen.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- butter – I’m using unsalted here but you could certainly use salted. Just leave out the additional salt included in the recipe.
- sugar – I have not tried this with any sugar substitutes but it should work if you are using a 1:1 ratio sugar substitution (like Splenda for baking).
- large eggs – baked goods turn out best when all the ingredients are at room temperature so that goes for the eggs too.
- vanilla and almond extracts – the almond extract compliments the cherry flavor so well. If you just don’t like almond extract then leave it out.
- all-purpose flour – self rising flour won’t work in this recipe. Because self-rising flour has a leavening agent, it won’t turn out properly in this recipe where there is no leavening agent (like baking powder or baking soda needed).
- cherry pie filling – you can use any pie filling you love with this recipe or make your own! You could also use sugar free options.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CHERRY PIE BARS
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.
Gradually add flour.
Spread 3 cups dough into a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Spread with pie filling.
Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, mix confectioner’s sugar, extracts and enough milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.
Makes about 12 large slices.
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Originally published: October 2016
Updated & republished: September 2020
Cherry Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 (21 ounce) cans cherry pie filling
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature, 2 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy.
- Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.
- Gradually add 3 cups all-purpose flour.
- Spread 3 cups dough into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Spread 2 (21 ounce) cans cherry pie filling evenly on top.
- Drop remaining dough by teaspoonfuls over filling.
- Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and about 2-3 Tablespoons milk to reach desired consistency; drizzle over top.
Video
Notes
- Use any flavor pie filling you prefer.
- These bars can be frozen.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Recipe source: Taste of Home (2001)
What size pan if I doubled them?
Definitely took 2 cans of pie filling to top these bars on a 10x15x1 pan.
I made these last night and will be freezing. Should I ice them before freezing or when I actually thaw and use? Thanks for the recipe.
These bars are amazing! I just made a pan and used half cherry and half blueberry.
That’s awesome Sarah! Thank you!!
Does this recipe use salted or unsalted butter?
How do you store these?
Just in an airtight container. 🙂
This is delicious! I made this last night. It is so pretty and yummy!
This was AMAZING! My husband completely lost his mind.. this is his new favorite! Thank you!
I have made these several times and they are amazing! The whole family loves them. I am making them as one of the desserts for Easter dinner. Love your recipes. <3
DO you think I could cut recipe in half and use a 8 x 13 or 8 x 8 pan. Just two of us here. Thanks!
Hi Mary! I don’t see why not! These bars also freeze good too so you could make the whole batch and freeze a few! 🙂
These look insane! I made cheesecake bites the other day and wanted a different recipe to use up some of the leftover pie filling. This looks perfect. I can’t wait to give it a try this afternoon.
UPDATE! I made these bars and they are insanely good. I don’t like cherry pie filling, but this is amazing!
Can I use a non-stick pan for these?
I have fresh cherries to use. Would that work?
Hi Karen,
I use fresh cherries each time that I make these. I found a “make-your-own” cherry pie filling and use that instead of canned filling . Turns out amazing each time. I have done the same for an apple pie filling version of this. Happy Baking!
Please share your “make-your-own” cherry pie filling recipe.
Do you have a recipe for your pie filling and how much fresh cherries would you use to make enough for this recipe? I have some cherries I need to use up. Thanks!!
I have a theme party I am going too and was thinking of the dough dropped on top to be cut into a shape with a cookie cutter. Advice on doing this?
Could these be made ahead and frozen?
Do these need to be refrigerated?
Hi Kaylene! Honestly, I have never refrigerated. I think if you need them to last longer – you could. My answer to these types of questions is always just to use your best judgement. They just never last that long around here 🙂
I would not recommend refrigerating these bars. I did & they got really mushy and you had to use a spoon to scoop it out of the container. Even though that happened, they were so delicious!! I made some for my dad on his 79th birthday and he and my mom loved them! ** Really great recipe **
Does this make five dozen or serve twelve? I’m making these for two different parties and want to know quantity before I start baking. Also, do they need to be refrigerated?
It is 12 slices. 🙂
Made these yesterday! OMG these are great! My husband just loved them! Going to try with blueberry next!
Do these need to be refrigerated ?
I am making these for my nephews birthday He loves anything cherry. thanks
Hope he loves them as much as we do!!
Thes eare really yummy. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
besides using cherry pie filling; I bet a person could use almost any kind of filling
Absolutely!
How come you don’t show step and pictures like you did before
It was really helpful
Hi Sue! I will again soon. Just been super busy with the new website setup! I had some other readers say they didn’t like all the step-by-step photos so I am trying to find a happy middle ground 🙂
The print the recipe does not show…..sorry
Sorry Sue, not sure what the issue is but it is working fine on my end. Maybe try again.
Oh my gosh these look so good so copied it off and also for a friend
Hope you love them Lois! 🙂
HOW CAN I PRINT THE RECIPES????
Hi Sue! At the very end of the post you’ll see a printable recipe copy. Underneath the thumbnail photo of the cherry pie bars, you’ll see a box that says “print.” Just click that and a printable copy will pop up. Hope that helps!
On the recipe print at the top just underneath the small photo is the print icon. Or you can copy and paste it to your notes on an I phone or I pad. Then print from there.